DURHAM, N.C. — Head coach
Trisha Stafford-Odom has announced the commitment of three more recruits to play basketball and study at North Carolina Central University in 2021-22 since National Signing Day Wednesday, including transfers Breonna Mayfield and Tianna Carter and freshman Diamond Thomas.
The trio of newcomers will complement the first recruit NCCU women's basketball inked in the early signing period in November (
Nia Ford release). NCCU women's basketball expects to announce other commitments in the near future as well.
NC Central Women's Basketball Recruits (alphabetical)…
Tianna Carter is a 6-1 forward transfer from UNLV and hails from Tucson, Arizona. She played one season for the Rebels, seeing action in 13 games in her rookie campaign, scoring a career-high six points against University of New Mexico. Prior to UNLV, Carter was a three-year player for Canyon Del Oro High School in Oro Valley, Arizona, where she averaged a double-double of 19.4 points and 11 rebounds per game. She holds the school record for most rebounds in a game, most double-doubles in a season, most career rebounds and highest season average points per game. Carter, who also competed in track and field in high school, also played for Arizona Mavericks AAU.
"Tianna instantly bolsters up our interior presence with her size and speed," said Stafford-Odom. "She is amazingly athletic with a solid set of skills and a never-ending motor. I am overjoyed that Tianna chose to advance her collegiate career here at NC Central. With her comes toughness, intelligence, and the unusual ability to dominate spurts of the game offensively, defensively, and in transition. Tianna is the essence of TSO basketball."
Breonna Mayfield is a 6-5 center from Landover, Maryland. Mayfield will be a graduate transfer after playing at Georgetown University. In three seasons with the Hoyas, Mayfield played in 55 games and she accumulated 57 points, 99 rebounds and 30 blocks. The Big East All-Academic Team honoree was a two-year starter and senior captain at Our Lady of Good Counsel in high school. She was selected to play in the Buffalo Wild Wings All-Star game as a senior and earned WCAC Honorable Mention in 2017. Mayfield averaged 10.2 rebounds per game as a junior and led the team in field goal percentage. She also played AAU with D.C. Future.
"Breonna packages strength, basketball intelligence, and a major defensive presence in her intimidating frame," said Stafford-Odom. "She adds immediate rebounding and shot-blocking consistency, along with an intense locker-room presence. What I am most eager about are the expanded offensive opportunities we will now have as Breonna maneuvers throughout the paint and becomes the focal point of the opponents' defense."
Diamond Thomas is a 5-4 guard from Knightdale, North Carolina. Thomas has been a dominant player in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) over her prep career. She has earned NAC Player of the Year twice, NAC Defensive Player of the Year once, NAC all-conference four times and all-district twice after leading the league in scoring for three seasons. The NC East-West All-Star selection is the Knightdale High School all-time leading scorer with 1,651 points and three-time team MVP. Thomas has been recognized as a Max Preps/WBCA Player of the Week, the Knightdale High School Offensive Player of the Year and an All-Tournament Team selection at the Roxboro Turkey Shootout.
"Diamond is a lightning quick guard who consistently shreds defenses," said Stafford-Odom. "I can't be more excited to coach her and put her in the best positions to have an outstanding career. Diamond is not only a bonafide scoring machine, but her craftiness with the basketball is special. She is a sly defender who will learn to use angles and turn her tenacity and natural gifts into defensive dominance."
