Wake Forest Inks Four to Letters of Intent
11/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest women's basketball head coach Jen Hoover announced the signing of four student-athletes to the class of 2016. Raegyn Branch, Alex Sharp, Ona Udoh and Tyra Whitehead make up the class that is ranked No. 24 in the country.
"We are so happy and honored to welcome four extraordinary young women and their families into our program," Hoover said. "Raegyn, Ona, Alex, and Tyra are all wonderful players that will make an early impact in our program both on and off the court. They are all high character student-athletes that will represent Wake Forest University well and be active members in our tight-knit community. We would like to thank their coaches that have worked to develop them both as people and as players along the way, in addition to their families that have raised them into great young women and leaders. We are very proud to officially call these ladies Demon Deacons as of today." Hoover and her staff have brought together their fourth-straight top-25 class. Blue Star Basketball has the class ranked No. 24 in the nation.
Branch is a 6-2 forward from Arlington, Tenn. She helped lead Arlington High School to the AAA State Tournament for the first time in school history. She collected All-District honors in both her sophomore and junior seasons and was named to the Regional All-Tournament Team last season. JumpOffPlus.com ranked Branch 3.5 stars and she is 189th in the country according to All Star Girls Report.
"Raegyn is going to bring a versatile skill-set to us in the post," Hoover said. "She can score with both hands on the low block and does a great job sealing early in transition. She also possesses consistent 3-point range and will get a lot of looks from the trail spot in our offense and also in pick and pop action. Raegyn has a great understanding of the game and makes those around her better. On the defensive end, her size, length and rebounding ability will help us immediately in the post."
Sharp comes to Wake Forest all the way from Melbourne, Australia. She is a five-star recruit according to LivonBasketball.com. The site also ranks her the No. 1 Australian recruit in the class of 2016. Sharp is a 6-1 guard that was a starter on the U19 team that won a bronze medal at the World Championship. Sharp attended Our Lady of Mercy for her first three years of high school and was the three-time MVP. In 2014 she was accepted in to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, which is Australia's Olympic Sport Training Facility.
"Alex is a long and fearless wing who can score and rebound at a very high level," Hoover said. "She is very efficient with the ball, has great footwork and is always coming up with the 50-50 balls that win games. She will find a way to stuff the stat sheet consistently and make those around her better with her very high basketball IQ. Her experience at the Center of Excellence in Australia, where she was able to receive comprehensive training, as well as the tremendous training she received at Diamond Valley and with the Melbourne Boomers has prepared her well for the rigors of ACC competition."
Udoh is a 6-1 forward from Fayetteville, N.C. She led Terry Sanford in scoring and rebounding as a junior last season. She averaged 13.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, driving the Bulldogs to the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A state playoffs and a 22-4 record. She was a first-team All-Conference selection in both basketball and volleyball. Udoh is a four-star recruit on JumpOffPlus.com
"Ona is an explosive athlete with unlimited potential," Hoover said. "She has great natural instincts and can jump out of the gym. Her ability to score with touch around the basket, shoot from the high post and attack the offensive glass is going to make her a handful for our opponents. We also believe that Ona can be a game-changer on the defensive end. She has a knack for blocking and altering shots and is also a phenomenal defensive rebounder."
The final member of the class joins Wake Forest from Richmond, Va. Whitehead is a 6-3 post player who collected USA Today first team All-State accolades in 2014 and 2015. Whitehead has been part of back-to-back 6A State Championships with Cosby High School. JumpOffPlus.com gave Whitehead 4.5 stars and she is ranked 59th in the country by All Star Girls Report.
"Tyra is an extremely strong and physical post player," Hoover said. "She has great hands, can score with force on the block and also has a nice turn-around jump shot. Her ability to clear space in the paint and rebound everything around her is one of the best in the country. She has also been a part of very successful, championship winning programs in high school, as well as in AAU. She has an incredible will to win and is a fierce competitor."
"I would like to thank my staff for their terrific job of identifying, evaluating and most importantly building relationships with these young ladies, their families and coaches," Hoover said "Their tireless work ethic and commitment to our program's success is evident in all that they do. I also need to thank everyone associated with Wake Forest University. We appreciate all of the time and support from every member of the Wake Forest family."
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Raegyn Branch
6-2, Forward
Arlington, Tenn.
What they are saying…
"Raegyn is a post that has the ability to stretch a defense by stepping out to the perimeter. She is an excellent defender and her basketball IQ is extremely high. The greatest asset Raegyn brings is her work ethic and great attitude. She is such a wonderful person to be around all the time. She is also an excellent student. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA through all four years of high school and is very dedicated to her academics." - Hunter Gremore, head coach at Arlington High School
"I chose Wake Forest because of its strong academics, athletics and amazing coaching staff. When I was on campus I knew this was the school where I wanted to be for the next four years. I am truly happy to be a part of the Deacon family and I look forward to the many opportunities I will have." – Raegyn Branch
Alex Sharp
6-1, Guard
Melbourne, Australia
What they are saying…
"Alex prepares for everything on and off the court like a professional. It wasn't always like that but her time with Paul Goriss at the Center of Excellence, Guy Molloy, and her coaches at Diamond Valley, have helped with that progression. As a player, Alex has the ability to shoot the three, play off a ball screen and also get to the basket. She has deceptive foot speed and is a terrific rebounder, which will only get better. Her understanding of the game is her biggest asset. She will bring a strong work ethic, a sense of team, and a wealth of international experience to her new teammates at Wake Forest. I have no doubt that the staff at Wake will take her game to another level." –Alan McAughtry, head coach of U20 Victorian State Team
"I chose Wake Forest University because it balances high academic standards with an elite basketball program that's filled with great people and knowledge. Developing myself physically, mentally and socially both on and off the court has always been incredibly important to me. I feel like Wake Forest has the encouraging community and team environment which will allow me to do this. I know that Wake Forest is somewhere I can have a home away from home, and a team that will become my family." –Alex Sharp
Ona Udoh
6-1, Forward
Fayetteville, N.C.
What they are saying…
"Ona is a fun and energetic young lady off the court and a fierce competitor on the court. She is a shot blocking extraordinaire. Because of her size, strength and athletic ability, she blocks and intimidates every shot around the basket. Ona loves to run the court and she is quicker than most players her size. She will often pull down the rebound, make the outlet pass and beat her opponents down the court to finish the play." –Karl Molner, head coach at Terry Sanford High School
Wake forest is an amazing school in both academics and in sports. From the beginning, when I first knew I wanted to play in college, the school I saw myself coming to and fitting in was Wake Forest. The people are very welcoming and open. The coaches approach me with a warm and heartfelt joy, and the school gave me an upbeat vibe. I immediately knew Wake Forest was the right choice for me. With a lot of help and support from my parents they helped me make the wonderful decision to go here. The whole thing is a blessing that follows me daily. I look forward to being a part of a great team and program." –Ona Udoh
Tyra Whitehead
6-3, Forward
Richmond, Va.
That they are saying…
"Having Tyra in our program the past two years has been phenomenal. Her presence on the floor has been a major factor in our back to back state championships. She and her teammates will be working hard this upcoming season toward another outstanding year. Tyra will be a great asset to Wake Forest and is ready for the challenge at the next level." –Rachel Mead, head coach at Cosby High School
"I chose Wake because growing up in North Carolina all I heard was Duke, UNC, Wake, Chris Paul and Tim Duncan. When I left, all I wanted to do was come back home and what better place to be than Wake Forest. At Wake Forest academics are key and the sports are incredible. On top of that, the support system for athletes is amazing and the coaching staff was the coolest in America. When I committed I knew I was entering into a lifelong family. This family is not only comprised of the current roster, but the past alumni and the future greats as well. Wake Forest builds character, friendships, leadership and great athletes." – Tyra Whitehead