WICHITA -- Second-year head coach Jody Adams has announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters-of-Intent to play women's basketball at Wichita State beginning with the 2010-11 season. Krystle Henderson, BreAnna Dawkins, Kelsey Jacobs and Shannika Bryant are all scheduled to join the Shockers next season.
"I really like how unique our class is," Adams said. "We are bringing in a true point guard in Krystle, and a true center in Shannika, and that was something we weren't able to do with last year's class. We had the chance to really address specific needs with this class, and the addition of BreAnna's athleticism and Kelsey's skill and work ethic upgrades our talent and depth, which is a necessary component to move this program forward to the next level."
Henderson is a 5-6 point guard from Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas, under head coach Cassandra McCurdy. She led the team and the district in scoring with 16.2 points per game a year ago in helping the Raiders to a 30-6 record, including a perfect 14-0 mark in District 9-5A play. Henderson also averaged a team-best 2.8 assists per contest, which ranked third in her district. She was named a second team all-area performer by the Dallas Morning News as a junior after connecting on nearly three three-pointers per game, and was named an all-Region 2 performer by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches last season as well. Krystle was named an all-state 5A selection by the Texas Girls Coaches Association as a junior, and was also the District 11-5A Freshman of the Year before bringing home District 9-5A honors last season. Henderson is listed as one of the 20 players to watch in the DFW metro area by the Dallas Morning News.
"Krystle is a true point guard that sees the floor and understands the game very well," Adams said. "She has the ability to shoot the three, and her unselfish play will fit in perfectly in our program."
Dawkins is a 5-6 combination guard from Cedar Hill High School in Dallas, Texas, under head coach Andrea Robinson. She helped lead the Longhorns to a 25-7 record last season before falling to Duncanville in the Class 5A Division I quarterfinals . Dawkins was a second-team all-District 8-5A selection as a sophomore.
"BreAnna is a naturally gifted scorer that can play as a shooting guard or run the team at the point," Adams said. "She can score from anywhere on the floor and she has great ability on both sides of the ball. Her handles and an explosive first step make her a great addition to our team."
Jacobs is a 5-11 forward from Fortuna High School in Fortuna, Calif under head coach Norm Sotomayor. She helped lead the Lady Huskies to a 25-5 record last season and was named a Humboldt-Del Norte Big 5 Girls all-county selection. Jacobs was named to the all-tournament team at the Roacha Tournament and earned the county sixth-man award as a sophomore. Last season she averaged 14 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and three steals per game. She was named MVP of three different tournaments and made the all-tournament team at the West Valley Tournament as well. She is also a three-year letterwinner in track, and made the semifinals at the state meet in the long jump and triple jump as a sophomore. Jacobs won the league triple jump championship as a junior and was an all-county selection in soccer last season as well.
"I think Kelsey's best years are in front of her," Adams said. "She will learn to extend her game from the inside all the way out to the arc. Her toughness, athleticism and work ethic are just a few of the tremendous qualities she will bring to our program."
Bryant is a 6-4 center from St. Joseph High School in Chicago, Ill., under head coach Jim Maley. She was named an all-area selection by Suburban Life after leading the team in rebounding and finishing second on the squad in scoring. Bryant scored 12 points in the Lady Chargers' regional championship win over Riverside Brookfield, the first ever regional title for the school. She averaged 10 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a junior last season.
"Shannika's 6-4 frame is something we don't have right now," Adams said. "Her presence in the paint and around the rim coupled with her size and strength will be a great force for us on both sides of the ball."
