Wildcats Women’s Basketball Announces Talented 2020-21 Recruiting Class

6/30/2020 9:59:00 PM

By: Chris Myers

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Coming off their best season in recent years, the Wildcats aim to continue their hard court rise. Fort Valley State head women's basketball coach Andrea Williams announces her first group with a class of six in the 2020-21 recruiting class.

Despite coming to The Valley at the start of last fall semester, Williams guided FVSU to its most wins and best season in six years. The Wildcats posted a final record of 13-14, most wins since equaling the same amount of victories since the 2013-14 campaign, finished third in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Eastern Division and highlighted the year with an upset of nationally-ranked and SIAC champion Benedict College.

In their first true recruiting class, Coach Williams and her assistants Tiffany Conner, Kareem Kenney and Clestine Harley signed six incoming Wildcats to their 2020-21 class. The new Wildcats are made of three transfers – senior Kyla McIntosh of Southwest Baptist University and juniors Diamond Jones out of Labette Community College and Faith Fantroy of Bishop State Community College - and three freshmen in Valdosta High's Amiya Allen and Ja'Nya Ferguson and Jameisha Williams from Marion County High.

"This first class of ours will bring top talent nationally, scoring at all three levels, and a high basketball IQ, which we were looking for," said Williams. "I think with this group and our returning players, we are poised to do very well within the SIAC. Our staff now really knows what it takes to compete in this league and focused on matching those characteristics with players interested in earning a Fort Valley State degree.

The FVSU head coach continued, "I am very proud of our staff with the focus and overcoming challenges due to the spring recruiting and evaluation periods abruptly ending due to CoVid 19. Coach Conner, Coach Kenney, and Coach Tree all helped during the year and really stepped up with the spring additions we brought to our program. We filled scoring and depth needs with great student-athletes! This should be fun moving ahead!"

2020-21 FVSU WBB Recruiting Class-by-Player:

Kyla McIntosh – 5-7, Guard, Tulsa, Okla./Southwest Baptist Univ.

Kyla McIntosh

A lefty shooting guard, McIntosh comes to FVSU after playing last season at Southwest Baptist of fellow NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference. The incoming senior, who aims to bring some team leadership, averaged 3.8 points, five rebounds and two assists last year. Before her year at SBU, McIntosh pumped in 10 points and handed out four assists as a sophomore for Labette Community College. The outside shooter, who is also a good defender and slasher, hit for a game-high 23-point outing against Highland Community College.

"Kyla will be the shooter from the perimeter we are needing to really be potent. The 3-ball will drop for her off her open looks, as well as, from others creating for her," stressed Williams. "She also hails from LBC and will bring her abilities to score at all three levels. We definitely improved our scoring on paper with her into our lineup for SIAC play."

McIntosh transfers with one year of eligibility remaining and plans to major in organizational leadership, before moving on to start her master's degree in mental health counseling. The Tulsa native holds two associate degrees – associate in art of psychology and an associate of science in athletic training.

Diamond Jones – Guard, 5-4, Junior, Clarksville, Tenn./Labette Community College

Diamond Jones

Coming ready to make a splash in the backcourt, Diamond Jones brings high accolades with her. The 5-4 point guard earned the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Defensive Player of the Year award, while she also garnered All-KJCCC Second Team and All-National Junior College Athletic Association Region 6 Second Team status.

"Diamond has it all! We highly-recruited her to run our team and utilize her leadership skill set to get us to the top of the SIAC," pointed out Williams. "Coming off a National Championship run at the NJCAA level, we are very excited about her ceiling of play for us. She can score, defend and lead from the point guard position.

The pass-first lefty guard averaged nine points, three rebounds, and two steals for the KJCCC title team. The quick with the ball Jones likes to get her teammates involved and guard 94-feet, where she is an in-your-face defender. She is also able to get to the rim and shoot from beyond the arc.

"Diamond will be bringing in a work ethic that others will follow naturally and really help us make that jump. She is mature and knows how to win with a team," Williams added. "Diamond will be able to score at all three levels for us and get us going. She is a proven leader nationally with getting her teammates involved, as well as, scoring off the bounce. She will help us spread the floor with her 3-point shooting and creating for others.

Coming to Fort Valley, Jones from Clarksville, Tenn., plans to be a criminal justice major.

Faith Fantroy – Center, 6-1, Junior, Montgomery, Ala./Bishop State Community College

Faith Fantroy

Faith Fantroy, who had a desire to go to a HBCU institution, brings a dominate force in the paint and is comfortable with her back to the basket. After posting averages of five points and five rebounds at Bishop State, the 6-1 center aims to become a force to be reckoned with in the post and bring leadership to the Wildcats team with her already having collegiate experience.

"Faith will bring us a great big post presence in the paint area. She will be able to score within our offense and provide that boost we actively recruited with this class," explained the FVSU coach. "I love her foot speed and she will be able to score in our transition game. Faith is hungry to get back on the floor and flourish within our system. She can defend in the post effectively and likes that role on the team and her experience will be valued with her great personality to help lead our Wildcat team."

Faith graduated from Bishop State Magna Cum Laude with an associate's degree in general education and accounting. She plans to study agricultural economics at FVSU.

Amiya Allen – Guard, 5-8, Freshman, Valdosta, Ga./Valdosta HS

Amiya Allen

The first of two teammates, Amiya Allen will head up Interstate 75 to Fort Valley from Valdosta, Ga., and Valdosta High School. The 5-8 defensive specialist logged a lot of minutes in helping Valdosta High reach the Georgia State Tournament for Group 6. Coming from a military family, Amiya looks to be a pivotal part of the Wildcats team after she averaged seven points, two assists, three rebounds, a pair of steals and a block per contest as a senior.

"Amiya will bring us a great guard with some length at her perimeter position. We love her ability to get after it on the defensive end of the floor. The fact we will have four years for her to develop and help us bring back the pride to the Wildcat program is something that she is excited about," explained Williams. "She does have slashing wing-scoring capabilities and that is a plus within our transition game. The experience going deep her senior year in the Ga. State HS Playoffs will just bring momentum to our preseason preparations. She has the ability to create off the bounce and in spurts, which can be hard to stop."

Allen plans on majoring in criminal justice at The Valley.

Ja'Nya Ferguson – Guard, 5-9, Freshman, Valdosta, Ga./Valdosta HS

Ja'Nya Ferguson

Joining Allen from Valdosta High School, Ja'Nya Ferguson brings her court game to Fort Valley State. The 5-9 incoming freshman likes to defend, rebound and get to the rim. Being know to do all the little things needing to be done, Ferguson contributed three points and four rebounds to help the Valdosta Wildcats to a Georgia State Tournament run in Group 6. She does the little things all teams need to be done on the court.

"Ja'Nya was recruited to fill a couple roles for our program. She has an innate ability to be a great defensive one-on-one stopper, as well as, a great defender within the post and bigger wing area for us. She will find court time with her defensive play," explained Williams. "I do like her size she can bring to the position on the floor for us. Having teamed up with fellow signee Amiah Allen, we have post season experience that will be needed to get is into our post season. Her work ethic along with the program experience her High School team had during their state playoff run will be tremendous for us."

Ferguson will be a psychology majoring during her Wildcat career.

Jameisha Williams – Guard, 5-7, Freshman, Buena Vista, Ga./Marion County HS

Jameisha Williams

Adding another local talent and a second player from her alma mater, Jameisha Williams of Marion County High School is set to join FVSU. The 5-7 guard, whose best attribute is her shoot and ability to create space from her defender and get her teammates involved, started for Marion County and received Georgia All-State 1A South honors.

"Jameisha will be a great local product for us. Her All-State status and playing ability will be a great addition to our team," said the Wildcats head coach. "Scoring and creating off-the-bounce will only enhance our team with the depth needed to make a SIAC run. Jameisha can defend and will work hard to carry on the local legacy of those Wildcats before her. She is hungry to prove herself on the D2 level and will make an impact before her four years are played."

Williams, who received the WLTZ Scholar Athlete of the Week during March 7^th, comes to Fort Valley to study food science.
-----

With a solid first season to build on, Coach Williams will mesh the talented group of six newcomers with the Wildcats returners to form a formidable squad in an even stronger 2020-21 SIAC run.

-Wildcats-

Print Friendly Version

FVSU Athletics

Scoreboard

Wildcats Women’s Basketball Announces Talented 2020-21 Recruiting Class