Eastern Michigan welcomes high school seniors Dara Capaldi, Sophia Nittinger, and Olivia Smith to EMU’s women’s basketball team on National Signing Day.
Dara Capaldi is currently a senior at La Lumiere High School and according to MaxPreps she’s ranked as a top-125 player in the State of Indiana. She takes pride in helping lead her high school team to an Indiana state championship in 2020. Capaldi has earned two varsity letters and been named captain three times. In her previous season she scored 18 points on average, eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks per game. To date she has been named first team all-county and named conference MVP. Dara plans to pursue a degree in social work/psychology while at EMU.
“She’s a big guard, has really good athleticism, you know, someone that can get to the rim and finish at the rim, something that you don’t typically see in women’s basketball,” said Coach Fred Castro on why he recruited Dara. “It was a no-brainer that she fits what we currently have and would just enhance our roster.”
Sophia Nittinger is a 6’2 Forward from Webster Groves High School where she has spent her entire high school career on varsity. She currently holds a record of 57 blocks (2020-21) and for two seasons led in rebounds. In 2021 she was a second team all-conference honoree. Last season, Nittinger played an intricate part in leading her school to a runner-up trophy in the Missouri State High School Activities Association. Not only is Sophia a basketball player, but she also played varsity volleyball for three seasons at Webster Groves High. While at Eastern Sophia will work towards earning her degree in Biology
Olivia Smith reigns from Fort Wayne, Indiana where she attends South Side High School. During her high school career Smith has been a part of the varsity team and a team captain for all four years. During the 2020-21 season she averaged 18.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game. Among her accomplishments Smith has been named an Indiana Junior All-Star and first team all-conference. Olivia will be studying Criminal Justice while attending Eastern Michigan.
