The University of Akron Athletics
Akron WBB Adds Talented Seven-Member Newcomer Class
June 14 | Women's Basketball
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's basketball squad under the leadership of second-year head coach Ryan Gensler, has announced seven talented newcomer additions that will hit the court for the Zips during the 2024-25 campaign.
Donning the Akron uniform this upcoming season will be Kyara Bakker (Leiderdorp, Netherlands), Shelbee Brown (Memphis, Tenn.), Jaela Davis (Tampa, Fla.), Caroline Lyles (Argyle, Texas), Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.), Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) and Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio).
A native of Leiderdorp, Netherlands, Bakker, a 5-7 guard comes to Akron from Orange Lions Academy, where she averaged 6.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest a year ago on the strength of shooting 40 percent from the field. During the 2022-23 campaign, she posted 8.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 34 percent from the field and 27 percent from beyond the arc.
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Brown, a 5-11 forward arrives at Akron from Memphis, where she appeared in 28 games for the Tigers a year ago, including 10 starts. A post defensive anchor for the Tigers, she averaged 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 steals per game. Brown arrived at Memphis after playing her initial two campaigns at Northwest Florida, where she helped the Raiders capture the 2020-21 NJCAA national title as a freshman averaging 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per outing. She registered over 10 points per game as a sophomore to spark Northwest Florida to a 27-3 overall record. She averaged 12.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as a prep standout at Whitehaven High School, where she helped her squad advance to the TSSAA Division I state title game.
A native of Tampa, Fla., Davis, a 5-8 guard comes to Akron from Northwest Florida where she appeared in 59 games, including 25 starts for the Raiders, averaging 5.3 points, 1.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest, while leading the team in offensive charges taken. A year ago, she helped guide Northwest Florida to a 30-4 overall record and a berth in the NJCAA national title game, posting 5.1 points, 2.2 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. As a freshman, she was part of a NJCAA national championship squad that turned in a 29-4 ledger, while shooting nearly 40 percent (.397) from beyond the arc. She averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 steals, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists during her prep career at Brooks DeBartlo Collegiate.
A native of Argyle, Texas, Lyles a 6-0 guard arrives at Akron from Tulsa, where she appeared in 35 games over two seasons for the Golden Hurricane. She played in 29 games as a freshman during the 2022-23 campaign averaging 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per outing, while shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. As a senior at Argyle High School, she posted 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per outing, while shooting 46 percent from the field and at a 40 percent mark from beyond the arc to spark her squad advance to the state semifinals en route to a 37-1 overall record. Additionally, she earned Texas District 7-4A MVP honors, was tabbed to the all-region and all-state teams, and was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior
A native of Chandler, Ariz., Rhodes a 5-6 guard comes to Akron after playing her first two campaigns at Illinois, where she appeared in 37 games and averaged 1.4 points and 0.8 rebounds per contest for the Illini, while connecting on more than 35 percent of her shots from the field and a .533 mark beyond the arc. As a sophomore, she played in 23 games a year ago en route to posting 1.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per tilt. She recorded 2.0 points and pulled down 0.9 caroms per night on the strength of shooting 40 percent from the field as a freshman. Rhodes played her final two prep campaigns at Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz., helping the Dragons compete against a national schedule. She played her freshman (2019) and sophomore (2020) seasons at Tucson Sabino High School where she helped the Sabercats to two conference titles and the 2020 3A state championship.
A native of New Concord, Ohio, Vejsicky a 6-0 guard arrives at Akron from San Diego, where she appeared in 24 games a season ago for the Toreros en route to averaging 1.5 points and 0.6 rebounds per contest. She arrived at San Diego after competing for Virginia Tech as a freshman during the 2022-23 campaign, where she appeared in six games for the Hokies. A third-team all-state and first-team all-conference honoree as a senior at Newark High School, she helped lead her squad to berth in the state semifinals during her prep career.
A native of Granville, Ohio, Wigal, a 6-0 guard comes to Akron after playing her freshman campaign at Liberty. She appeared in 33 of the Lady Flames' 34 games. A year ago, she helped her squad advance to the Conference USA title tilt in Liberty's first season as a conference member averaging 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest. She was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior at IMG Academy. A three-time All-Ohio performer, she helped her teams capture three consecutive district titles first at Lakewood High School as a freshman before leading Granville High School her sophomore and junior seasons. She earned second-team All-Ohio accolades as a junior at Granville on the strength of averaging 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per outing.
Gensler on Newcomers – "I am thrilled to welcome our newest additions to the Zips family! This spring's recruiting class brings a perfect blend of athleticism, skill, and character to the court. These versatile players not only possess the ability to space the floor with their exceptional shooting, but they also excel in the classroom and embody the values of integrity and teamwork. We're excited to watch them make an impact both on and off the court as we continue to elevate our program."
Bakker, Brown, Davis, Lyles, Rhodes, Vejsicky and Wigal join a talented signing class that includes Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio), who signed a National Letter of Intent with the Zips this past November.
The group will bolster an Akron roster that is set to return seniors Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.), Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.) and Kaia Woods (Tiffin, Ohio), along with juniors Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) and Lanae Riley (Akron, Ohio) and sophomore Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario).
2024-25 Akron Women's Basketball Signing Class (as of May 28, 2024)
Kyara Bakker, G, 5-7, Leiderdorp, Netherlands (Orange Lions Academy)
Shelbee Brown, F, 5-11, Memphis, Tenn. (White Haven/Northwest Florida/Memphis)
Ni'rah Clark, F, 6-2, Toledo, Ohio (Rogers)
Jaela Davis, G, 5-8, Tampa, Fla. (Brooks Debartolo Collegiate/Northwest Florida)
Caroline Lyles, G, 6-0, Argyle, Texas (Argyle/Tulsa)
Kam'Ren Rhodes, G, 5-6, Chandler, Ariz. (Arizona Compass Prep/Illinois)
Maddie Vejsicky, G, 6-0, New Concord, Ohio (Newark/Virginia Tech/San Diego)
Ella Wigal, G, 6-0, Granville, Ohio (IMG Academy/Liberty)
Donning the Akron uniform this upcoming season will be Kyara Bakker (Leiderdorp, Netherlands), Shelbee Brown (Memphis, Tenn.), Jaela Davis (Tampa, Fla.), Caroline Lyles (Argyle, Texas), Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.), Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) and Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio).
A native of Leiderdorp, Netherlands, Bakker, a 5-7 guard comes to Akron from Orange Lions Academy, where she averaged 6.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest a year ago on the strength of shooting 40 percent from the field. During the 2022-23 campaign, she posted 8.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 34 percent from the field and 27 percent from beyond the arc.
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Brown, a 5-11 forward arrives at Akron from Memphis, where she appeared in 28 games for the Tigers a year ago, including 10 starts. A post defensive anchor for the Tigers, she averaged 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 steals per game. Brown arrived at Memphis after playing her initial two campaigns at Northwest Florida, where she helped the Raiders capture the 2020-21 NJCAA national title as a freshman averaging 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per outing. She registered over 10 points per game as a sophomore to spark Northwest Florida to a 27-3 overall record. She averaged 12.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as a prep standout at Whitehaven High School, where she helped her squad advance to the TSSAA Division I state title game.
A native of Tampa, Fla., Davis, a 5-8 guard comes to Akron from Northwest Florida where she appeared in 59 games, including 25 starts for the Raiders, averaging 5.3 points, 1.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest, while leading the team in offensive charges taken. A year ago, she helped guide Northwest Florida to a 30-4 overall record and a berth in the NJCAA national title game, posting 5.1 points, 2.2 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. As a freshman, she was part of a NJCAA national championship squad that turned in a 29-4 ledger, while shooting nearly 40 percent (.397) from beyond the arc. She averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 steals, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists during her prep career at Brooks DeBartlo Collegiate.
A native of Argyle, Texas, Lyles a 6-0 guard arrives at Akron from Tulsa, where she appeared in 35 games over two seasons for the Golden Hurricane. She played in 29 games as a freshman during the 2022-23 campaign averaging 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per outing, while shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. As a senior at Argyle High School, she posted 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per outing, while shooting 46 percent from the field and at a 40 percent mark from beyond the arc to spark her squad advance to the state semifinals en route to a 37-1 overall record. Additionally, she earned Texas District 7-4A MVP honors, was tabbed to the all-region and all-state teams, and was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior
A native of Chandler, Ariz., Rhodes a 5-6 guard comes to Akron after playing her first two campaigns at Illinois, where she appeared in 37 games and averaged 1.4 points and 0.8 rebounds per contest for the Illini, while connecting on more than 35 percent of her shots from the field and a .533 mark beyond the arc. As a sophomore, she played in 23 games a year ago en route to posting 1.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per tilt. She recorded 2.0 points and pulled down 0.9 caroms per night on the strength of shooting 40 percent from the field as a freshman. Rhodes played her final two prep campaigns at Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz., helping the Dragons compete against a national schedule. She played her freshman (2019) and sophomore (2020) seasons at Tucson Sabino High School where she helped the Sabercats to two conference titles and the 2020 3A state championship.
A native of New Concord, Ohio, Vejsicky a 6-0 guard arrives at Akron from San Diego, where she appeared in 24 games a season ago for the Toreros en route to averaging 1.5 points and 0.6 rebounds per contest. She arrived at San Diego after competing for Virginia Tech as a freshman during the 2022-23 campaign, where she appeared in six games for the Hokies. A third-team all-state and first-team all-conference honoree as a senior at Newark High School, she helped lead her squad to berth in the state semifinals during her prep career.
A native of Granville, Ohio, Wigal, a 6-0 guard comes to Akron after playing her freshman campaign at Liberty. She appeared in 33 of the Lady Flames' 34 games. A year ago, she helped her squad advance to the Conference USA title tilt in Liberty's first season as a conference member averaging 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest. She was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior at IMG Academy. A three-time All-Ohio performer, she helped her teams capture three consecutive district titles first at Lakewood High School as a freshman before leading Granville High School her sophomore and junior seasons. She earned second-team All-Ohio accolades as a junior at Granville on the strength of averaging 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per outing.
Gensler on Newcomers – "I am thrilled to welcome our newest additions to the Zips family! This spring's recruiting class brings a perfect blend of athleticism, skill, and character to the court. These versatile players not only possess the ability to space the floor with their exceptional shooting, but they also excel in the classroom and embody the values of integrity and teamwork. We're excited to watch them make an impact both on and off the court as we continue to elevate our program."
Bakker, Brown, Davis, Lyles, Rhodes, Vejsicky and Wigal join a talented signing class that includes Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio), who signed a National Letter of Intent with the Zips this past November.
The group will bolster an Akron roster that is set to return seniors Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.), Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.) and Kaia Woods (Tiffin, Ohio), along with juniors Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) and Lanae Riley (Akron, Ohio) and sophomore Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario).
2024-25 Akron Women's Basketball Signing Class (as of May 28, 2024)
Kyara Bakker, G, 5-7, Leiderdorp, Netherlands (Orange Lions Academy)
Shelbee Brown, F, 5-11, Memphis, Tenn. (White Haven/Northwest Florida/Memphis)
Ni'rah Clark, F, 6-2, Toledo, Ohio (Rogers)
Jaela Davis, G, 5-8, Tampa, Fla. (Brooks Debartolo Collegiate/Northwest Florida)
Caroline Lyles, G, 6-0, Argyle, Texas (Argyle/Tulsa)
Kam'Ren Rhodes, G, 5-6, Chandler, Ariz. (Arizona Compass Prep/Illinois)
Maddie Vejsicky, G, 6-0, New Concord, Ohio (Newark/Virginia Tech/San Diego)
Ella Wigal, G, 6-0, Granville, Ohio (IMG Academy/Liberty)
Players Mentioned
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