Losing key players to graduation could be detrimental to any college team.

Although three talented seniors have left NIU’s nationally ranked women’s basketball program, Coach Jane Albright and her Huskies are planning a positive future.

Two Indiana high school basketball standouts signed NCAA National Letters of Intent to continue educational and athletic careers at NIU. Warsaw High School’s Sandra “Sam” Snyder and Gary’s Horace Mann product Angela Lockett have become the latest NIU prospects.

Snyder, a six-foot-two forward, is graduating from the nation’s No. 1 ranked high school basketball program according to the Indiana High School Girls’ Basketball Coaches Association.

Snyder led her 21-1 team with 33 blocked shots and averaged 9.8 points and 6.1 rebounds last season.

She was named to both the All-Northern Lakes Conference and Warsaw Times-Union All-Area 1990 teams. She was an alternate to the 1990 Indiana All-Star Top-40 try-out camp and was a Hoosier Basketball magazine 1989-90 pre-season honorable mention all-state selection.

“Sam comes out of a high school program that is a winner. She knows how to win, and that experience will carry over (to NIU),” said Albright.

Lockett was both leading scorer (18 points per game) and rebounder (15 rebounds per game) during her senior season. The six-foot post player finished her HMHS career with 983 points, 849 rebounds and 219 blocked shots. Lockett was named Most Valuable Player and captain her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

A three-time All-Northwest Conference First-Team selection (1988-89-90), Lockett was named to both the Gary Post Tribune and Hammond Times 1990 All-Area teams. She was also the WLTH-Radio Player of the Year. Lockett was a Third-Team pre-season 1989-90 All-State selection by Hoosier Basketball magazine. Lockett participated in the April 13-14 Huntington Tip-Off Tournament, scoring 61 points in two games.

“Angie is a quality student-athlete. Athletically, she is a good leaper and has explosive speed. She has one of the quickest first steps I’ve seen. Angie will be called upon to play strong man-to-man defense and rebound. She can make an immediate impact,” said Albright.