UT MARTIN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF FIVE COMMITMENTS TO 2021 CLASS
11/11/2020 4:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball head coach Kevin McMillan has announced the commitments of five players on the first day of the early signing period. The group of Taylor Dupree (Brandon, Miss.), Mia Hurst (Henderson, Tenn.), Shae Littleford (Charleston, Ill.), Gabi Melby (Naperville, Ill.) and Tylei Wofford-Byrd (Jonesboro, Ark.) comprise the 2021 recruiting class.
"This class as a whole is very balanced and addresses our needs 1-5," McMillan said. "We built this class around the idea that we were losing a talented senior group but because of different things, they have shuffled around. This class has the potential to be one of the best that we have had, right along the 2010 and 2017 classes. We expect great things from them because of how balanced they are and how their individual abilities fit the needs of our program. We are excited to get them on campus and hope they can have great senior years before joining us next summer."
Taylor Dupree, F, 6-2, Brandon, Miss. (Northwest Rankin HS)
Dupree joins the Skyhawks from Northwest Rankin High School where she plays for head coach Shay Jackson. Through the early portion of her senior season, she is averaging a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. During her junior season she average 9.1 points per game en route to all-region and MAC All-Star honors. She is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the state of Mississippi and played in the Mississippi North/South All Star Game.
"Taylor is going to remind people of Chelsey Perry and Aundrea Adams," McMillan said. "She is an athletic player that will be able to play the post, block shots and whose best years are ahead of her. She was solid in high school for Coach Jackson and on the travel ball circuit. She's a great teammate and will fit nicely in our program."
Mia Hurst, G, 5-10, Henderson, Tenn. (Chester County HS)
Hurst joins the Skyhawks from Chester County High School where she plays for head coach Lee Pipkin. During her junior campaign she averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game. She was strong from the field, shooting 56.2 percent on the year and 70.1 percent from the free throw line. Last season she earned all-district and all-district tournament honors along with being named to the 2020 Jackson Sun All-West Tennessee team.
"Mia is one of the best all around athletes and basketball players in west Tennessee," McMillan stated. "She has a college body that is ready to go right away, paired with a tremendous skill set. When you add in that she is very athletic and can score, she definitely has the potential to be an impact player."
Shae Littleford, G, 5-7, Charleston, Ill. (Charleston HS)
Littleford joins the Skyhawks from Charleston High School where she plays for head coach Jeff Miller. During her junior campaign, Littleford averaged 22.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 19 contests. She shot over 46 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. She posted a spectacular sophomore season where she averaged 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.7 steals per game and was named Journal Gazette and Times Courier Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Her recognitions include being named by PrepGirlsHoops one of Southern Illinois Top Slashers/Drivers and was named to the IHSA 3A All-State honorable mention squad.
"Shae is a natural born leader at the point guard position." McMillan said. "She comes from a great travel ball and high school program and her intangibles are off the charts. She is such a leader and knows when she needs to a be a scoring point guard or transition into a distributor. She is a wonderful teammate and we expect great things from her quickly."
Gabi Melby, G, 5-6, Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central HS)
Melby joins the Skyhawks from Naperville Central High School where she plays for head coach Andy Nussbaum. Melby has in-the-gym range from deep, connecting on 82 three-pointers as a junior while averaging 15.8 points and 4.0 assists per game. A member of her program's 1000-point club, she hopes to climb into the top-10 overall with a strong senior campaign. Last season she was named to both the Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area team along with being tabbed to the Naperville Sun All-Area squad.
"Gabi is a tremendous skilled, scoring guard," McMillan said. "When you watch the tape, you can see she has extremely deep range and is deceptively quick. She has the ability to make plays off the dribble and sees the floor great. Often times our league is a guard league and she is an all-around solid guard."
Tylei Wofford-Byrd, F, 5-11, Jonesboro, Ark. (Nettleton HS)
Wofford-Byrd joins the Skyhawks from Nettleton High School where she plays for head coach Jason Smith. She helped her squad to a championship last year, averaging 5.9 points per game over her last two seasons. During her junior campaign she averaged 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in just 13 games after tallying 5.8 points and 5.0 rebounds as a sophomore. A former teammate of current Skyhawk Dasia Young, Wofford-Byrd earned all-state honors as a freshman. She shot over 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range as a sophomore to earn the ranking of the fourth best prospect in the state of Arkansas.
"Tylei is an extremely skilled wing/post as a big three or stretch four type player," McMillan continued. "She comes from a great high school and travel program which has built a proven winner. She has a phenomenal skill set and possesses the ability to change games at different spots whether it be with the ball in her hands or rebounding. She is a super smart and savvy player that will fit in well."
"This class as a whole is very balanced and addresses our needs 1-5," McMillan said. "We built this class around the idea that we were losing a talented senior group but because of different things, they have shuffled around. This class has the potential to be one of the best that we have had, right along the 2010 and 2017 classes. We expect great things from them because of how balanced they are and how their individual abilities fit the needs of our program. We are excited to get them on campus and hope they can have great senior years before joining us next summer."
Taylor Dupree, F, 6-2, Brandon, Miss. (Northwest Rankin HS)
Dupree joins the Skyhawks from Northwest Rankin High School where she plays for head coach Shay Jackson. Through the early portion of her senior season, she is averaging a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. During her junior season she average 9.1 points per game en route to all-region and MAC All-Star honors. She is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the state of Mississippi and played in the Mississippi North/South All Star Game.
"Taylor is going to remind people of Chelsey Perry and Aundrea Adams," McMillan said. "She is an athletic player that will be able to play the post, block shots and whose best years are ahead of her. She was solid in high school for Coach Jackson and on the travel ball circuit. She's a great teammate and will fit nicely in our program."
Mia Hurst, G, 5-10, Henderson, Tenn. (Chester County HS)
Hurst joins the Skyhawks from Chester County High School where she plays for head coach Lee Pipkin. During her junior campaign she averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game. She was strong from the field, shooting 56.2 percent on the year and 70.1 percent from the free throw line. Last season she earned all-district and all-district tournament honors along with being named to the 2020 Jackson Sun All-West Tennessee team.
"Mia is one of the best all around athletes and basketball players in west Tennessee," McMillan stated. "She has a college body that is ready to go right away, paired with a tremendous skill set. When you add in that she is very athletic and can score, she definitely has the potential to be an impact player."
Shae Littleford, G, 5-7, Charleston, Ill. (Charleston HS)
Littleford joins the Skyhawks from Charleston High School where she plays for head coach Jeff Miller. During her junior campaign, Littleford averaged 22.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 19 contests. She shot over 46 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. She posted a spectacular sophomore season where she averaged 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.7 steals per game and was named Journal Gazette and Times Courier Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Her recognitions include being named by PrepGirlsHoops one of Southern Illinois Top Slashers/Drivers and was named to the IHSA 3A All-State honorable mention squad.
"Shae is a natural born leader at the point guard position." McMillan said. "She comes from a great travel ball and high school program and her intangibles are off the charts. She is such a leader and knows when she needs to a be a scoring point guard or transition into a distributor. She is a wonderful teammate and we expect great things from her quickly."
Gabi Melby, G, 5-6, Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central HS)
Melby joins the Skyhawks from Naperville Central High School where she plays for head coach Andy Nussbaum. Melby has in-the-gym range from deep, connecting on 82 three-pointers as a junior while averaging 15.8 points and 4.0 assists per game. A member of her program's 1000-point club, she hopes to climb into the top-10 overall with a strong senior campaign. Last season she was named to both the Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area team along with being tabbed to the Naperville Sun All-Area squad.
"Gabi is a tremendous skilled, scoring guard," McMillan said. "When you watch the tape, you can see she has extremely deep range and is deceptively quick. She has the ability to make plays off the dribble and sees the floor great. Often times our league is a guard league and she is an all-around solid guard."
Tylei Wofford-Byrd, F, 5-11, Jonesboro, Ark. (Nettleton HS)
Wofford-Byrd joins the Skyhawks from Nettleton High School where she plays for head coach Jason Smith. She helped her squad to a championship last year, averaging 5.9 points per game over her last two seasons. During her junior campaign she averaged 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in just 13 games after tallying 5.8 points and 5.0 rebounds as a sophomore. A former teammate of current Skyhawk Dasia Young, Wofford-Byrd earned all-state honors as a freshman. She shot over 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range as a sophomore to earn the ranking of the fourth best prospect in the state of Arkansas.
"Tylei is an extremely skilled wing/post as a big three or stretch four type player," McMillan continued. "She comes from a great high school and travel program which has built a proven winner. She has a phenomenal skill set and possesses the ability to change games at different spots whether it be with the ball in her hands or rebounding. She is a super smart and savvy player that will fit in well."
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