CARBONDALE, Ill. – On Monday, Southern Illinois women’s basketball and head coach Kelly Bond-White announced the signing of Haeli Tart, a 5-foot-9 guard from O’Fallon, Illinois.
“Haeli kicks off a very exciting week for us in recruiting, and she is exactly the type of player we want in our program, tough, competitive, and relentless,” says Coach Bond-White. “She saw the vision and love in our program during early conference play back in December when she committed. As a high-level local talent with high major opportunities, she chose to stay home and compete in the Missouri Valley Conference, one of the most competitive and respected leagues in women’s college basketball, in front of her family and community. She’s grown up competing against many of our players and has seen what they’ve built here. The competitiveness, the success, and the pride they take in representing Southern Illinois. She believes in the development of our players at her position, the progress we’re making, and the vision for where this program is headed. That connection made this the right fit, and we’re excited to welcome her to Saluki Nation.”
Tart is an All-State guard at O’Fallon Township High School, where she averaged 14 points, five rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.2 steals per game. An efficient and consistent scorer, she surpassed the 1,000-point mark as a junior. She also competed with one of the nation’s top AAU programs, Missouri Phenom EYBL, gaining experience against elite competition on the national stage.
“We also want to recognize the people who have played a major role in Haeli’s development,” says Coach Bond-White. “Her parents, O’Fallon coaches, and her AAU program, MO Phenoms. All have been tremendous to work with. Their consistent communication, trust, and shared commitment to doing what’s best for the player made this process special. We have a great deal of respect for the coaches in this region and the work they do to develop high-level talent.”
Recruited for her toughness and competitiveness, Tart is regarded as one of the top guards in Illinois, with the ability to score at all three levels. Her versatility on both ends of the floor allows her to impact the game in multiple ways and makes her a natural fit for SIU’s style of play.
At SIU, Tart plans to study in the School of Biological Sciences as she pursues a career in dermatology.