The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball program signed four high school players to national letters of intent Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period.
The four players set to join the Lady Mocs next season include 6-foot forward Kayla Freeman of Madison County High in Danielsville, Ga. Freeman’s sister Courtney plays at Appalachian State.
Joining Freeman is her former AAU teammate Ka’Vonne Towns, a 5-10 wing from Berkmar High School in Lilburn, Ga.
“We’re very excited about [Towns],” Lady Mocs coach Wes Moore said, “a very strong guard, athletic, something that I think we lost with Jenaya Wade-Fray’s graduation, so I think she’ll be a big asset.”
Towns averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 steals and 4.5 rebounds a game last season, while Freeman averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds.
The other signees are 5-11 guard Kelsee Cheek of Jay M. Robinson High in Concord, N.C., and 6-foot forward Ashley Southern of Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, Ala.
Southern averaged 20.4 points and 12.4 rebounds a game last season and led perennial Class 4A power Deshler to the state championship game.
“It means so much to me to be able to continue my career and keep playing,” Southern said. “Basketball is my passion; I’d be lost without it.”
Cheek averaged 20 points a game last season and was the South Piedmont Conference player of the year.
Joining the Lady Mocs in January are Tennessee transfer Faith Dupree and one of last year’s signees, Taylor Hall. Dupree, a 6-3 forward, isn’t expected to be eligible until January 2012.
The Lady Mocs open their season Friday night against East Tennessee State at McKenzie Arena.
Chadwell tennis signee
Kaylene Chadwell, the reigning Tennessee Class AAA girls’ tennis champion from Centennial High School in Franklin, also signed Wednesday with UTC.
She also won the girls’ 18-under singles and doubles titles in the state qualifying tournament this year and is a four-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net and the No. 2-rated prospect in Tennessee.
“I am thrilled to have Kaylene Chadwell join the Lady Mocs tennis program,” coach Jeff Clark said. “She has been one of the top players in Tennessee for many years, and she will strengthen our singles and doubles lineup immediately. Additionally, she has excelled in the classroom.”