The Arkansas women's basketball team landed one of the nation's top junior college prospects Thursday.
Center Alecia Cooley, 6-3, of State Fair (Mo.) Community College signed with the Razorbacks after taking an official visit to Fayetteville over the weekend. She averaged 17.3 points and 11.7 rebounds a game while earning first-team All-America honors this past season.
"Alecia is a legit SEC post player and gives us size on the inside," Arkansas Coach Jimmy Dykes said in a university release. "She is a great person, great teammate and has a great desire to work and get better.
"We feel very fortunate to sign a player and person of her caliber in our first recruiting class."
Cooley played in 30 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and shot 57.8 percent from the field as a freshman.
Cooley is Arkansas' sixth signee for its latest class. Conway point guard Jordan Danberry, a two-time Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Year, Wonderview guard Bailey Zimmerman, North Little Rock point guard Malica Monk, Wichita (Kan.) Maize forward Keiryn Swenson and Pelham, Ga., forward Briunna Freeman all signed in November.
ASU MEN ADD GUARD
Anthony Livingston ended up being Arkansas State's most productive player last season in his first season with the Red Wolves, and Coach John Brady returned to the same Texas junior college when it came time to find a guard.
Donte Thomas, a 6-3 point guard, signed to play his final two seasons at ASU, the school announced Thursday. Thomas averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game last season at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas.
"We thought one of the needs for our team was a point guard with some size and physicalness, and he brings that," Brady said in a university release. "From what I've seen, he will be the best passer on our team."
Thomas will try to add depth for an ASU team that expects to return six guards with playing experience from last season, including P.J. Hardwick, who started 20 games at point guard.
UCA WOMEN ADD ONE
Guard Sandy Jackson of Tyler (Texas) Junior College has signed to play basketball at the University of Central Arkansas.
Jackson, 5-7, graduated from North Little Rock and signed with Arkansas State for one season, where she averaged 8.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game before transferring to Tyler Junior College.
"Her presence on the defensive end of the floor is going to be a great addition," UCA Coach Sandra Rushing said in a university release. "I love her aggressiveness, how physical she is, and how committed she is to the game."
Sports on 04/17/2015