PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland State women's basketball team signed three athletes to National Letters of Intent Thursday, adding depth to a team that could have as many as 12 returners for the 2020-21 season.
 
The Vikings signed Morgan Baird, Reilly Kelty and Itziar Ugarte to their 2020 recruiting class, who will replace only one senior after this season in two-year starter Jordan Stotler.
 
"When we started looking at the 2020 class, we focused on players that had a strong academic foundation, high-level athletic experience and the skills necessary to make an immediate impact for our team," head coach Lynn Kennedy said of Wednesday's signees. "Morgan, Itzi and Reilly exemplified every aspect of our style and program. We are excited they are going to be part of our Viking family."
 
Baird, a 5-11 small forward, comes to the Vikings from Coquille High School in Coquille, Ore., where she was named the Oregon State 2A Player of the Year following a runner-up finish at the state tournament last season. Baird was a first-team all-state tournament selection as a junior, when she led all players at the state tournament in scoring and rebounding.
 
Baird continues the Vikings' success of picking out talent from smaller Oregon high schools. Besides Baird, current Viking sophomore Desirae Hansen – last season's Big Sky Co-Top Reserve – played 3A ball while at Rainier High School in Rainier, Ore.
 
Kelty, a 6-3 post, has played at the 4A and 6A levels within the Oregon state system. Kelty played her first three years at Cottage Grove before transferring to Sheldon High School in Eugene, Ore., for her senior year. Before transferring, Kelty was a three-time first-team all-league selection for her Cottage Grove basketball team. Kelty also earned first-team all-league honors in volleyball while at Sheldon this fall, and was a two-time first-team all-league selection in volleyball while at Cottage Grove.
 
Ugarte, meanwhile, represents the fourth Spanish player to sign with the Vikings in the past three seasons. Ugarte, a 5-11 guard, comes to the Vikings from Madrid, Spain, where she played for the Baloncesto Torrelodones club team during the 2018-19 season. Ugarte was named the MVP of the 2017 International Basket Cup in Benidorm, Spain, and was selected to compete in an All-Star charity shooting contest in 2018. Ugarte also won a regional title with her Basket Rivas U16 team during the 2017-18 season.
 

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2020 Recruiting Class (in alphabetical order)
Morgan Baird, F, 5-11, FR, Coquille, Ore. (Coquille HS)
Reilly Kelty, F, 6-3, FR, Cottage Grove, Ore. (Sheldon HS)
Itziar Ugarte, G, 5-11, FR, Madrid, Spain (CEU Montepríncipe)
 

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Morgan Baird, F, 5-11, FR, Coquille, Ore. (Coquille HS)
 
COQUILLE HIGH SCHOOL:
Oregon State 2A Player of the Year as a junior…First-team all-state tournament selection while leading her team to a runner-up finish at state as a junior…Led all players at the state tournament in scoring and rebounding as a junior…2A Sunset Conference Player of the Year as a junior…Second-team all-state selection while Coquille competed in the 3A Mountain Valley Conference during her sophomore season…Led Coquille to a fourth place finish at the 3A state tournament as a sophomore…First-team all-conference selection as a sophomore while leading her team to an unbeaten record in the Mountain Valley Conference…Five-time Moda Player of the Game at various OSAA basketball tournaments…Lettered in volleyball (3 years), track (2 years), cross country (1 year), band (3 years) and Model United Nations (1 year) in addition to basketball…Earned honorable mention in the Sunset Conference as a volleyball player as a junior…Helped lead her volleyball team to back-to-back fourth-place finishes at state as a sophomore and junior, as well as back-to-back unbeaten runs through conference play.
 
PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS:
Daughter of Wendi and Bryan Baird…Has a brother, Garrett Baird…Named her high school's student of the year in five different subjects…Presidential Education Award recipient, 2019…Four-year member of the Coquille High School band (concert, pep and marching) in which she plays the trumpet…Coquille High School Robotics Team captain…Two-year class president…Founding member of the Coquille Science Club, and served as the club's vice president in 2019…Lists shuffleboard and coaching youth basketball as hobbies/interests…Hopes to become a diplomat after her basketball career…Plans on majoring in international studies with a minor in cultural anthropology.
 
COACH KENNEDY ON BAIRD:
"Throughout the recruiting process, one thing stood out with Morgan: she loves the game of basketball. She has a contagious passion for basketball and the desire to get better. She has a perfect game for our style, a taller guard that can finish, shoot 3's and post up against a mismatch."
 

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Reilly Kelty, F, 6-3, FR, Cottage Grove, Ore. (Sheldon HS)
 
BEFORE PORTLAND STATE:
Attended Cottage Grove High School for her first three years of school before finishing at Sheldon High School…Lettered in volleyball and basketball during all four years of high school…Three-time first-team all-league selection in basketball at Cottage Grove…First-team all-league selection in volleyball as a senior at Sheldon…Two-time first-team all-league selection in volleyball while at Cottage Grove, and a second-team selection as a sophomore…Helped lead her Cottage Grove volleyball team to a second-place finish at state as a junior.
 
PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS:
Daughter of Rachelle and Sean Kelty…Has two sisters, Aillia Kelty and Madisen Howland…Hopes to become a forensic psychologist after her basketball career…Plans on majoring in criminology or psychology with a minor in the other subject.
 
COACH KENNEDY ON KELTY:
"Reilly brings a desire to win and will do what it takes to help the team. She plays extremely hard every possession. One of the best rebounders and defenders that we saw in this class. She continues to develop her offensive game and she will be an inside threat at our post position."
 

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Itziar Ugarte, G, 5-11, FR, Madrid, Spain (CEU Montepríncipe)
 
BEFORE PORTLAND STATE:
MVP of the 2017 International Basket Cup in Benidorm, Spain…Selected to a shooting content during an All-Star charity weekend in 2018…Competed for the Baloncesto Torrelodones during the 2018-19 season, and the Basket Rivas team in 2017-18…Won a regional title with her Basket Rivas team.
 
PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS:
Daughter of José Ramón Ugarte and Isabel Pérez…Lists piano, singing, music and art as hobbies/interests…Hopes to start her own business after her basketball career…Plans on majoring in computer science.
 
COACH KENNEDY ON UGARTE:
"Itzi is a fierce and talented competitor. She has a strong attack and is tough to guard around the basket. What really stood out to us during the recruiting process was her ability to knock down shots. She has the complete game: a lock-down defender, consistent shooter and loves to take the pressure shots."