OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Ben Conrad, head women's basketball coach at Johnson County Community College and the 2016 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Junior College/Community College National Coach of the Year, has announced the signing of eight high school seniors to National Letters of Intent to play college ball for Lady Cavaliers as part of Johnson County's 2019-20 recruiting class.
This year's class includes five guards and three forwards. Lajahda Boyland (North Kansas City HS/North Kansas City, Mo.); D'Aysa Collier-Williams (Shawnee Mission Northwest HS/Shawnee, Kan.); Bryonna Coulter (Hogan Preparatory Academy, Kansas City, Mo.); Gabby Fuller and Jayde Williams (Benton HS/St. Joseph, Mo.); Taniyah Henry (Thornton Township HS/Chicago, Ill.); Le'yanna McGinnis (Olathe North HS/Olathe, Kan.); and Jaylen Townsend (Edwardsville HS/Edwardsville, Ill.)
"The final verdict on this class will come down in two years, but we are very excited about this group," said Conrad. "First and foremost, we love the fact that most of these kids have played in state tournaments, in winning programs for very good high school coaches. Four of the eight have played in a state title game and three have state championship rings. Having an understanding of championship culture and the grind associated with success will be very helpful coming in."
LaJahda Boyland, a 5-11 forward, was a four-year starter for coach Jeff Lacey at North Kansas City and helped the program post a 96-17 record and win four conference and three district titles. As a senior, NKC finished 29-2 and captured the Missouri Class 5 State Championship, the first in school history. She earned All-Greater Kansas City Suburban Mid 6 White Conference all four years, twice making the first-team. She also garnered All-District honor all four years and was selected to play in the DiRenna All-State Game following her senior season. Boyland averaged 8.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.1 assists her senior year.
"LaJahda is a long, athletic wing forward with good versatility and possesses a tremendous motor."
D'Aysa Collier-Williams, a 5-3 guard, played for coach Tyler Stewart at Shawnee Mission Northwest. She was selected Class 6A All-State honorable mention by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association her senior year. She also earned All-Sunflower League and was selected to play in the DiRenna All-State Game. She averaged 7.0 points and 2.8 assist per game. As a junior, Collier-Wiliams was an All-Sunflower League selection while helping the Cougars defeat Olathe Northwest 48-46 to claim the 6A Substate title and earn a berth in the State Tournament.
"DD is a super-fast, pass first point guard with a high IQ. She has shown the ability to knock down open threes as well."
Bryonna Coulter, a 6-1 forward, was a four-year starter for coach Jeffery Burgett at Hogan Prep Academy. She averaged a double-double in points and rebounds all four years, including 16.0 points and 10.8 rebounds her senior year, helping the Rams reach the Missouri Class 3, District 15 championship game. She also earned first-team All-District.
"Bre has a high ceiling and catches and rebounds everything. She also has a nice touch out to 17-feet."
Gabby Fuller played for coaches Brett Goodwin and Kerstyn Bolton at Benton. She was a key player that helped Benton claim Missouri Class 4, District 16 championships her junior and senior years. Fuller Was a two-time All-Midland Empire Conference selection, earning honorable mention as a senior and first-team her junior year. She also earned All-District honors her senior year, and was selected to play in the DiRenna All-Star Game.
"Gabby is a very skilled, high IQ wing that can shoot it from deep."
Taniyah Henry, a 5-8 guard, was a three-year starter for coaches Erin Wright ad Keithan Holmes at Thornton Township. She was a two-time Southwest Chicago Conference performer, and was selected to play in the Future Superstars and Moraine Valley All-Stars Games her senior year. She was chosen the MVP of the Moraine Valley All-Star Game. She averaged 20.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game her senior year, and tallied over 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists over her career.
"Taniyah is a long, athletic wing who loves to compete."
Le'yanna McGinnis, a 6-0 forward, played for coaches Liz Monahan and Nick Bradford at Olathe North. She was a three-time Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 6A All-State selection. She also earned All-Sunflower League three times and was selected to play in the 2019 DiRenna All-Star Game. McGinnis was the Sunflower League's leading scorer and rebounder at 17.4 points and 14. 6 rebounds per game her sophomore season. She averaged 12.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game her senior year. McGinnis helped Olathe North capture 6A Substate titles her junior and senior years and to a fourth-place finish at the State Tournament as a senior.
"Le'yanna has a strong physical presence in the paint, and rebounds everything."
Jaylen Townsend, a 5-9 guard, was a two-year starter and three-time letter winner for coach Lori Blade at Edwardsville. She was named 4A All-State by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and was a first-team All-Southwestern Conference performer her senior year. She averaged 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while helping the Tigers to a 30-3 record and four place finish in the 4A State Tournament. Townsend averaged 7.1 points per game as a junior while also helping Tigers reach the state tournament, and she came in off the bench her sophomore year to help Edwardsville to a runner-up state finish.
"Jaylen is a skilled combo-guard with good athleticism and possesses a high basketball IQ." said Conrad.
Jayde Williams, a 5-7 guard, was a four-year starter and played for coaches Brett Goodwin and Kerstyn Bolton at Benton. She was a two-time All-Midland Empire Conference selection, earning first-team honors as a junior and senior, and was named to the All-District team her senior season. Williams helped Benton win three Missouri Class 3, District 16 titles her freshman, junior and senior years, and the Missouri Class 4 State Championship as a freshman.
"Jayde is a high IQ comb-guard who takes care of the ball, makes open shots and has a motor that won't stop."