Nov. 13, 2015
Head coach Melanie Balcomb and the Vanderbilt women’s basketball program announced the Commodores’ heralded 2016 Signing Class on Friday morning. The immensely talented six-member class signed National Letters of Intent with the Commodores during the early signing period.
The group is rated among the best in the nation by multiple publications, including being ranked No. 6 by Blue Star Basketball, No. 9 by Prospects Nation and No. 17 by ESPN HoopGurlz. The talented cast includes five players — Chassity “LeaLea” Carter, Erin Whalen, Blessing Ejiofor, Kayla Overbeck and Cierra Walker — who are ranked among the Top-25 in the nation at their positions along with Tennessee’s Division II-AA Miss Basketball recipient Kaleigh Clemons.
“This class is so solid because of the strong foundation that each signee comes from,” said Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb. “Their families, coaches and circles of influence have helped all of them to be driven to success by character. Their differences are what make this class so special.”
For a detailed bios on each player, including comments from Balcomb, click on links below:
“I am just thrilled about this group,” said Balcomb. “I think this class gives us a versatility that we haven’t had in years. It’s definitely an exciting day for our program.”
l Carter — a standout from nearby Dickson County High (Dickson, Tenn.) — is one of the highest-rated recruits in the history of the Vanderbilt program. The 5-11 guard is listed among the Top-15 recruits in the nation by numerous recruiting outlets, including being rated in the Top-10 at her position by two publications — No. 3 by Prospects Nation and No. 6 by ESPN HoopGurlz. She averaged 15 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season while earning Class AAA All-State honors, and she has scored 1,441 points in her prep career. She was a member of the 2013 USA Basketball U16 National Team that captured the gold medal. Carter, the reigning two-time District 11-AAA Tournament MVP, has led Dickson County to three consecutive district championships and three straight 20-plus win seasons, including a 32-3 record last season.
l Clemons, a 5-7 guard from Chickamauga, Ga., is ranked No. 56 at her position by ESPN HoopGurlz. She was named to the Division II All-State team after leading Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tenn.) to the Class AA state semifinals. The athletic left-handed combo guard was named Miss Tennessee Basketball — the first Baylor player to ever earn that honor — after averaging 13.0 points, 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game last year. She is a three-time All-Region selection and three-time MVP of the Best of Preps Tournament.
l Ejiofor, a 6-5 post player from Ebonyi, Nigeria, is ranked No. 20 by ESPN HoopGurlz and No. 18 by Prospects Nation at her position. Ejiofor came to the United States in 2014 and gained the attention of college scouts this summer while playing on the Nike travel circuit. She has been praised by scouts for her quick leaping abilities and shot-blocking presence. She runs the floor extremely well for a post player and is expected to be an impact player for the Commodores. She helped lead Paterson Eastside High (Paterson, N.J.) to the New Jersey state playoffs and a 27-3 overall record.
l Overbeck, a 6-1 power forward from Newbury Park High (Newbury Park, Calif.), is ranked No. 20 by ESPN HoopGurlz and No. 19 by Prospects Nation at her position. She averaged a double-double last season — 19.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game — while setting the school’s single-season scoring record with 588 points. She was the Ventura County MVP and was named to the All-CIF First Team and the Maramonte League First Team while also earning All-County and All-Region selections.
l Walker, a 5-8 guard from Oregon City, Ore., is ranked No. 25 by ESPN HoopGurlz and No. 21 by Prospects Nation at her position. She was a First Team All-State selection last season and was the Mt. Hood Conference Player of the Year. Walker, who attends the same high school as former Vanderbilt women’s star Ashley Smith and VU men’s standout Brad Tinsley, averaged 20.2 points and 5.8 assists per game last season while shooting 45 percent (79-of-177) from 3-point range. As a sophomore, she helped Oregon City High win a state championship and was named to the All-State Tournament team.
l Whalen, a 6-1 wing/forward from Providence Day School (Charlotte, N.C.), is rated No. 7 in the nation at her position by ESPN HoopGurlz and No. 27 by Prospects Nation. She averaged 16 points and seven rebounds last year while earning NCISAA All-State honors. She surpassed the 1,000-point career plateau and led her team to a 27-3 record and its sixth consecutive state championship. Whalen led her team in scoring as a freshman and sophomore at Ardrey Kell High and was named First Team All-Conference and All-District.
“This group will have the opportunity to play right away for us (next season),” said Balcomb. “That’s something I like to do — I like to throw the freshmen out there and see what they can do. … And we are certainly excited about the potential impact that this class can make on our program.”
