Five National Letters of Intent rolled in for the University of Maine women’s basketball team this week, but the Black Bears have already received word of a verbal commitment from a high school junior.

Kelsey Hogan, a 5-foot-6 point guard at Nashua North High School in New Hampshire has told the Black Bears she’ll play for them starting in the 2008-09 season, Nashua North coach Ricky Oliver said.

Hogan has started every game but one in her first two years at Nashua North, a 2,300-student school in New Hampshire’s Division I.

“Pound for pound, I believe, she’s the best point guard in Division I in New Hampshire,” Oliver said.

Oliver said Hogan may have committed so early because of the relative close distance of the school to Nashua, and the fact that several of Hogan’s AAU teammates will be at Maine in the coming years.

New England Crusaders players Tanna Ross (Hampden Academy), Emily Rousseau (Biddeford High) and Tonya Young (Mascoma High in New Hampshire) have all signed Letters of Intent.

“I think there’s something to the familiarity and being with people you know,” said Oliver, who advised Hogan this summer to wait before committing.

Hogan averaged 16 points, 8 assists, 3-4 rebounds and 4 steals per game last year for Nashua North.

“She’s just a phenomenal player and she’s a very easy player to coach,” Oliver said. “She doesn’t shoot enough for me, but I think that might change this year.”

Mt. Blue of Farmington’s Christina Mosher and Sandown, N.H. resident Magdala Johnson of Timberland Regional High will round out Maine’s freshman class next year along with Ross, Rousseau and Young.

Ross, a 6-foot guard, was 2005 Big East Conference Player of the Year but missed her entire junior season with an injury. Now recovered, Ross has already been named a preseason East region honorable mention in Street & Smith’s.

Mosher is a 6-4 forward-center and Rousseau is a 5-8 point guard.

Johnson is a 6-0 guard-forward and Young is a 6-2 forward.

The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to the University of Maine and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA Clearinghouse.