The LSU men’s basketball team signed four recruits Wednesday in the NCAA’s early signing period, the LSU Athletic Department announced in a news release.The Tigers’ signing class has been ranked No. 10 by ESPNU and in the top 20 nationally by Rivals.com.”These are the young men that we targeted whom we felt would fit our program, and we look forward to having them here,” said LSU coach Trent Johnson. “All that being said, this recruiting class, which is ranked 10th in the country by some polls, should be judged at the end of their careers and not at the start of their careers, and I think these players all understand that.”Only one of the recruits in LSU’s class is from Louisiana. Country Day High School’s Matt Derenbecker, a 6-foot-7-inch, 185-pound forward from Metairie, is the Tigers’ lone Pelican State signee.Two players in the class hail from Jackson, Miss. Andre Stringer, a 5-foot-9-inch point guard, attends Forest Park High School, and Jalen Courtney, a 6-foot-8-inch power forward, preps at Provine High School.Shooting guard Ralston Turner rounds out the Tigers’ signing class. Turner stands at 6 feet 6 inches and 193 pounds and stars for Muscle Shoals High School in Muscle Shoals, Ala.Basketball, along with several other sports such as volleyball and golf, has an early signing period that began Wednesday and will last one week. Football does not have an early signing period.The LSU women’s basketball team received national letters of intent from three prospects on Wednesday.Baton Rouge guard Jeanne Kenney, Mobile, Ala., post player Shanece McKinney and Houma post player Theresa Plaisance each signed on the dotted line for the Lady Tigers to make the recruiting class the 10th best in the country, according to ESPN.com.”We are very happy as a staff with the three players we signed today,” said LSU coach Van Chancellor in a news release. “We have signed people who can shoot the basketball, people that have size, people that can defend and people that can rebound. Anytime that you can sign three of the top 100 players in America, you are excited. Our staff did an outstanding job.”The volleyball team also signed four players in the early signing period.Desiree Elliott, Shelby Pursley, Avery Striebel and Nicole Willis pledged to LSU coach Fran Flory on Wednesday.Elliott, Striebel and Willis are each members of PrepVolleyball.com’s Senior Aces Top 150 for this recruiting class.”This is a vital class to the future of our program as we replace four tremendous seniors,” Flory said in a news release. “All four of these signees possess outstanding athleticism and great character. They represent another step forward for our program and will be outstanding additions to our program both on the court and in the classroom.”- – – -Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at [email protected]