Off To Graduate

The Miami Dade College women’s basketball program accomplished academic success this past season, with most of the team’s sophomores graduating. Five out of six sophomores earned their Associates in Arts Degree, and all six will transfer to other universities to continue playing basketball.

Point guard Kesheria McNeil, who, earned a full scholarship with Division I Georgia State University,  forward Tynes Bradshaw, who earned a full ride with Division I University of New Orleans and guard Kiana Morton earned a full scholarship with Division I University of Central Florida. Forward Tyesha West signed a full letter of intent with National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division I school Florida Memorial University  and guard Jelena Ciric is planning to sign with Division II Catawba University. Forward Vernae Whitby is planning to sign with Tennessee State University or West Virginia Wesleyan according to Lady Sharks head coach Susan Summons.

“The women’s basketball program has always boasted between a 91 and 93 graduation placement rate of its student athletes,” Summons said.

Summons said the Lady Sharks finished the year with a team GPA of 2.58.

“All of them did well during study hall,” assistant coach, Erica Redman said. “I would help [the players] with any questions they had about homework they were working on.”

The team held study hall three to four times a week in order to keep players from falling behind academically. The players would use their time during study hall to finish assignments and develop better study habits.

“I’ve learned to have better study habits and have better time management,” former Sharks guard, Kiana Morton said. “I feel good about our [academic] success.”

In spite of a rough season,concluding with a 9-17 record, the coaching staff said they are proud of the team for what they achieved off the court.

“Success is not always measured by how many W’s you put in the win column, success is also measured in what students do off the floor in the classroom,” Summons said. “This program always promotes academics, we put the student before the athlete.”

Onto The Next One

The Lady Sharks struggled immensely this past season only winning two out of eight conference games, and finished with a 9-17 record.  At the end of the season the team went on an eight game losing skid.

“Typically every team across America may have a season where their team is full of injuries, a season where they lose one of their best players, or they just don’t have chemistry, and we happen to cross the border in everything,” Summons said.

Yet, of all of the obstacles the team tried to overcome, Summons emphasized that team chemistry was a main issue that could not be resolved.

“You can have all of the talent in the world, but you need chemistry,” Summons said.

The Lady Sharks will have four returning players, and 10 new recruits this year. The returning sophomores are: forward Eboni Brown, center Ann Marie Harris, point guard Jasmin Burger, and forward Sierra Lark.

The new recruits are: forward Monique Howard, from Detroit Pershing High School  (Detroit, Mich.), center Adenike Dawodu, a transfer from Union University, center/forward Tijuana Djukic, who played high school in Serbia, point guard Jakia Grimsley, a transfer from College of Central Florida, forward Amber Hannah, from Dillard High,  point guard Lateshia Williams, from Clayton High School (Clayton, N.C.), guard/forward Vernessa Hinnant, from Clayton High School (Clayton, N.C.), guard Channel Davis, from Renaissance High School, guard Ajee Smith, from Knightdale High School (Knightdale, N.C.), and guard Jessica Crawley, from Upper Darby High school (Upper Darby Township, Penn..

With a reloaded roster and returning players, the Lady Sharks are hoping to have a more successful season.

“The new season is bright, full of talent, excitement, energy and focus on a state championship,” Summons said.