I’ll be honest – recruiting hasn’t gone well for Andy Landers over the past few years. The rising junior class that had three freshmen all-SEC performers was solid, but last year’s class didn’t have much of an impact. It doesn’t help that the top recruit from that class, Brittany Carter, struggled on the court and in the classroom and will transfer. The current incoming class isn’t particularly heralded, though transfer Porsha Phillips is expected to be a key contributor. With some high-profile prospects headed out of state, you get articles like this pointing out the difficulty of the situation when you’re not UConn or Tennessee.

But a coach as successful and driven as Landers doesn’t take setbacks without responding, and a very positive sign came today with the commitment of Wesleyan rising senior Anne Marie Armstrong. Armstrong, considered the top prospect in Georgia for the 2009 class, won the state’s Miss Basketball honor as a junior while leading her team to the Class AA state title.

Armstrong, at 6’3″ is a versatile wing with good size. If you had to compare those attributes to a recent Lady Dog, think Megan Darrah. Hopefully this commitment is just the start towards what could be a very strong 2009 class.