NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University head women's basketball coach DeLisha Milton-Jones announced today the addition of six student-athletes to the 2021 signing class. The additions include prep signee Alex Rouse, junior college All-American Kaye Clark and four Division I transfers in Iggy Allen, Joy Campbell, Brianna Jackson and Taleah Washington.
Iggy Allen
5-11 | G | Pompano Beach, Fla. | Florida Atlantic
A graduate transfer from fellow Conference USA member Florida Atlantic, Allen is the reigning C-USA Newcomer of the Year and a member of the 2021 C-USA First Team and All-Defensive Team. A versatile guard, Allen set single-season program records in scoring (22.2 points per game) and rebounding (10.9 rebounds per game) in her lone season with the Owls while averaging 2.2 steals per game and leading the team with a .388 mark from 3-point range. Allen reached double figures in all 22 games last season and notched 11 double-doubles. Additionally, she poured in 30-plus points four times.
Prior to FAU, Allen spent two seasons at Miami, where she played in 12 games. She began her collegiate career at Mississippi State, where she reached the NCAA Final as a freshman.
Allen played her prep ball at Dillard High School and was rated as the No. 43 overall prospect and the ninth-best guard by ProspectsNation.com. She was a Florida Dairy Farmers 6A Player of the Year finalist as a senior and helped Dillard to appearances in both the 5A state title game and the Dick's Sporting Goods High School Nationals championship game.
"Iggy is someone that we're very excited about signing," Milton-Jones said. "She has played at a high level throughout her collegiate career. Seeing the work she put in within Conference USA last season, I have total confidence she will come into this system and far exceed expectations. She's very explosive in all aspects of the game and bring lots of energy. I expect her to be a fan favorite because of her tenacity and the intensity she plays with on both ends."
Joy Campbell
5-6 | G | Fontana, Calif. | UC Riverside
Campbell played in 18 of 19 possible games in her freshman season at UC Riverside and started seven times. Playing just over 17 minutes per game, she averaged 3.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. She was second on the team with 28 assists and tied for second with 29 steals. She scored a season-best 10 points against Cal Poly on Jan. 30 and added three steals as well. Campbell had three games with five or more assists, including a pair of six-assist outings. Against Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 5, she scored six points, grabbed seven rebounds, handed out six assists and notched a pair of steals.
Campbell played her prep ball at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California. She averaged 16.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 steals per game as a senior en route to Sun/Bulletin Girls' Basketball Player of the Year honors. The Eagles went 27-6 in Campbell's senior season, were ranked as high as No. 6 nationally by MaxPreps and reached the regional semifinals of the CIF State Tournament. Campbell also took home All-Inland Empire and All-CIF Open Division accolades as a senior.
"Joy is a wonderful addition to our Monarch family," Milton-Jones said. "The speed and tempo at which she steadily plays at will be a tremendous asset for us to explore. We look forward to all that Joy will bring to our program."
Kaye Clark
5-7 | G | Milwaukee, Wisc. | Trinity Valley CC
Clark brings with her to Norfolk a winning pedigree at the junior college level. A two-year starter and 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association Second Team All-American for Trinity Valley CC in Athens, Texas, Clarke played in 51 games and averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
The Cardinals went a combined 54-4 in Clark's two seasons, won a pair of Region XIV titles and reached the 2021 NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship Final. In Clark's freshman season, Trinity Valley posted a 32-1 mark and cruised to a Region XIV championship, but the NJCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cardinals were equally impressive in 2020-21, going 22-3 and reaching the national championship game, where they lost 67-60 to Northwest Florida State College. Clark bettered her numbers across the board in her sophomore All-American campaign, averaging 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 53.4-percent shooting. Clark, who was first team all-conference and all-region in 2021, took just under 1.5 3-pointers per game as a sophomore, connecting at a .407 clip.
"Kaye is a very explosive guard, and she uses that explosiveness on both the offensive and the defensive ends of the court," Milton-Jones said. "Her ability to get out in the open court and run and to attack the rim relentlessly are very welcomed assets she possesses."
Brianna Jackson
6-3 | F | Virginia Beach, Va. | Miami (Fla.)
Jackson, another DI transfer, brings a local flavor to the Monarchs. A 5A Virginia State Player of the Year out of perennial power Princess Anne High School, Jackson was rated as a four-star prospect by espnW, HoopGurlz and ProspectsNation.com. A state champion with the Cavaliers, Jackson was the fourth-best prospect in the Commonwealth and the 17th-ranked post player nationally.
At Miami, Jackson played in 40 games across two seasons. She started 16 games as a freshman in 2019-20 and averaged 4.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per contest. As a sophomore, Jackson averaged 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10 games.
"Brianna is a major signee for our program," Milton-Jones said. "She will bring a presence in the paint that will put us in positions to balance our scoring output. Having the skill set she possesses with her size will allow us to be more versatile within our post play offensively, and she will anchor us in the paint defensively."
Alex Rouse
5-8 | G | Little Rock, Ark. | Joe T. Robinson HS
The lone prep signee of the group, Rouse was a multi-sport athlete at Joe T. Robinson High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Rouse received all-conference and all-state accolades while at Robinson and averaged 25.5 points, six rebounds and three assists.
On the hardwood, Rouse helped lead her team to the state tournament. She's also a former state champion in soccer and owns one varsity letter in volleyball.
"Alex is a dynamic guard that can play multiple positions," Milton-Jones said. "She is a three-dimensional scorer. Her ability to shoot the 3-pointer, consistently make mid-range shots and her ability to attack the rim will allow us to use her in many versatile ways. Alex has a very bright future."
Taleah Washington
5-7 | G | District Heights, Md. | Syracuse
Washington is yet another incoming Monarch with NCAA Tournament experience. A two-year player at Syracuse, she helped the Orange to the Round of 32 in the 2021 tournament.
The native of District Heights, Maryland appeared in 42 games for Syracuse, where she was coached by Milton-Jones as a freshman. Washington notched a pair of 10-point games in 2019-20 and had six-point outings against conference opponents Boston College and Pittsburgh as a sophomore this past season.
Prior to Syracuse, Washington was a four-year captain and 1,000-point scorer for Forestville High School. Washington was a two-time state champion in 2015 and 2016 and garnered First Team All-Met honorable mentions. She was also a two-time MVP at the Rose Classic.
"I consider Taleah a sniper with range," Milton-Jones said. "She has the ability to stretch the defense and also has the ability to play multiple positions for us at the guard spot. Taleah possesses a level of maturity and leadership that will be beneficial for our program. She'll be a tremendous asset in terms of energy, culture, defense and scoring ability."
The six signees join four other individuals – Ashanti Barnes, Amhyia Moreland, Kaylen Nelson and Eden Sample – who signed back in November.
Ashanti Barnes
6-1 | W/F | Norfolk, Va. | Lake Taylor HS
A top-150 recruit according to ProspectsNation.com, Barnes was a former state champion and 2020 Virginia High School League (VHSL) 4A All-State selection. In her time at Lake Taylor High School, Barnes also collected First Team All-Region and Second Team All-Tidewater honors.
Amhyia Moreland
6-1 | F | Charlotte, N.C. | Zebulon B. Vance HS
Moreland signed out of Zebulon B. Vance High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a two-time North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 4A state champion, winning it all in 2019-20 and 2020-21. She put up an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double with three assists in the 2021 state title game.
Moreland was the 2021 I-Meck Player of the Year after averaging 18.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, and she was a multiple-time I-Meck All-Conference First Teamer and a former member of the state championship all-tournament team.
Kaylen Nelson
5-11 | G/F | Tulsa, Okla. | Union HS
Nelson is coming to ODU from Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An all-state honoree as a senior, she averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in her final season and helped Union to a second-consecutive state tournament appearance. As a senior, Nelson also collected First Team All-World honors while helping third-seeded Union to the 6A semifinals, where she scored 18 points in a narrow 53-50 defeat to top-seeded and eventual champions Norman.
She averaged 12.8 points per game as a junior to help Union to a 6A State Tournament appearance. Nelson has also been named to the All-World Second Team and the All-Frontier Conference Team.
Eden Sample
5-11 | G | Atlanta, Ga. | Collins Hill HS
Sample was a nominee for the 2021 McDonald's All-American game and an Atlanta Journal-Constitution 6A All-State second team mention for Collins Hill High School. A Georgia Athletic Coaches Association 6A North All-State honoree and a member of the Gwinnett Daily Post All-County Second Team as a senior, she helped lead Collins Hill to a 6A quarterfinal appearance.
A former First Team All-Conference honoree and Georgia All-Regional Team member, she led Collins Hill in scoring as a junior with 16.5 points per game and shot nearly 40 percent from the 3-point arc.
Click here to learn more about the Monarchs' four November signees.
Milton-Jones Adds Six to 2021 Signing Class
