TAMPA, DEC. 26, 2016 – Head coach Jose Fernandez expanded the University of South Florida backcourt with the addition of combo guard Alba Prieto, Fernandez and his staff announced Monday. Prieto will join Vanessa Blagmon, a shooting guard from Georgia and sophomore transfer Alyssa Rader, a center from Colorado, on the 2017-18 roster.

The Bulls gained another five-star recruit per Passion Hoops and Blue Star Europe, their second five-star athlete in as many years. The Seville, Spain native has been a prominent member of the Spanish National Youth Teams and competed with the U17 team in the FIBA World Championships this past summer. Prieto is a top-75 recruit by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and ranked No. 20 in her position in the 2017 class.

In the 2016 FIBA World Championships, Prieto averaged 6.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.6 steals in seven games.

Prieto currently plays for Duran Maquinaria Ensino Lugo in Spain and averages 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. 

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The Bulls return eight players from last season, and have signed six newcomers to the roster. American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Kitija Laksa will lead a squad full of international flavor that boasts nine players from around the world.  USF will look to extend its postseason streak to five consecutive seasons and return to the conference championship for the third time in as many years.

USF has made 12 postseason tournament appearances and had four NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 16 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to seven 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 280 games.

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