Temple University Athletics
Women’s Basketball Signs Impressive 2021 Recruiting Class
11.11.20 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – Temple women's basketball head coach Tonya Cardoza has announced the signing of five impressive recruits to join the Owls for the 2021-22 season. The signing class includes Tiarra East, Aniya Gourdine, Makayla Waleed, Jada Williams and Kyra Wood.
"We are extremely excited about the 2021 recruiting class," said Cardoza. "It was very important to us to strategically identify not only talented athletes but high-character people as well. Aniya, Jada, Kyra, Makayla and Tiarra will be tremendous additions to our program and we are thrilled about the future on Broad Street."
Tiarra East is a 5-10 guard from Louisville, Ky. East is rated the No. 65 overall player and the No. 27 guard by ESPN HoopGurlz. The senior at Butler Traditional High School averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game during her junior season. The Butler Bearettes ended the 2019-20 season as the 22nd District Champs, third in the state and first in points per game allowed. East completed her junior year as an All-Region honoree. The three-time honor roll student intends to major in Architecture at Temple.
Aniya Gourdine hails from Baltimore, Md. and is entering her senior season at St. Frances Academy, the same high school that current TU women's basketball star Mia Davis attended. Gourdine is a three-time Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) Champion and a two-time All-Metro First Team honoree. The 5-9 guard has also seen success with her Team Takeover EYBL program, winning the 2019 National Championship. Gourdine plans to major in Business when she arrives on Broad Street.
Makayla Waleed is another guard out of Maryland. The Upper Marlboro native helped her St. Vincent Pallotti High School team to a 21-6 record during the 2019-20 season, falling to local rival St. Frances in the IAAM Championship. A high honor roll student, Waleed plans on studying Computer Science and Cybersecurity at TU.
Jada Williams is a 6-1 forward from nearby Williamstown, N.J. The high school senior has averaged 13.5 points per game over her career thus far. Williams had an impressive freshman year, as her Gloucester Catholic team went 24-4 and she earned First Team All-Conference along with a Freshman of the Year nomination. Williams went on to earn Second Team All-Conference her sophomore year and collect the Al Carino Award. A member of the National Honors Society, Williams will major in Biochemistry at Temple.
Kyra Wood is an impressive player hailing from Buffalo, N.Y. The 6-2 forward completed her junior season at City Honors School on Second Team All-Western New York along with being tabbed Co-Canisus Cup Player of the Year. Wood crossed the 1,000 point milestone during her sophomore campaign as she averaged a whopping 32 points per game while chipping in five blocks per contest. Wood enters her senior season as City Honors' highest scoring player in history and is on track to hit 2,000 career points. Wood plans on pursuing a degree in either Sports Business or Criminology when she arrives in Philly.
"We are extremely excited about the 2021 recruiting class," said Cardoza. "It was very important to us to strategically identify not only talented athletes but high-character people as well. Aniya, Jada, Kyra, Makayla and Tiarra will be tremendous additions to our program and we are thrilled about the future on Broad Street."
Tiarra East is a 5-10 guard from Louisville, Ky. East is rated the No. 65 overall player and the No. 27 guard by ESPN HoopGurlz. The senior at Butler Traditional High School averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game during her junior season. The Butler Bearettes ended the 2019-20 season as the 22nd District Champs, third in the state and first in points per game allowed. East completed her junior year as an All-Region honoree. The three-time honor roll student intends to major in Architecture at Temple.
Aniya Gourdine hails from Baltimore, Md. and is entering her senior season at St. Frances Academy, the same high school that current TU women's basketball star Mia Davis attended. Gourdine is a three-time Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) Champion and a two-time All-Metro First Team honoree. The 5-9 guard has also seen success with her Team Takeover EYBL program, winning the 2019 National Championship. Gourdine plans to major in Business when she arrives on Broad Street.
Makayla Waleed is another guard out of Maryland. The Upper Marlboro native helped her St. Vincent Pallotti High School team to a 21-6 record during the 2019-20 season, falling to local rival St. Frances in the IAAM Championship. A high honor roll student, Waleed plans on studying Computer Science and Cybersecurity at TU.
Jada Williams is a 6-1 forward from nearby Williamstown, N.J. The high school senior has averaged 13.5 points per game over her career thus far. Williams had an impressive freshman year, as her Gloucester Catholic team went 24-4 and she earned First Team All-Conference along with a Freshman of the Year nomination. Williams went on to earn Second Team All-Conference her sophomore year and collect the Al Carino Award. A member of the National Honors Society, Williams will major in Biochemistry at Temple.
Kyra Wood is an impressive player hailing from Buffalo, N.Y. The 6-2 forward completed her junior season at City Honors School on Second Team All-Western New York along with being tabbed Co-Canisus Cup Player of the Year. Wood crossed the 1,000 point milestone during her sophomore campaign as she averaged a whopping 32 points per game while chipping in five blocks per contest. Wood enters her senior season as City Honors' highest scoring player in history and is on track to hit 2,000 career points. Wood plans on pursuing a degree in either Sports Business or Criminology when she arrives in Philly.
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