Clayton State Women’s Basketball Lands Division I, JUCO transfers

The 2009-10 Clayton State Laker women’s basketball recruiting class continued to take shape on Wednesday as head coach Dennis Cox announced the signing of two additional players for the upcoming season.

Joining the Clayton State program is forward LaDe’sha Stoudemire, a transfer from Division I Arkansas State, and forward/wing Ashley Aker from Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Ga. The duo joins the current class compiled of forward/center Breanna Fort from Central Florida Community College, guard Latonda Bruce from Daytona State College and forward/guard Teshymia Tillman from Guilford Tech.

The Lakers are coming off an impressive 26-7 mark this season, advancing to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” for the second time in the last three seasons.

The 5-foot-10 Stoudemire saw action in 15 games this season for head coach Brian Boyer at Arkansas State. Prior to signing with Arkansas State, the Lake Wales, Fla., native was a two-year JUCO standout at Odessa (Tex.) Junior College. She averaged nine points and nine rebounds during her sophomore season and shot 50 percent from the field, pacing Odessa to the NJCAA National Championship in 2007.

Overall, Stoudemire was a two-time All-Conference and All-Region selection during her sophomore season at Odessa, helping pace the Wranglers to an impressive 66-3 mark in two seasons. She prepped at Winter Haven High School under head coach LeDawn Gibson, earning All-County honors three straight seasons. As a senior, Stoudemire paced Winter Haven to the Class 4A State Championship, and she was rated as one of the Top 14 high school players in Florida.

If the last name sounds familiar, it should. She is the younger sister of Phoenix Suns All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire. Cox compares Stoudemire to Lakers’ two-year starter Shanrika Hardeman, who was one of the top rebounders in the Peach Belt Conference this season despite being only 5-9.

“I have known LaDe’sha since she was a high school player in Florida, and she possesses all the qualities that we are looking for to fill a Laker uniform,” said Cox, 125-37 in five seasons at the Laker helm. “Even though it will only be for one year, we expect LaDe’sha to come in and make an immediate impact next year.

“She is a winner. She has won a high school state championship and a JUCO National Championship, and she did it on athletic teams that ran and pressed.”

Aker should be very familiar with Cox’s system at Clayton State. After all, the Rome, Ga., native played two seasons under former Laker player and assistant coach Carlie Anderson at Truett-McConnell. At 5-9, she brings yet another versatile player to Clayton State program, having the ability to play as many as three positions.

Aker averaged 14 points and four rebounds a game this season at Truett-McConnell, earning NJCAA All-Region 17 honors in the process. As a freshman, she averaged nine points and three rebounds a game and shot 42 percent from the field.

The second player in as many seasons from the Rome area to join the Clayton State program, Aker prepped at Armuchee High School. She was a two-year starter at Armuchee under head coach Tammy Norred, and was selected All-Region and Rome News-Tribune All-Area as a senior. During her senior season, she helped pace Armuchee to the Class AA State Tournament.

“Ashley is going to be a great addition to our team for the next two years,” Cox said. “Having played for Carlie at Truett-McConnell, she will have a head start on many of the facets of the Laker system. I like her versatility, in that, we think she can play guard or either forward positions.

“In addition to being a solid all around player, she is a good student, and she possesses tremendous character. We couldn’t ask for a better fit for this program.”