June 8, 2016
SAN DIEGO– The San Diego State women's basketball team has completed its recruiting class for the 2016-17 season with the signing of recent high school graduates Monique Terry (San Antonio, Texas), Baylee Vanderdoes (Auburn, Calif.), Naomi Ekwedike (Lagos, Nigeria) and Abby Lowe (Stockport, England) to National Letters of Intent. The four incoming freshmen will join University of Washington transfer Khalia Lark (Irvine, Calif.), a rising sophomore who enrolled at SDSU earlier this year in time for the spring semester.
"This is an important class for us," said fourth-year Aztec head coach Stacie Terry. "These five young women not only provide vast basketball knowledge and skill, but also display the integrity, character and drive that we require from our student-athletes. Khalia, Baylee, Monique, Naomi and Abby will complement our returning players well and cultivate healthy competition within our practices. I am confident that they will quickly get acclimated to the pace of the game and have a great impact on our upcoming season."
A highly successful prep player at powerhouse Mater Dei High School, Lark helped the Monarchs win two CIF championships, one state title and one national championship. As a sophomore, Lark's Mater Dei squad posted a 34-3 record and captured the Southern Section Division IAA crown, where she scored 14 points in the championship game.
A 6-foot guard, Lark appeared in 29 games over one-and-a-half seasons at Washington, where she averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from three-point range. As a freshman, she scored a career-high 10 points in a victory over Seattle University and grabbed a personal-best five rebounds that season in the Pac-12 title game vs. California.
"Khalia has been a great addition to our team and has already positively influenced our program in many different areas," Terry said. "She can score the ball from anywhere on the floor and is going to be a very tough matchup for opposing teams. Her competitive nature is undeniable and her smile and positivity lift the spirits of those around her."
A McDonald's All-America nominee, Monique Terry was rated a three-star recruit by ESPN W and was given a scouts grade of 89. During her junior season at Brennan High School, the 6-2 forward was the lone player in District 27-6A to average a double-double, posting 10.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while leading the district with a .540 field-goal percentage She was also named the District 27-6A's defensive player of the year and received all-region honors.
"Monique is a very hard-working utility player whose greatest strength is rebounding," Stacie Terry said. "She is a tireless worker and the epitome of a gym rat. Monique comes from such a great, high-character family, and her work ethic and desire to run through walls for her teammates and coaching staff will be contagious. Monique will fit in so well with the enthusiasm and passion already in place within our program."
Vanderdoes played prep ball at Placer High School, where she averaged 21.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per contest as a senior, earning a spot on the MaxPreps Division IV all-California state second team. The 6-1 forward was also named the Pioneer Valley League's most valuable player on two occasions and received second-team all-metro honors from the Sacramento Bee. She holds Placer High's single-game record for points scored (41) and blocked shots (11). Like Monique Terry, Vanderdoes received a scouts grade of 89 and was rated a three-star recruit by ESPN W. Her brother, Eddie, is a defensive lineman at UCLA.
"Baylee will provide pivotal depth at the post position." Terry said. "She is extremely skilled offensively and shoots the ball very well from the outside. She comes from a tremendous athletic family and has all the tools to help this team. We cannot wait to welcome Baylee to our Aztec family and we look forward to getting her adjusted to the pace of the college game as soon as possible."
A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Ekwedike is a 6-6 post player who prepped for three years at Potter's House Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla., where she was a member of two state championship teams and helped her squad win a national championship in the National Christian School Athletic Association tournament in 2015. Ekwedike was also rated a three-star recruit by ESPN W and given a scouts grade of 88.
"Naomi provides us with a formidable presence in the paint and is going to be a great rim protector," Terry said. "Even though she is still very young in her basketball career, I know she is going to continue to develop each day as her potential and thirst for improvement may very well be limitless. I am excited to track Naomi's growth as a basketball player and a young woman."
Rounding out the 2016 recruiting class is Lowe, who played two years at the Barking Abbey Academy near London, helping the Crusaders capture the first-ever Women's Elite Academy Basketball League title this past season. In addition, the 5-11 shooting guard earned a silver medal for the U16 squad representing England at the European Championships in 2014.
"Abby is a multi-talented guard that will play many positions for us," Terry said. "She can do a little bit of everything. She is aggressive off the bounce, can shoot the three-ball and utilizes her height and length extremely well. Abby is also a very mature young lady. She has lived away from her family and from her home for a little while now and her ability to adapt to unfamiliar surroundings is commendable. I am eager to watch Abby develop into a leader in our program."
In addition to the aforementioned five newcomers, San Diego State returns nine letterwinners and three starters from last season's squad, including rising junior McKynzie Fort (Fontana, Calif.), who garnered all-Mountain West honorable mention and landed on the conference's all-defensive team.
San Diego State Women's Basketball 2016-17 Signing Class
Khalia Lark, 6-0, G, Irvine, Calif. (Mater Dei HS/Washington)
Monique Terry, 6-2, F, San Antonio, Texas (Brennan HS)
Baylee Vanderdoes, 6-1, F, Auburn, Calif. (Placer HS)
Naomi Ekwedike, 6-6, C, Lagos, Nigeria (Potter's House Christian Academy)
Abby Lowe, 5-11, G, Stockport, England (Barking Abbey Academy)