It's going to be a Martin family reunion at Southern Illinois University.
Nicole Martin of Jefferson City High School signed a letter of intent Wednesday afternoon to play basketball at Southern Illinois in Carbondale.
"I'm pretty excited about it," Martin said. "I feel like it was a good fit for me, I like the coach a lot and my teammates."
Martin will join her sister, Kezia, in Carbondale. Kezia Martin is a sprinter on the SIU-Carbondale track and field team.
"I wasn't sure I wanted to go where my sister was going, but we talked about it and I really think I'm going to enjoy it," Nicole Martin said.
Martin, a 6-foot-1 forward, was an all-district performer for Jefferson City last season.
"A lot of schools contacted me during the summer, during the AAU season," Martin, who played AAU with the Missouri Lady Warriors, said. "But SIU has been there since my freshman year and they are the ones who have stuck with me."
At Southern Illinois, Martin will play for former Missouri head coach Cindy Stein.
"Nicole is full of energy," Stein said in a release by the university. "You always get a great vibe from Nicole. Nicole's athleticism is off the charts. She has the strength to play low but the versatility and speed to play on the perimeter.
"Another young lady that can catch any ball thrown her way, defend well, crash the boards and can score inside or out. We see her playing almost any spot on floor except point."
Martin is one of five recruits, and the only one from Missouri, signed Wednesday by the Salukis.
"I am very excited about this recruiting class," Stein said. "We lose a special group of young ladies, so we knew that we were going to have to work hard to fill their shoes. These ladies have the heart, work ethic and competitive fire that we desire in all our players and the skills to help grab ahold of future successes. We filled a lot of needs with this class. The future is truly bright with this group."
Martin, who will major in biology, is a multi-time medalist the state track and field championships. But don't look for her to join her sister on the Saluki track team.
"I've always liked basketball," Martin said.
Southern Illinois is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.