As the University of Idaho women’s basketball approaches the beginning of their season, head coach Jon Newlee continues to add more prospects to the team. Newlee announced Nov.16 that five new freshmen will join the team in 2021 as part of the 2021 signing class.
All five players signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Vandals next season. Three of them joined from Washington, one from California and the last one from Canada .
The three signings from Washington include five-foot-six guard Ashlyn Wallace from Clarkston, sophomore guard Beyonce Bea’s sister, five-foot-11 guard/post Skylar Bea from Washougal and six-foot post Madison Rubino from Snohomish.
Ashlyn Wallace
Wallace plays for Clarkston High School and during her time there, she has excelled as a three-point shooter. Wallace holds the all-time records for assists and three-point shooting and broke 1,000 points last season.
Wallace is a two-time All-Conference Great Northern League MVP and a two-time AP 2A State All-Tournament First Team honoree. Wallace was also named an Adidas All-American in 2018 and 2019. She is the 2020 Scorebook Live Washington 2A All-State Girls Basketball Player of the year.
Wallace’s passing ability and three-point shooting got Newlee’s attention. Wallace participated in Newlee’s basketball camp when she was 9-years-old so it’s no surprise to see her commit to Idaho.
Her success outside of the school team can also be seen with her club team, the Northwest Blazers, as they claimed the National Championship in 2017 and were runners-up last season.
The Vandals are known for their three-point shooting ability so adding Wallace to the team adds another offensive strength for next season.
Skylar Bea
It’s no surprise to see Skylar joining the Vandals as her sister Beyonce played for the Vandals last season as a freshman and quickly became an important key to the Vandals’ success. Skylar plays for Washougal High School and last season became the team’s MVP recording 11.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals and two blocks per game.
Skylar is a three time League Champion and a 2018 2A State Champion. Skylar was awarded Second Team All-League her freshman season and earned First Team honors in her sophomore and junior seasons.
Madison Rubino
Rubino is a six foot post player that plays for Glacier Peaks High School and last season she recorded a game winning block resulting in her team placing third in the state championship tournament. Aside from basketball, Rubino is also a talented track athlete as she broke her school’s high jump record as a freshman.
Rubino’s size and athletic ability will help the Vandals in the future especially after rebounding leader Natalie Klinker graduates and the need for post presence will be needed to fill the gap that Klinker will leave behind. Rubino’s defensive ability will be critical in the Vandals’ keeping their defensive pressure for the years to come.
Jordan Allred
Allred is a five-foot-nine guard from Orinda California that plays for Miramonte High School. Allred is another talented three-point shooter as she recorded 65 three-pointers last season placing second on the team. She also led the team in scoring averaging 16.2 points per game.
Along with being an efficient scorer, Allred is a strong physical player able to defend, rebound well and force turnovers with steals. Allred averaged 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game last season.
Last season, Allred made it to 1,000 points and will be a key offensive player for the Vandals in the future.
Makenna Jacklin
Jacklin is the only recruit outside of the United States to join the Vandals for next season. She is a six-foot-one guard/post who plays for Okanagan Mission Secondary School in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
Jacklin has proven to be an all-around offensive player as she excels at the three-point line and can finish well when driving to the rim. Jacklin and her high school team made it to the provincial championship for the last four years and placed second in the 2020 championships, the highest the school has ever placed in their history.
Jacklin was also a member of the U15 British Columbia provincial team in 2018 and won the 2018 Canadian U15 National Championship. Aside from basketball, she’s also a talented volleyball player as a member of the 2019 Girls Under Armour Circuit.
Jacklin’s athletic ability will play a big role for the Vandals as they look towards the future.
Armin Mesinovic can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @arminmesinovic.