University of Northern Colorado Athletics
@UNCBearsWBB Welcomes Five New Bears
11/15/2018 10:39:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Head coach Jenny Huth brings in five new Bears in the 2019 recruiting class.
First year head coach Jenny Huth announced the signings of five new Bears to her inaugural recruiting class on Wednesday. Alisha Davis (Aurora, Colo.), Kadie Deaton (Wausau, Wis.), Mele Finau (Dublin, Calif.), Kurstyn Harden (Lufkin, Texas) and Alecia Whyte (Houston, Texas) will join the Bear family come the fall of the 2019-20 season.
"I'm thrilled about our first recruiting here at UNC. This is a special group of young ladies on and off the court," head coach Jenny Huth said. "They are versatile, skilled, & have untapped potential! On top of that, these ladies are great people with great character! I'm excited for the future of our program and meshing them with our veterans! Welcome class of 2019!"
The class of five looks to continue to grow the culture and program of Northern Colorado women's basketball excellence, as it comes off winning the Big Sky Regular Season and Tournament championships in 2017-18 and advancing to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Alisha Davis, F, 6'2", Aurora, Colo., Grandview High School
Alishia Davis comes to Northern Colorado after playing for one of the best 5A programs in the state of Colorado at Grandview. Davis has helped the Wolves capture back-to-back state championships the past two years and aims for a three-peat in 2018-19.
"I chose UNC because I love everything about the program and how family oriented it is," Davis said of her choice to become a Bear. "It's also close to home and I believe great things are happening and I want to be a part of that."
While she has played a key role in the team's overall performance, Davis has a few individual accolades as well. She was a first team All-League player her junior season and named first team All-Tournament at the Nike Tournament of Champions her sophomore season. The two-sport athlete at Grandview also competes in track and field as a high jumper. GHS won the 2017 state title including having Davis finish fifth in the high jump. She improved to third place last season.
While at Northern Colorado, Davis looks to earn her degree in nursing.
"Alisha is a great rebounder, she has a knack for where the ball is going," Huth said. "She finishes with ease around the rim with a soft touch and good hands! She is coming off of two 5A state championships, and is a great student and competitor!"
Kadie Deaton, G, 5'11", Wausau, Wis., Wausau West High School
Kadie Deaton makes her way to Greeley from Wausau, Wisconsin to bring her versatile game to the Bears. Deaton is a multiple time All-Conference winner. She finished second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference for assists per game with 4.0 in her sophomore season.
"I decided on UNC because I knew this school was going to help me reach my goals and succeed in life by becoming the best version of myself in basketball and the classroom," Deaton said. "The style of play and environment the coaches portray to the players relates to my character and what I stand for as an individual. I feel the coaches really care about you as a person not just as a basketball player."
Deaton has not only earned All-Conference honors for basketball but also soccer for multiple positions. In her freshman year, she was an All-Conference goalie and then became an All-Conference forward the next season.
As a Bear, she will earn her degree in biology.
"Kadie is extremely versatile and can play multiple guard positions on the floor," Huth said of her new guard. "She has great court vision and is an excellent passer, she loves to play defense, and she is a gym rat! She was our first player to commit in this class and each time I watched her lead her team, I thought: She finds a way to win; she's tough, competitive and gritty!"
Mele Finau, G, 5'9", Dublin, Calif., Dublin High School
Mele Finau will make the trip from the West Coast into the Rocky Mountains to play for the Bears. Finau comes to the Greely from Dublin California where she played basketball all four years. Last season she was an All-Contra Costal/Tri-Valley honorable mention selection. Her sister Lesila is a freshman on the women's basketball team at Colorado.
"I chose to become a UNC Bear because I felt really cared for and like it is a home away from home," Finau said.
"Mele is very versatile, she has a great looking shot, she loves to facilitate and play in the open floor," Huth said of the team's newest Californian. "She has great size to play multiple positions and she makes the game look easy! She connects well with her teammates and is very much a leader and encourager!"
Kurstyn Harden, F, 6'3", Lufkin, Texas, Lufkin High School
Kurstyn Harden will bring a big presence in the paint for Northern Colorado next season. The 6-3 forward was a first team All-District honoree last season for Lufkin High School and Newcomer of the Year her freshman season.
"The UNC environment and family atmosphere were amazing, and I knew from the moment I stepped on campus I wanted to be a Bear," Harden said about the ease of choosing Northern Colorado.
Not only has she performed well on the basketball court, but also competed in track & field, where she has been a regional qualifier for shot put.
"Kurstyn is a strong physical post player with great feet and hands," Huth said of her new interior presences. "She's versatile in that she can score with her back to the basket and step out with a nice touch. She will be a rim protector on the defensive end as well. Kurstyn is a great leader on and off the floor."
She will study biology while at Northern Colorado.
Alecia Whyte, G, 5'10", Houston, Texas, Oak Ridge High School
Alecia Whyte is one of two Texans to sign with UNC women's basketball in the class of 2019. The two-time letter winner for basketball at Oak Ridge High School has been a key player for her teams from a young age. Whyte has helped her teams earn district titles in seventh, eighth, 10th and 11th grade. While playing for her high school she has been named the team MVP three times and Defensive MVP once. Last season, Whyte was both the District and Montgomery County Player of the Year.
"I chose UNC because I felt the players and coaches really cared and made me feel at home," Whyte said. "I also feel that I will fit in with the option of play and pace the basketball team has. I also chose UNC because of the classes and the environment of the university."
Not only has Whyte seen success on the basketball court, but also on the track. Through three seasons of high school track, she has helped her school be district champions twice and champion in the 4x100 relay once and 4x200 relay twice.
"Alecia is a great athlete and loves to play up-tempo and to defend," Huth said. "She has good accuracy on her outside shot and lots of untapped potential that we are excited to develop! She has a bright smile and is a tenacious competitor!"
She will pursue a degree in nursing at UNC.
While the Bears await the arrival of the class of 2019, the 2018-19 Bears look to take advantage of their home court on Friday night when Denver comes to town. Prior to Friday night's home opener, UNC will unveil its three banners for winning the Big Sky Regular Season and Tournament titles along with making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18. Tickets for the game are available by clicking here.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
"I'm thrilled about our first recruiting here at UNC. This is a special group of young ladies on and off the court," head coach Jenny Huth said. "They are versatile, skilled, & have untapped potential! On top of that, these ladies are great people with great character! I'm excited for the future of our program and meshing them with our veterans! Welcome class of 2019!"
The class of five looks to continue to grow the culture and program of Northern Colorado women's basketball excellence, as it comes off winning the Big Sky Regular Season and Tournament championships in 2017-18 and advancing to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Alisha Davis, F, 6'2", Aurora, Colo., Grandview High School
Alishia Davis comes to Northern Colorado after playing for one of the best 5A programs in the state of Colorado at Grandview. Davis has helped the Wolves capture back-to-back state championships the past two years and aims for a three-peat in 2018-19.
"I chose UNC because I love everything about the program and how family oriented it is," Davis said of her choice to become a Bear. "It's also close to home and I believe great things are happening and I want to be a part of that."
While she has played a key role in the team's overall performance, Davis has a few individual accolades as well. She was a first team All-League player her junior season and named first team All-Tournament at the Nike Tournament of Champions her sophomore season. The two-sport athlete at Grandview also competes in track and field as a high jumper. GHS won the 2017 state title including having Davis finish fifth in the high jump. She improved to third place last season.
While at Northern Colorado, Davis looks to earn her degree in nursing.
"Alisha is a great rebounder, she has a knack for where the ball is going," Huth said. "She finishes with ease around the rim with a soft touch and good hands! She is coming off of two 5A state championships, and is a great student and competitor!"
Kadie Deaton, G, 5'11", Wausau, Wis., Wausau West High School
Kadie Deaton makes her way to Greeley from Wausau, Wisconsin to bring her versatile game to the Bears. Deaton is a multiple time All-Conference winner. She finished second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference for assists per game with 4.0 in her sophomore season.
"I decided on UNC because I knew this school was going to help me reach my goals and succeed in life by becoming the best version of myself in basketball and the classroom," Deaton said. "The style of play and environment the coaches portray to the players relates to my character and what I stand for as an individual. I feel the coaches really care about you as a person not just as a basketball player."
Deaton has not only earned All-Conference honors for basketball but also soccer for multiple positions. In her freshman year, she was an All-Conference goalie and then became an All-Conference forward the next season.
As a Bear, she will earn her degree in biology.
"Kadie is extremely versatile and can play multiple guard positions on the floor," Huth said of her new guard. "She has great court vision and is an excellent passer, she loves to play defense, and she is a gym rat! She was our first player to commit in this class and each time I watched her lead her team, I thought: She finds a way to win; she's tough, competitive and gritty!"
Mele Finau, G, 5'9", Dublin, Calif., Dublin High School
Mele Finau will make the trip from the West Coast into the Rocky Mountains to play for the Bears. Finau comes to the Greely from Dublin California where she played basketball all four years. Last season she was an All-Contra Costal/Tri-Valley honorable mention selection. Her sister Lesila is a freshman on the women's basketball team at Colorado.
"I chose to become a UNC Bear because I felt really cared for and like it is a home away from home," Finau said.
"Mele is very versatile, she has a great looking shot, she loves to facilitate and play in the open floor," Huth said of the team's newest Californian. "She has great size to play multiple positions and she makes the game look easy! She connects well with her teammates and is very much a leader and encourager!"
Kurstyn Harden, F, 6'3", Lufkin, Texas, Lufkin High School
Kurstyn Harden will bring a big presence in the paint for Northern Colorado next season. The 6-3 forward was a first team All-District honoree last season for Lufkin High School and Newcomer of the Year her freshman season.
"The UNC environment and family atmosphere were amazing, and I knew from the moment I stepped on campus I wanted to be a Bear," Harden said about the ease of choosing Northern Colorado.
Not only has she performed well on the basketball court, but also competed in track & field, where she has been a regional qualifier for shot put.
"Kurstyn is a strong physical post player with great feet and hands," Huth said of her new interior presences. "She's versatile in that she can score with her back to the basket and step out with a nice touch. She will be a rim protector on the defensive end as well. Kurstyn is a great leader on and off the floor."
She will study biology while at Northern Colorado.
Alecia Whyte, G, 5'10", Houston, Texas, Oak Ridge High School
Alecia Whyte is one of two Texans to sign with UNC women's basketball in the class of 2019. The two-time letter winner for basketball at Oak Ridge High School has been a key player for her teams from a young age. Whyte has helped her teams earn district titles in seventh, eighth, 10th and 11th grade. While playing for her high school she has been named the team MVP three times and Defensive MVP once. Last season, Whyte was both the District and Montgomery County Player of the Year.
"I chose UNC because I felt the players and coaches really cared and made me feel at home," Whyte said. "I also feel that I will fit in with the option of play and pace the basketball team has. I also chose UNC because of the classes and the environment of the university."
Not only has Whyte seen success on the basketball court, but also on the track. Through three seasons of high school track, she has helped her school be district champions twice and champion in the 4x100 relay once and 4x200 relay twice.
"Alecia is a great athlete and loves to play up-tempo and to defend," Huth said. "She has good accuracy on her outside shot and lots of untapped potential that we are excited to develop! She has a bright smile and is a tenacious competitor!"
She will pursue a degree in nursing at UNC.
While the Bears await the arrival of the class of 2019, the 2018-19 Bears look to take advantage of their home court on Friday night when Denver comes to town. Prior to Friday night's home opener, UNC will unveil its three banners for winning the Big Sky Regular Season and Tournament titles along with making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18. Tickets for the game are available by clicking here.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
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