Nov. 10, 2016
AUBURN, Ala. - Size is on the way for the Auburn women's basketball team.
Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy announced the signing of three frontcourt players - all 6-2 or taller - Thursday as part of the early signing period for women's basketball.
The Tigers will welcome 6-3 forward Abigayle Jackson (Little Rock, Ark./Little Rock Central HS), 6-3 forward Unique Thompson (Theodore, Ala./Faith Academy) and 6-2 forward Kiyae' White (Plainfield, N.J./Emmaus (Pa.) HS) to the Auburn Family for the 2017-18 basketball season.
"I thought we did a great job this year signing exactly what we needed," Williams-Flournoy said. "We needed post players. My coaches did a great job identifying the talent out there for us and getting the post players that we needed. We like for our post players to be long, lanky, athletic, agile, and all three of these definitely fit that category."
Information on the three Auburn signees is below:
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | High School | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abigayle Jackson | F | 6-3 | Little Rock Central | Little Rock, Ark. |
| Unique Thompson | F | 6-3 | Faith Academy | Theodore, Ala. |
| Kiyae' White | F | 6-2 | Emmaus (Pa.) | Plainfield, N.J. |
Position: Forward
Height: 6-3
Hometown: Little Rock, Ark.
High School: Little Rock Central HS
Club Team: Missouri Phenom
Highlights: Ranked as the No. 1 player in Arkansas in the class of 2017 ... Rated the No. 20 forward and No. 106 player in the country by Prospects Nation ... Led Little Rock Central to a 24-2 regular-season record in 2016 and a berth in the state semifinals.
Why did you choose Auburn? "The school, the spirit, the team, the alumni, the town, the coaching staff and Coach Flo! Auburn is the best, hands down!"
Coach Flo on Abigayle: "Abigayle is going to be more like a stretch-four type for us. She can shoot the ball, she's a rebounder, and she fits into our style of play."
Position: Forward
Height: 6-3
Hometown: Theodore, Ala.
High School: Faith Academy
Club Team: Alabama Southern Starz
Highlights: Ranked as the No. 15 forward and No. 74 player overall in the class of 2017 by ESPN HoopGurlz ... Finalist for Alabama Class 5A Player of the Year ... Alabama All-Star South MVP ... Invited to 2015 Team USA U16 tryouts ... Nominee for McDonald's All-American ... Helped Faith Academy to 2013 AHSAA Class 5A state title ... Helped Alabama Southern Starz to AAU D1 National Championship.
Why did you choose Auburn?: "I chose Auburn because I wanted a home away from home. I am very family-oriented, and after spending time with the coaches and the team, they instantly became my family. I also chose Auburn because they offered my major, and that was important to me."
Coach Flo on Unique: "It's always good to keep your in-state recruits at home. She's going to be very good for us. She's one of the post players that we need for next year. She runs the floor, she's an athletic post, and she's definitely going to help us at a needed position."
Position: Forward
Height: 6-2
Hometown: Macungie, Pa.
High School: Emmaus HS
Club Team: iExcel; Pediatric Cancer Club
Highlights: Ranked as the No. 20 forward and a three-star prospect by ESPN HoopGurlz ... Named Emmaus HS team MVP ... First-team all-area conference ... Team's leading rebounder ... Also competed in track & field in the long jump, high jump, discus and sprint events.
Why did you choose Auburn?: "Auburn feels like a home away from home. Taking the official visit to Auburn confirmed something I had already suspected, seeing how serious the coaches were about basketball and academics influenced me greatly. Everyone is family, and everyone has fun with each other until it's time to step on the court. Then, it's all about basketball, which I love."
Coach Flo on Kiyae': "Kiyae is a rebounding machine. She crashes the boards hard, and she works extremely hard. She can play a little bit outside, and she'll be another stretch-four. She's also physical enough to go inside if we need her to do that."