Women’s Basketball Signs Four for 2016 Class
LINK: http://wvusports.co/20MDTMO
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (November 11, 2015) – West Virginia University women’s basketball coach Mike Carey announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLIs) for the 2016-17 season on Wednesday.
Kristina King (Thomasville, N.C./Gulf Coast State), Krys McCune (Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual), Nia Staples (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West) and Bailey Thomas (Rochester Hills, Mich./Marian/Centennial) make up the 2016 signing class.
“We went out and got some quality players,” noted Carey. “We needed to get some additional players in the paint. I think we were able to do that with the two we signed in Kristina King and Krys McCune. I think both of them are going to be able to step in and really help us immediately. Nia Staples is another player that loves to play defense. She plays extremely hard. She is a really strong player that can play a combo guard at the one or two. Bailey Thomas is another player that can play several positions. She also plays extremely hard on both ends.”
King, who originally signed with WVU in November 2013, will join the program after a two-year stint at Gulf Coast State in Panama City, Florida. The 6-foot-3 forward was ranked as the nation’s top junior college player by Dan Olson of the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. The Thomasville, North Carolina, native was named to the 2015 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Junior/Community College Coaches’ All-America team after averaging 15.5 points and 12.6 rebounds last season. King also shot a team-best 48.7 percent from the field for the Lady Commodores. Additionally, she participated in the 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Women’s Basketball All-Star game. Coming out of New Hope Christian Academy, King was a North Carolina nominee for the McDonald’s All-American game. Additionally, she was rated as the No. 8 player in her position by ESPN HoopGurlz in 2013. King played AAU basketball for the Lady Phoenix Elite in North Carolina.
“We’re excited to get Kristina King back,” said Carey. “She’s a 6-3 player that can run very well up and down the floor. She can give you some rebounding and also some scoring in the paint.”
McCune averaged 10.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as a junior at duPont Manual in Louisville, Kentucky. The 6-foot-4 forward was tabbed to the Lexington Herald Leader’s All-State Second Team and to the Louisville Courier Journal’sAll-State Third Team last season. The Louisville native is ranked as the No. 15 best player in her position by ESPN HoopGurlz and as the No. 3 best prospect for 2016 in the state of Kentucky by Rick Bolus’ Recruiting Services. McCune is a Kentucky nominee for the 2016 McDonald’s All-American game. Additionally, McCune participated in the USA Basketball U16 Team Trials in 2013. McCune played AAU basketball for Kentucky Premier of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
“Krys McCune was a good get for us,” said Carey. “She’s a young player that can play the five. We want to continue to work on her skills and get her ready to play at the four or five position. We think she can come in and get immediate playing time.”
Staples, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was rated No 27 at the point guard position by ESPN HoopGurlz. The 5-foot-9 combo guard averaged 10.4 points and 2.8 rebounds for Lakota West, who captured an Ohio State Championship in 2015. Staples connected on 47.3 percent of her field goal attempts and made 33.3 percent from three-point range. She garnered All-Greater Miami Conference First Team honors during her first three years in high school. She also earned All-Southwest Ohio Third Team accolades in 2015. She won an AAU national championship with the Cincinnati Angels in 2013. Staples most recently played AAU basketball with the Toledo Thunder, helping the team capture the Under Armor “Best of Maryland” Tournament title. In 2014, she participated in the USA Basketball U17 Team Trials.
“Nia Staples had great coaching in high school,” noted Carey. “Her coach makes her really defend and make a great shot selection. Nia has a background that is going to make her really effective early in her career.”
Thomas, a native of Rochester Hills, Michigan, averaged 7.7 points, 3.4 assists and 3.1 steals as a junior at nationally-ranked Marian High in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, last season. The 5-foot-9 guard helped guide Marian to back-to-back Michigan Class A state titles in 2014 and 2015 for the first time in program history. Thomas garnered All-Catholic League honors and named to the Detroit Free Press All-State team her first three years of high school basketball. She helped Marian finish ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Expert Rankings last season. Her family has since moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, and she’ll finish her high school career at Centennial High School. Thomas played AAU basketball for the Michigan Shock.
“Bailey played in a great program and they won two state titles,” said Carey. “She is a hardnosed player that plays extremely hard. She is a total team player.”
West Virginia University Women’s Basketball 2016 Signing Class
Kristina King, 6-3, F, Thomasville, N.C./Gulf Coast State
Krys McCune, 6-4, F, Louisvlle, Ky./duPont Manual
Nia Staples, 5-9, G, Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West
Bailey Thomas, 5-9, G, Rochester Hills, Mich./Marian (MI)/Centennial (Nev.)
Keep up with West Virginia women’s basketball on Instagram and Twitter by following @WVUWBB.
LINK: http://wvusports.co/20MDTMO
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (November 11, 2015) – West Virginia University women’s basketball coach Mike Carey announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLIs) for the 2016-17 season on Wednesday.
Kristina King (Thomasville, N.C./Gulf Coast State), Krys McCune (Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual), Nia Staples (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West) and Bailey Thomas (Rochester Hills, Mich./Marian/Centennial) make up the 2016 signing class.
“We went out and got some quality players,” noted Carey. “We needed to get some additional players in the paint. I think we were able to do that with the two we signed in Kristina King and Krys McCune. I think both of them are going to be able to step in and really help us immediately. Nia Staples is another player that loves to play defense. She plays extremely hard. She is a really strong player that can play a combo guard at the one or two. Bailey Thomas is another player that can play several positions. She also plays extremely hard on both ends.”
King, who originally signed with WVU in November 2013, will join the program after a two-year stint at Gulf Coast State in Panama City, Florida. The 6-foot-3 forward was ranked as the nation’s top junior college player by Dan Olson of the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. The Thomasville, North Carolina, native was named to the 2015 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Junior/Community College Coaches’ All-America team after averaging 15.5 points and 12.6 rebounds last season. King also shot a team-best 48.7 percent from the field for the Lady Commodores. Additionally, she participated in the 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Women’s Basketball All-Star game. Coming out of New Hope Christian Academy, King was a North Carolina nominee for the McDonald’s All-American game. Additionally, she was rated as the No. 8 player in her position by ESPN HoopGurlz in 2013. King played AAU basketball for the Lady Phoenix Elite in North Carolina.
“We’re excited to get Kristina King back,” said Carey. “She’s a 6-3 player that can run very well up and down the floor. She can give you some rebounding and also some scoring in the paint.”
McCune averaged 10.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as a junior at duPont Manual in Louisville, Kentucky. The 6-foot-4 forward was tabbed to the Lexington Herald Leader’s All-State Second Team and to the Louisville Courier Journal’sAll-State Third Team last season. The Louisville native is ranked as the No. 15 best player in her position by ESPN HoopGurlz and as the No. 3 best prospect for 2016 in the state of Kentucky by Rick Bolus’ Recruiting Services. McCune is a Kentucky nominee for the 2016 McDonald’s All-American game. Additionally, McCune participated in the USA Basketball U16 Team Trials in 2013. McCune played AAU basketball for Kentucky Premier of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
“Krys McCune was a good get for us,” said Carey. “She’s a young player that can play the five. We want to continue to work on her skills and get her ready to play at the four or five position. We think she can come in and get immediate playing time.”
Staples, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was rated No 27 at the point guard position by ESPN HoopGurlz. The 5-foot-9 combo guard averaged 10.4 points and 2.8 rebounds for Lakota West, who captured an Ohio State Championship in 2015. Staples connected on 47.3 percent of her field goal attempts and made 33.3 percent from three-point range. She garnered All-Greater Miami Conference First Team honors during her first three years in high school. She also earned All-Southwest Ohio Third Team accolades in 2015. She won an AAU national championship with the Cincinnati Angels in 2013. Staples most recently played AAU basketball with the Toledo Thunder, helping the team capture the Under Armor “Best of Maryland” Tournament title. In 2014, she participated in the USA Basketball U17 Team Trials.
“Nia Staples had great coaching in high school,” noted Carey. “Her coach makes her really defend and make a great shot selection. Nia has a background that is going to make her really effective early in her career.”
Thomas, a native of Rochester Hills, Michigan, averaged 7.7 points, 3.4 assists and 3.1 steals as a junior at nationally-ranked Marian High in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, last season. The 5-foot-9 guard helped guide Marian to back-to-back Michigan Class A state titles in 2014 and 2015 for the first time in program history. Thomas garnered All-Catholic League honors and named to the Detroit Free Press All-State team her first three years of high school basketball. She helped Marian finish ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Expert Rankings last season. Her family has since moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, and she’ll finish her high school career at Centennial High School. Thomas played AAU basketball for the Michigan Shock.
“Bailey played in a great program and they won two state titles,” said Carey. “She is a hardnosed player that plays extremely hard. She is a total team player.”
West Virginia University Women’s Basketball 2016 Signing Class
Kristina King, 6-3, F, Thomasville, N.C./Gulf Coast State
Krys McCune, 6-4, F, Louisvlle, Ky./duPont Manual
Nia Staples, 5-9, G, Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West
Bailey Thomas, 5-9, G, Rochester Hills, Mich./Marian (MI)/Centennial (Nev.)
Keep up with West Virginia women’s basketball on Instagram and Twitter by following @WVUWBB.
