NEWARK, Del. - - Entering her fourth season at the helm of the Wilmington University women’s basketball program, head coach Tiffany Silver has announced the addition of five signees to the program that will compete for playing time in the 2015-16 academic season.
The five new signees are an addition to four Wildcats that were a part of the program this past season but did not play, keeping their year of eligibility with a red-shirt season.
Newcomers Taylor Bolden, Shanique Graves, Jordan Hawkins, Emma Matthews, and Xitali Roman-Campos came to the WU Athletics Complex earlier this spring to sign their intent to play for Silver and the Wildcats.
Bolden helped lead her Milford Mill High School to the 2015 Maryland High School Girls Basketball Class 3A State Championship this past year, averaging 7.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Bolden was the team’s starting point guard and scored four points, dished out eight assists, and picked up four steals in the State Championship game against Urbana.
Graves is a junior college transfer from Essex Country College where she led her team in averaging 16.2 points, 3.4 assists, and 4.6 steals per game as a sophomore. She was second in all of NJCAA Division II in averaging 4.6 steals per contest; picking up 116 steals in 25 games. She helped lead her team to the program’s first ever Region 19 Championship as a freshman, bringing the team to the NJCAA DII National Championship round. Prior to Essex County College, Graves attended University High School in Newark, N.J.
Hawkins is a dual threat player from Glen Burnie High School in Maryland, as she is the high school’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocks. She is also a 1,000-point scorer during her high school career, finishing with 1,006 points, 1,189 rebounds, and 537 blocks. She was awarded a postseason accolade of 695Hoops All-Metro Team this past season.
Matthews returns to her home state after playing a season at NCAA Division II foe Franklin Pierce in 2014-15. Matthews saw time in eight games as a freshman, going 3-for-8 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from deep. Prior to Franklin Pierce, Matthews was a three-year All-Catholic Conference performer at Padua Academy and a two-time All-State selection. She also hit the game-winning shot to win the 2013 Amateur Athletic Union National Championship.
Roman-Campos joins the Wildcats after a career at Milford High School in Delaware. Roman-Campos had the Buccaneers in the 2015 DIAA Girls’ Basketball State Tournament this year as the #14 seed, finishing the year at 15-6 overall after falling in to the first round. The senior was also named The Boys & Girls’ Clubs of Delaware’s Youth of the Year which recognizes “outstanding contributions to a club member’s community, school, family, and Boys & Girls Club, as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome”, according to a news release.
The five latest signees join Ashri Broadwater, Keosha Parks, Macy Robinson, and Rose Smith as new members competing for spots on the 2015-16 team after sitting out the 2014-15 season.