BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland women's basketball added three student-athletes to its Class of 2026 with the signing of Marta Espinal, Cristina Garcia and Meliah Van-Otoo to National Letters of Intent.
 
Espinal and Garcia will come to the Evergreen from their native Spain, while Van-Otoo is poised to join the Greyhounds from Pennsylvania.
 
"Loyola Women's Basketball continues its upward trajectory with the addition of Marta, Meliah, and Cristina," said Head Coach Danielle O'Banion. "Each young woman raises the collective competitiveness and basketball IQ of our team in a significant manner while also being outstanding scholars. With their signing, our incoming 2022-23 class grows to five members. Our future is much brighter today."
 
The trio of spring signees join Ally Lovisolo and Kelly Ratigan who signed NLIs in the fall.
 
Meet the newest members of the Greyhounds' program:
 
Marta Espinal (5'11", Castellnou de Bages, Spain/Les d'Auro School)
 
O'Banion on Espinal: "As a skilled face-up player, Marta's versatility makes her a tough match-up. She is an athlete with great length who will thrive in our system on both ends of the floor."
 
Before Loyola: Played for the Salle Manresa, Joviat and Manresa basketball clubs… Won the Catalonian Championship with Joviat… Averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game… Shot 60-percent from inside the 3-point arc… Most Valuable Player of multiple tournaments… Member of the Catalonian Select Team.
 
Personal: Daughter of Toni Espinal and Maribel Tapias… has a younger brother, Marc.
 
 
Cristina García (5'9", Sant Cugat del Vallés, Spain/Pisgah High School)
 
O'Banion on Garcia: "Cristina's addition immediately enhances our pace of play. She is at her best, and most dangerous, when the tempo is high and the floor is spaced."
 
Before Loyola: Played for Femení Cerdanyola, Femení Sant Adrià, ETA Thunder and the Catalonian Select Team… Was the co-Conference Player of the Year and earned All-Conference honors… Tabbed to the All-District Second Team… Member of teams that finished first in the 2021 Mountain 6 Conference, the 2018 Catalonial Championship of Clubsand the 2017 and 2019 Spanish Provisional Championships… Also a part of two runner-up teams for the 2019 Catalonian Champion of Clubs and the Spanish Championship.
 
Personal: Daughter of Jamie Garcia García and Carla de Sivatte Font… Has two older siblings, Jaume García and Mònica García de Sivatte.
 
 
Meliah Van-Otoo (5'4", Drexel Hill, Pa./Westtown School)
 
O'Banion on Van-Otto: "Meliah makes us better both on the court and in the locker room. She is a proven winner and fierce competitor, committed to championship basketball."
 
Before Loyola: Will graduate from Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where she was an All-Friends League honorable mention player as a sophomore and senior… Selected as one of Pennsylvania's top wing guards by PA Preps in 2021 and 2022… Team captain as a junior and senior… Was a 2022 Philly All-American Selection and a 2019 and 2021 Philly Chosen League selection… Helped Westtown win the Friends League Championship in 2019-2020 and 2021-2022… Her team also won the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association State Championship as a senior… Member of Abington Friends School's Friends League Championship team in 2017-2018… Played AAU for Team Final and Books Basketball Academy… Was also a varsity letterwinner in softball and ran on the 4x400 relay team as a ninth grader at the Penn relays.
 
Personal: Daughter of Cynthia and Edwin Van-Otoo… Has an older brother, Khaaliq, and a younger sister, Corrine Van-Otoo… Selected to the National Society of High School Scholars.