Wake Forest Athletics
Deacs Sign Conley, Cowles and Williams for 2021 Class
11/11/2020 9:31:00 AM | Women's Basketball
“Our Wake Forest women’s basketball family is thrilled to announce the addition of three tremendous ladies in Raegyn, Malaya and Elise.” - Head Coach Jen Hoover
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest women's basketball team announced the addition of three players during National Signing Day on Wednesday.
In Raegyn Conley, Malaya Cowles and Elise Williams, the Demon Deacons continue to add top talent from the state of North Carolina and around the country.
"Our Wake Forest women's basketball family is thrilled to announce the addition of three tremendous ladies in Raegyn, Malaya and Elise to our 2021 recruiting class," head coach Jen Hoover said. "Not only are they very talented individuals on the court, but they are all also very bright and mature young women who embody the values of Wake Forest University."
The Deacs add a diverse group of talent in the class of 2021, adding two players in the backcourt and one in the post.
In Conley, Wake Forest signs one of the most highly touted recruits in the country. She was ranked as the No. 60 overall recruit by ESPN and the No. 11 wing player in the class. Williams, a guard, and Cowles, a forward, also rank among some of the top players at their positions nationally.
"Not a lot of people understand the time and commitment that it takes to recruit top-caliber players," Coach Hoover said. "My staff has done an incredible job day-in and day-out of getting on the phone with our recruits and making sure they understood how special a place Wake Forest University is."
Cowles and Williams continue to add to the strong in North Carolina talent on the Wake Forest roster. Cowles from Wilkesboro and Williams from Raleigh rank among the top in-state talent for the class of 2021.
This marks the third consecutive year the Deacs will add at least one player from in-state.
"Our program has done a fantastic job at evaluating recruits from the combination of high-caliber players that exemplify the high-academic standard that we have at Wake," Coach Hoover said. "Our recruiting is two-tiered. We do not solely base our decisions on if a player is elite enough to play in the ACC but they must also fit our team culture. Raegyn, Malaya, and Elise are three players who fit our unique recruiting structure and have shown that they want to excel both athletically and academically. We are so proud that these three ladies have chosen to wear the Black and Gold and we cannot wait to see what accomplishments they have during their time as Demon Deacons."
Raegyn Conley | G | 6-0 | Chattanooga, TN/Baylor School
From Coach Hoover:
"Raegyn is a dynamic guard from Tennessee who can play all over the floor. She has shown the ability to play point guard and distribute the basketball at a high level, as well as showcase her skills playing off the ball while stretching defenses with her efficiency shooting from behind the arc. She adds great size and athleticism to our roster at the guard position and operates with a high basketball IQ. On the defensive end, she has quick hands and has an exceptional ability to read passing lanes. Raegyn has shown extreme resilience and work ethic at any sign of adversity. We are excited about adding such a great player and teammate to our program."
From Conley's High School Coach John Gibson:
"Raegyn is the best shooter that I have coached in 15 years of coaching girls basketball. She has helped shape our program for the future, she is very coachable and I believe she translates well to the next level. Wake Forest has added a quality person with a tremendous upside. I look forward to following her in the future."
Malaya Cowles | F | 6-3 | Wilkesboro, NC/Winston-Salem Christian
From Coach Hoover:
"Malaya is a great athlete that thrives on her mobility and quickness to put pressure on defenses with her keen ability to run the floor. Her explosiveness in the paint makes her difficult to block out. We think Malaya has the potential to be one of the better rebounders in our league. Offensively, she attacks the glass and is able to score inside while also having the ability to knock-down mid-range shots. We will continue to develop her inside game, while she helps anchor our defense inside. With her size and agility, she will provide us with a huge paint presence and rim protector."
From Cowles' High School Coach Greg Davenport:
"On behalf of the coaching staff and the Lady Eagles Basketball program, we would like to congratulate Malaya on signing to continue her education and basketball career with Wake Forest. It was a pleasure to coach her and watch her grow as not only a player but as a person. Malaya is a hard worker, a leader, both on and off the floor. She is also a great teammate. We look forward to watching her excel in this next chapter of her career."
Elise Williams | G | 5-9 | Raleigh, NC/Wakefield
From Coach Hoover:
"Elise has an explosive, athletic game with the ability to score on all three levels. Her athleticism combined with her wiry length will allow her to play multiple positions on the perimeter. She also has the ability to knock down outside shots putting pressure on opposing defenses. Elise has also shown the ability to handle the ball, creating for herself and her teammates. She is a well-rounded young lady that is driven and focused on improving on and off the court each day."
From Williams' High School Coach Donald Williams:
"Elise is an outstanding player. She makes players around her better and has a good basketball IQ. Elise is aggressive on offense and can score with anyone. She can lock anybody's best player down and always knows where to be on the floor. Elise is one of the most special players I've coached and I can't wait to see what she does on the next level."
In Raegyn Conley, Malaya Cowles and Elise Williams, the Demon Deacons continue to add top talent from the state of North Carolina and around the country.
"Our Wake Forest women's basketball family is thrilled to announce the addition of three tremendous ladies in Raegyn, Malaya and Elise to our 2021 recruiting class," head coach Jen Hoover said. "Not only are they very talented individuals on the court, but they are all also very bright and mature young women who embody the values of Wake Forest University."
The Deacs add a diverse group of talent in the class of 2021, adding two players in the backcourt and one in the post.
In Conley, Wake Forest signs one of the most highly touted recruits in the country. She was ranked as the No. 60 overall recruit by ESPN and the No. 11 wing player in the class. Williams, a guard, and Cowles, a forward, also rank among some of the top players at their positions nationally.
"Not a lot of people understand the time and commitment that it takes to recruit top-caliber players," Coach Hoover said. "My staff has done an incredible job day-in and day-out of getting on the phone with our recruits and making sure they understood how special a place Wake Forest University is."
Cowles and Williams continue to add to the strong in North Carolina talent on the Wake Forest roster. Cowles from Wilkesboro and Williams from Raleigh rank among the top in-state talent for the class of 2021.
This marks the third consecutive year the Deacs will add at least one player from in-state.
"Our program has done a fantastic job at evaluating recruits from the combination of high-caliber players that exemplify the high-academic standard that we have at Wake," Coach Hoover said. "Our recruiting is two-tiered. We do not solely base our decisions on if a player is elite enough to play in the ACC but they must also fit our team culture. Raegyn, Malaya, and Elise are three players who fit our unique recruiting structure and have shown that they want to excel both athletically and academically. We are so proud that these three ladies have chosen to wear the Black and Gold and we cannot wait to see what accomplishments they have during their time as Demon Deacons."
Raegyn Conley | G | 6-0 | Chattanooga, TN/Baylor School
- Earned a 91 overall rating and four-star status from ESPNW
- Rated the No. 60 recruit in the country and the No. 11 wing player nationally by ESPNW
- Finalist for for 2020 Miss Basketball in Tennessee
- Named to the TSWA All-State Team as a junior
- Averaged 19 points, 6.5 rebounds, two steals and two blocks per game as a junior at Baylor School
- Led the Baylor School to a 24-6 finish as a junior and a trip to the Division II-AA state semifinals in Tennessee
"Raegyn is a dynamic guard from Tennessee who can play all over the floor." - @WakeCoachJen #GoDeacs 🎩 https://t.co/pH6Ud5o2Of pic.twitter.com/kIZ979p1lV
— Wake Forest Women's Basketball (@WakeWBB) November 11, 2020
From Coach Hoover:
"Raegyn is a dynamic guard from Tennessee who can play all over the floor. She has shown the ability to play point guard and distribute the basketball at a high level, as well as showcase her skills playing off the ball while stretching defenses with her efficiency shooting from behind the arc. She adds great size and athleticism to our roster at the guard position and operates with a high basketball IQ. On the defensive end, she has quick hands and has an exceptional ability to read passing lanes. Raegyn has shown extreme resilience and work ethic at any sign of adversity. We are excited about adding such a great player and teammate to our program."
From Conley's High School Coach John Gibson:
"Raegyn is the best shooter that I have coached in 15 years of coaching girls basketball. She has helped shape our program for the future, she is very coachable and I believe she translates well to the next level. Wake Forest has added a quality person with a tremendous upside. I look forward to following her in the future."
Malaya Cowles | F | 6-3 | Wilkesboro, NC/Winston-Salem Christian
- Earned a 90 overall rating and three-star status from ESPNW
- Rated the No. 10 post player nationally by ESPNW
- Nominee for the 2021 McDonald's All-American Game
- Helped lead Winston-Salem Christian to a 32-5 record including a 12-0 mark at home as a junior
- Wilkes Journal-Patriot all-county Player of the Year as a sophomore at Wilkes Central, averaging 19.5 points, 18.5 rebounds and four blocked shots
- Two-time All-Conference in the Mountain Valley as a freshman and sophomore at Wilkes Central
"Malaya is a great athlete that thrives on her mobility and quickness to put pressure on defenses with her keen ability to run the floor." - @WakeCoachJen #GoDeacs 🎩 https://t.co/EOYVVohvlW pic.twitter.com/S6M4AUhwOa
— Wake Forest Women's Basketball (@WakeWBB) November 11, 2020
From Coach Hoover:
"Malaya is a great athlete that thrives on her mobility and quickness to put pressure on defenses with her keen ability to run the floor. Her explosiveness in the paint makes her difficult to block out. We think Malaya has the potential to be one of the better rebounders in our league. Offensively, she attacks the glass and is able to score inside while also having the ability to knock-down mid-range shots. We will continue to develop her inside game, while she helps anchor our defense inside. With her size and agility, she will provide us with a huge paint presence and rim protector."
From Cowles' High School Coach Greg Davenport:
"On behalf of the coaching staff and the Lady Eagles Basketball program, we would like to congratulate Malaya on signing to continue her education and basketball career with Wake Forest. It was a pleasure to coach her and watch her grow as not only a player but as a person. Malaya is a hard worker, a leader, both on and off the floor. She is also a great teammate. We look forward to watching her excel in this next chapter of her career."
Elise Williams | G | 5-9 | Raleigh, NC/Wakefield
- Earned a 90 overall rating and three-star status from ESPNW
- Rated the No. 43 guard player nationally by ESPNW
- Averaged 19.9 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 5.3 steals and 1.4 blocks as a junior
- Led Wakefield to a 22-4 record as a junior including a perfect 11-0 record and a perfect 10-0 record in the Northern Athletic Conference en route winning the conference championship
- 2019-20 NAC VI Conference Player of the Year
- ESPN Top 100 player as a junior
- Led Wakefield in rebounding all three seasons and assists as a sophomore and junior
"Elise has an explosive, athletic game with the ability to score on all three levels." - @WakeCoachJen #GoDeacs 🎩 https://t.co/9RpRRyanp2 pic.twitter.com/2gwJd48frU
— Wake Forest Women's Basketball (@WakeWBB) November 11, 2020
From Coach Hoover:
"Elise has an explosive, athletic game with the ability to score on all three levels. Her athleticism combined with her wiry length will allow her to play multiple positions on the perimeter. She also has the ability to knock down outside shots putting pressure on opposing defenses. Elise has also shown the ability to handle the ball, creating for herself and her teammates. She is a well-rounded young lady that is driven and focused on improving on and off the court each day."
From Williams' High School Coach Donald Williams:
"Elise is an outstanding player. She makes players around her better and has a good basketball IQ. Elise is aggressive on offense and can score with anyone. She can lock anybody's best player down and always knows where to be on the floor. Elise is one of the most special players I've coached and I can't wait to see what she does on the next level."
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