WBB inks five '21 signees

There is no handbook for recruiting during a pandemic. It's challenging to figure out how to evaluate with shutdowns, online school, social distancing, and an extended dead period. We haven't evaluated or done a home visit since March and this was the first time in my 26 years not to run an on-campus summer camp. So to say we got pretty anxious and concerned about recruiting is an understatement.

We are a staff and a program that embraces focusing on what we can do. We always control the controllables. I appreciate my assistants for encouraging FaceTime calls and Zoom meetings with recruits. We had so much fun with this type of communication and it gave us the opportunity to visit more with parents and siblings along with the recruits.

We have made it our practice to evaluate and offer players early in the recruiting process as we deem that they have the skill set and character traits to thrive in our program. So as a whole, we have been watching this class and following their success for years. We have developed good relationships with them and their families and cannot wait for them to finally join our family on campus.

Graduation departures include a fantastic post duo in sharp-shooter Makayla [Mabry], and a rebounding scorer in the paint, Alyssa [Adams]. It also features great three-point specialists in Anna [McLeod] and Josie [Larson]. Fortunately, we were able to sign players with these skill sets and more.

Bella brings a poise and confidence to play point guard and shooting guard for us. She is an exceptional scorer and play-maker. Nykale will join her on the perimeter. Her quickness and ability to score in a variety of ways will be difficult to defend. Our inside game is in great shape with Alexis and Niyah owning the paint, demanding the ball, and grabbing boards. Addison is a true hybrid player with both an inside and outside skill set who will immediately support our potential to continue scoring in volumes.

As a class, they know how to win and expect to win here. They bring a gritty, competitiveness which is a necessity to compete at this level. This class will also emulate the core values of our program and the university. The Class of '21 is one of the best in ACU women's basketball history and one of the best among all mid-major programs in the country.

Abilene Christian has prepared a place for me academically and athletically. The coaches have provided support and loyalty from the very beginning. I can't wait to be rocking that ACU uniform.

Alexis has been a great addition to our Westfield team and she will have a very bright future with the Wildcats.

We have followed Alexis for several summers and are convinced that she just continues improving and adding tools to her skill set. Alexis is a true, strong, back-to-the-basket post player who demands the ball and answers with buckets. While always being a consistent rebounder, she has also developed a good three-point shot. I know Alexis has been taught well and coach hard by Coach Jackson, who was one of my favorite teammates. It is also special to sign a player who plays for an ACU ex-letterman. Alexis fills a huge void for us with the graduation of two post players.

I chose ACU because it felt like home. The coaching staff and the team made me feel like this is something I want to be a part of.

Nykale is a Falcon born and bred. Her contributions to the Lady Falcon program include her ability to score at will, her versatility on defense and her Falcon pride. Nykale has been a delight to watch and a joy to coach. She will bring a passion for the game, her attention to detail, a superior work ethic, and commitment to the next level. Nykale will leave behind those qualities and many more in her legacy at Millwood. She will be truly missed, but her Falcon family will be watching her soar.

We put a huge value on players who come from winning programs, and that is really all that Nykale has ever experienced. She is coming from a perennial powerhouse in Oklahoma at Millwood where last season, once again, they were en route to another state tournament. She brings a very welcomed high level of grit and toughness to our team. Her defensive intensity wreaks havoc on her opponents. Nykale can score in a plethora of ways, which makes her so difficult to defend. Throughout her career, she has been decorated with numerous individual accolades, but she always puts her team first.

I chose ACU because of the amazing coaching staff and players. From day one they made me feel part of the family and I know they will not only make me a better basketball player but also help me grow in my faith. I am super excited to start my journey at ACU.

We are so excited for Bella. She's such a special kid on and off the court. She has the kindest servant's heart and cares deeply for others. Bella is coachable and will always be the hardest working kid on the floor. I can't remember a day when she didn't have a smile on her face. She's had her eye on ACU from the start, and she knew it was the best fit for her. As a coach, that's exactly what you want for your kids. Bella has left her imprint on the program and we look forward to seeing her do the same at ACU.

Bella is the total player. She has become a scoring machine in a great high school program, but her court vision and skill to find the open teammate is elite. Her basketball intelligence combined with her prolific scoring ability make her so hard to defend. Her length and aggressiveness equip her to be a tough-nosed defender. Bella is strong in her faith and Christian beliefs and will love the incredible ACU environment. And the face that she FaceTimed me from another campus visit to commit will always be special to me.

I chose ACU because I established a true relationship with the coaches and felt very comfortable with ACU. Another plus for me was the serious values of faith. I can't wait to be a Wildcat. This is truly a blessing.

Niyah has been an asset to our program for the last four years. She's a hard worker on and off the court. She is a loyal and dedicated teammate. We are so proud of her.

My assistant coaches spotted Niyah in a small tournament and insisted that I watch this rebounding shot blocker. It didn't take long for me to realize what a special athlete she is. She literally flies up and down the court, which plays so well into how fast we like to transition. Her lateral quickness and length allow her to be a menace on defense. I look forward to her elevating our intensity on the defensive end.

A lot of things played into my decision to commit to Abilene Christian. The first time I talked to the coaches, I felt a connection with them. I liked the size of the campus. They've proven to have a winning basketball program. I knew it was somewhere I could go and feel like home and fit in. ACU fits my style of play but also my values and my family's values. I can see myself truly excelling at the next level as a Wildcat.

Addison has been a big asset to our program. She is a high character student-athlete that works extremely hard along with being very coachable. She is also a person that has a servant's heart. Addi has truly been a blessing to this program and to me. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Ranked in the top three in her state, Addi is our first D1 signee from Louisiana. I'm so excited to coach this skilled and competitive player who knows how to win at the highest level. Addi can play several positions for us with her great perimeter shooting and ability to muscle for position and finish in the paint. A relevant comparison for our fans, Addi is a wonderful combination of Lexie Ducat and Makayla Mabry. That's a big-time talent. She will not only enjoy success in our program, but will love the ACU family atmosphere.