Just three years ago, every player on the University of Wisconsin women's basketball team's roster was a native of the Badger state.

And while that 1996-97 squad went 16-11, UW coach Jane Albright realized that if her program was going to grow into a national power, she would not only have to recruit the top players from within Wisconsin, but also those outside its borders.

So in the fall of 1997, Albright added a little diversity by welcoming freshman Krista Bird of Owatanna, Minn.

A year ago, the Badgers added Minnesota natives Tamara Moore (Minneapolis) and Jessie Stomski (Oakdale) to the lineup, while national prep player of the year Nina Smith -- from Waterloo, Iowa -- joined the team this fall.

Wednesday, Albright took the whole process one step farther.

In fact, the long arm of Badgerball extended all the way to the West Coast.

Emily Ashbaugh, a 6-foot-5 center from Woodinville, Wash., told The Capital Times early this morning that she has verbally committed to play for the Badgers starting in 2000-2001. Woodinville is about 30 miles northeast of Seattle.

Ashbaugh is familiar with the Madison area because her grandparents live in Middleton. Her mother also attended the UW.

"Everybody is like, `Oh, Wisconsin is so far away,' '' said Ashbaugh. "But it's not like that at all for me. The support I got out there was incredible. I've been to family reunions out there and things. It felt like home.

"The only thing that scares me about Wisconsin is the snow.''

Ashbaugh also said UW's strong academic standing played a major role in her decision to become a Badger. She holds a 3.95 grade point average at Redmond High School and plans to study biochemistry or environmental science at UW.

"Academics was a big priority for me,'' Ashbaugh said. "I wanted to go somewhere where the science programs are the strongest. That was very important to me.''

Ashbaugh chose Wisconsin over NCAA power Stanford, UCLA, Oregon and Big Ten Conference foe Northwestern.

Albright is prohibited from commenting on recruits until they sign national letters of intent. The signing period begins next week.

Ashbaugh is rated as the 62nd best high school senior in the nation by the Blue Star Report. She helped lead Redmond High School to the Washington 4A (large school) state tournament last season, and was the only player from Washington to be invited to the prestigious Nike All-American camp in Indianapolis, Ind., last summer.

She said she envisions herself playing center or small forward in college.

"I'm not a big girl,'' said Ashbaugh. "My strengths are my agility and post defense. I'm the one who tends to try to get out and run on the (fast) break.''

Last winter, Ashbaugh led Redmond High School in scoring (15 ppg), rebounding (9 rpg) and blocked shots (3 bpg).

"She's just gotten a lot better every year,'' said Jeannine Ewing, Ashbaugh's coach at Redmond before taking over duties as school athletic director this season. "She moves really well for a girl her size and is a very good defender. She's very cerebral and has a nice shooting touch, even out to 10 or 12 feet.

"I think Wisconsin just got a great basketball player who will be a great person and a great asset to the community.''

Ashbaugh's older sister, Lauren, is a junior at the University of California and is a two-year starter at power forward for the Cal women's basketball team.

Ashbaugh will likely be the Badgers' only signing this fall, and she may be the only freshman on the team next season.

Wisconsin, which is loaded with talent in the freshman and sophomore classes this season, is focussing much of its recruiting attention on a first-rate group of high school juniors, who would be eligible to sign a year from now.