RUSTON - Louisiana Tech's 2003 women's basketball recruiting class is ranked No. 9 in the country in the latest issue of Michael White's All-Star Girls Report.

Head coach Kurt Budke and Co. signed four newcomers to this year's team, including junior college transfers Lakiste Barkus and Tiffany Thompson and freshmen Shan Moore and Nastassja Levingston.

Barkus and Thompson both played at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, while Moore hails from Minden High School and Levingston from Ruston High School.

Vanderbilt's class ranked No. 1 in the publication followed by Duke, Purdue, Florida State, Ohio State, Georgia, Connecticut, Texas, Louisiana Tech and South Carolina.

This marks the second straight year Louisiana Tech's class has been ranked in the Top 10 by the All-Star Girls Report as the 2002 version was No. 3.