University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women’s Basketball Announces the Addition of Five Signees for 2019-20 Season
11.16.2018 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Seventh-year head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick announced the addition of five future Bulldogs that will join the UNC Asheville women's basketball team next season.
"This standout class has been in the making for a couple of years, and the quality of people and players that each of these five young ladies are reflects the hard work that our staff puts in to recruiting and signing them," said Mock. "We are losing six wonderful seniors in May, and so it was critical that we sign the appropriate talent and character to replace them.
"Summer, Maliyah, Kai, Faith and Nia are not only remarkable players, but awesome individuals and students as well. We were looking for more size and athleticism on the perimeter, and we will have that with this group. I want to credit our recruiting coordinator Joyous Tharrington and the rest of the coaching staff for working tirelessly to not only evaluate, but develop relationships with these young ladies and welcome them into the family.
"A really cool aspect of this group is that they have already started to bond and are developing relationships with each other," exclaimed Mock. "They already have their own group chat, and I often see them supporting our team and each other on social media. We are thrilled that they are already owning our For Each Other culture and are looking forward to being a part of this special program. I have no doubt that they are prepared to make a mark on UNC Asheville women's basketball!"
Faith Adams / 5-6 / Point Guard / Oakland High School / Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Adams comes to UNC Asheville out of Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn. She was a multi-sport athlete and award winner (basketball and soccer). During the 2017-18 basketball season, she was named to the First Team All-District, Second Team All-Area and All-District Tournament. She was also named the MVP of the 2017 Sandestin basketball tournament.
In her sophomore and juniors seasons, Adams amassed 461 points, 185 assists, 120 rebounds and 113 steals.
Adams is also a star on the soccer team, as she earned numerous accolades on the pitch. Last year she was tabbed First Team All-District, All-County and All-State. She led Oakland High School in goals and assists. During her freshman year, Adams was named Freshman of the Year.
Mock's Thoughts on Adams: "Faith Adams is our first Tennessee signee since I have been the head coach here, and she's a really good one. She will be a talented addition at the point guard spot and brings an element of toughness and resilience that I like to see in a player. She can both shoot the three and attack the basket, which makes her hard to defend, but she also demonstrates poise and the ability to control tempo when needed."
Kai Carter / 6-0 / Guard / Paideia High School / Atlanta, Ga.
Carter travels to Asheville out of Paideia High School in Atlanta, Ga. Last year Carter averaged 18 points per game, eight rebounds per contest and two assists per game. During that same year she joined the exclusive 1,500-point club after scoring over 500 points last year.
From her freshman to junior year, she has been named to the All-State and All-Region Teams. She has also been tabbed to the All-Tournament Team three times at the Christmas Tournament at Westminster High School. Recently, Carter was named team captain after being named a starter for the fourth straight season at Paideia.
Mock's Thoughts on Carter: "Kai Carter is a four player, who can shoot the three, rebound and make plays on defense. She reminds me of a more aggressive Tianna Knuckles and will be a matchup nightmare at her position. Kai has incredible length and a high motor, and I love her energy on the court!"
Summer Dilwood / 5-9 / Guard / Tucker High School / Atlanta, Ga.
Dilwood is a rising senior out of Tucker High School in Atlanta, Ga. She averaged 14 points per game as a junior, and two years ago, Dilwood averaged 17 points per contest. She was invited to play on Team USA 16U and is a top-50 guard in the state of Georgia. She is a team captain and three-year varsity member.
Mock's Thoughts on Dilwood: "Summer Dilwood is an extremely talented multi-threat guard that attracted interest from a wide variety of schools in her recruiting process. She committed to us over a year ago and has since really integrated herself into the program. She is a player that can make spectacular plays on both ends of the court and should give us the ability to press more next season."
Maliyah Lockett / 5-9 / Guard / Westwood High School / Hopkins, S.C.
Lockett comes to UNC Asheville out of Westwood High School in Hopkins, S.C. Last season she averaged nine points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game. She amounted 740 total points during her three-year career at Westwood.
Lockett is ranked one of the top-5 seniors for 4A Division in the state of South Carolina. She was a team captain last year and was also tabbed All-Region during her sophomore campaign. During her freshman season, she was a participant at the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association (SCBCA) Elite Camp.
She has been an integral part for Westwood High School, as Lockett and her teammates have only lost 15 games the last three seasons.
Mock's Thoughts on Lockett: "Maliyah Lockett is a strong attacking guard with a nice mid-range game, who is comfortable playing four positions on the court. She reminds me of fellow South Carolina native, Sonora Dengokl, in terms of her aggressiveness to the basket and her ability to impact the game."
Nia Washington / 5-10 / Guard / Green Hope High School / Apex, N.C.
Washington is the fifth and final signee for UNC Asheville, and the rising senior comes to Asheville out of Green Hope High School in Apex, N.C.
During her junior campaign, she was nearly unstoppable, as she averaged 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and two assists per game. In that same year, she scored her 1,000th career point.
Two years ago, Washington was named to the All-Tournament Team at the John Wall Invitational and First Team All-Southwest Wake Athletic Conference. During her freshman season, she also garnered First Team All-Conference honors.
Mock's Thoughts on Washington: "Nia Washington is a player we have been watching since she was in ninth grade. She will bring more power and athleticism to our guard core and can also shoot the three, which makes her incredibly difficult to defend. She has a workman-like approach to the game and will add more rebounding to our team as well."
"This standout class has been in the making for a couple of years, and the quality of people and players that each of these five young ladies are reflects the hard work that our staff puts in to recruiting and signing them," said Mock. "We are losing six wonderful seniors in May, and so it was critical that we sign the appropriate talent and character to replace them.
"Summer, Maliyah, Kai, Faith and Nia are not only remarkable players, but awesome individuals and students as well. We were looking for more size and athleticism on the perimeter, and we will have that with this group. I want to credit our recruiting coordinator Joyous Tharrington and the rest of the coaching staff for working tirelessly to not only evaluate, but develop relationships with these young ladies and welcome them into the family.
"A really cool aspect of this group is that they have already started to bond and are developing relationships with each other," exclaimed Mock. "They already have their own group chat, and I often see them supporting our team and each other on social media. We are thrilled that they are already owning our For Each Other culture and are looking forward to being a part of this special program. I have no doubt that they are prepared to make a mark on UNC Asheville women's basketball!"
Faith Adams / 5-6 / Point Guard / Oakland High School / Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Adams comes to UNC Asheville out of Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn. She was a multi-sport athlete and award winner (basketball and soccer). During the 2017-18 basketball season, she was named to the First Team All-District, Second Team All-Area and All-District Tournament. She was also named the MVP of the 2017 Sandestin basketball tournament.
In her sophomore and juniors seasons, Adams amassed 461 points, 185 assists, 120 rebounds and 113 steals.
Adams is also a star on the soccer team, as she earned numerous accolades on the pitch. Last year she was tabbed First Team All-District, All-County and All-State. She led Oakland High School in goals and assists. During her freshman year, Adams was named Freshman of the Year.
Mock's Thoughts on Adams: "Faith Adams is our first Tennessee signee since I have been the head coach here, and she's a really good one. She will be a talented addition at the point guard spot and brings an element of toughness and resilience that I like to see in a player. She can both shoot the three and attack the basket, which makes her hard to defend, but she also demonstrates poise and the ability to control tempo when needed."
Kai Carter / 6-0 / Guard / Paideia High School / Atlanta, Ga.
Carter travels to Asheville out of Paideia High School in Atlanta, Ga. Last year Carter averaged 18 points per game, eight rebounds per contest and two assists per game. During that same year she joined the exclusive 1,500-point club after scoring over 500 points last year.
From her freshman to junior year, she has been named to the All-State and All-Region Teams. She has also been tabbed to the All-Tournament Team three times at the Christmas Tournament at Westminster High School. Recently, Carter was named team captain after being named a starter for the fourth straight season at Paideia.
Mock's Thoughts on Carter: "Kai Carter is a four player, who can shoot the three, rebound and make plays on defense. She reminds me of a more aggressive Tianna Knuckles and will be a matchup nightmare at her position. Kai has incredible length and a high motor, and I love her energy on the court!"
Summer Dilwood / 5-9 / Guard / Tucker High School / Atlanta, Ga.
Dilwood is a rising senior out of Tucker High School in Atlanta, Ga. She averaged 14 points per game as a junior, and two years ago, Dilwood averaged 17 points per contest. She was invited to play on Team USA 16U and is a top-50 guard in the state of Georgia. She is a team captain and three-year varsity member.
Mock's Thoughts on Dilwood: "Summer Dilwood is an extremely talented multi-threat guard that attracted interest from a wide variety of schools in her recruiting process. She committed to us over a year ago and has since really integrated herself into the program. She is a player that can make spectacular plays on both ends of the court and should give us the ability to press more next season."
Maliyah Lockett / 5-9 / Guard / Westwood High School / Hopkins, S.C.
Lockett comes to UNC Asheville out of Westwood High School in Hopkins, S.C. Last season she averaged nine points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game. She amounted 740 total points during her three-year career at Westwood.
Lockett is ranked one of the top-5 seniors for 4A Division in the state of South Carolina. She was a team captain last year and was also tabbed All-Region during her sophomore campaign. During her freshman season, she was a participant at the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association (SCBCA) Elite Camp.
She has been an integral part for Westwood High School, as Lockett and her teammates have only lost 15 games the last three seasons.
Mock's Thoughts on Lockett: "Maliyah Lockett is a strong attacking guard with a nice mid-range game, who is comfortable playing four positions on the court. She reminds me of fellow South Carolina native, Sonora Dengokl, in terms of her aggressiveness to the basket and her ability to impact the game."
Nia Washington / 5-10 / Guard / Green Hope High School / Apex, N.C.
Washington is the fifth and final signee for UNC Asheville, and the rising senior comes to Asheville out of Green Hope High School in Apex, N.C.
During her junior campaign, she was nearly unstoppable, as she averaged 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and two assists per game. In that same year, she scored her 1,000th career point.
Two years ago, Washington was named to the All-Tournament Team at the John Wall Invitational and First Team All-Southwest Wake Athletic Conference. During her freshman season, she also garnered First Team All-Conference honors.
Mock's Thoughts on Washington: "Nia Washington is a player we have been watching since she was in ninth grade. She will bring more power and athleticism to our guard core and can also shoot the three, which makes her incredibly difficult to defend. She has a workman-like approach to the game and will add more rebounding to our team as well."
Players Mentioned
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