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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 11 • 37 Cline is about skill; Weatherford's about toughness, among other attri- butes. "We thought he was one of the best competitors in the country," Painter said, "a guy who can guard a lot of dif- ferent people with a high level of ath- leticism who'll fit in the Big Ten. But he's just a competi- tive kid that's really made some strides as a player and is re- ally going to help us win some basketball games." The Boilermaker coaching staff was drawn to Weather- ford this summer as it watched him play for the same Indiana Elite AAU program as Cline. "It was just his ability to shut people down and play," Painter said. "There were times he played a lot, times when maybe he didn't, but no matter what, he was always engaged in wanting his team to win. He reminded me a lot of Chris Kramer in that respect. I think we're getting a guy who can play a couple positions and defend a couple positions, but just one of the best competitors I saw in July in the entire country." Weatherford's point guard skills went a long way in con - vincing Purdue to offer him a scholarship, but Painter said he expects him to play both back- court positions. CENTER SIGNS ELSEWHERE Despite being offered by Purdue shortly before the NCAA early signing date, Otsego, Mich., center Seth Dugan elected at the last second to stay close to home once nearby Western Michigan found scholarship room enough to offer him. Dugan's decision to play at the local Mid-American Confer- ence school left Purdue without a center recruit during the early pe- riod, a position it looked to fill due to the possibility A.J. Hammons goes pro after this season. Purdue will continue its search in the spring. "We still need some size," Painter said, adding that he's targeting centers and power for- wards (read: five-star Fort Wayne big man Caleb Swanigan). VERSYP SIGNS TOP-10 CLASS The Boilermakers have a top- 10 recruiting class — as high as No. 7 by ESPN — for 2015, the most highly regarded class in Sha- ron Versyp's nine-year tenure at Purdue. The group includes forward Dominique McBryde (No. 28 over- all by ESPN), point guard Tiara Murphy (30) and forward Lamina Cooper (44) — likely the three best players from the state of hail from Indiana — and Louisville center Nora Kiesler. "Obviously, we're very, very excited," Versyp said on signing day, Nov. 12. "No. 1, we've been on these ladies for a very long time so it's nice when it comes to frui- tion. To be recognized nationally is good, a top-10 recruiting class, at No. 7, I just think that continues to bode well for our university, our program and our coaching staff." Versyp was particularly happy to have secured the top players from Indiana with McBryde, Mur- phy and Cooper, three front-run- ners for Miss Basketball. "It's a big key," Versyp said. "We've been able to get one (Indi- ana native) here and there, but to be able to solidify three (is big). … It's really important because you want kids to stay home and I think we were on them so early, because if you can get them early that's a great thing. If they get into their junior, senior years and they're not INCOMING BOILERMAKERS 2015 Signees Lamina Cooper G 5-8 Indianapolis/Lawrence North Nora Kiesler C 6-6 Louisville/Assumption Dominique McBryde F 6-2 Bedford, Ind./Bedford North Lawrence Tiara Murphy G 5-6 South Bend, Ind./Washington 2016 Commitments Aerianna Harris F 6-1 Indianapolis/Ben Davis Miracle Gray PG 5-6 Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson 2017 Commitment Dani Lawson F 6-2 Shaker Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown Tom Campbell Matt Painter likes the fact that Ryan Cline had to play point guard which should assist in his development in the backcourt. ESPN ranks Dominique McBryde the No. 28 player in the 2015 class.