Press release...
Six top prospects have signed National Letters of Intent and financial aid agreements to compete for the Auburn women’s basketball team, beginning with the 2022-23 season, head coach Johnnie Harris announced today.
The first class signed by Harris – which includes a top-50 blue chip recruit - is ranked No. 19 overall nationally by the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, which rates third among SEC schools.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our first official class,” Harris said. “We recruited great basketball players. But more importantly, we recruited great young ladies that our community will enjoy getting to know and love. They all chose Auburn because of our competitive culture, our family environment, and the energy and support from the community.”
The Tigers will welcome Kaitlyn Duhon (5-10, G, Houston, Texas); Jakayla Johnson (5-9, G, Clinton, Miss.); Mya Pratcher (6-1, F, Memphis, Tenn.); Kharyssa Richardson (6-2, F, Douglasville, Ga.); Sydney Shaw (G, 5-9, Miami, Fla.); and Audia Young (5-9, G, Tallahassee, Fla.).
Below is some information on each of the Tigers’ six signees:
KAITLYN DUHON
Position: Guard/Wing
Height: 5-10
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: Summer Creek HS
Club: ASGR Southwest Select
Highlights: Fast, aggressive, lock-down defender … District defensive player of the year as a high school junior … Averaged 15.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 3.0 steals for Summer Creek HS as a junior … All-state jumper in track & field … Was state runner-up in the long jump (19 feet, 8.25 inches) as a junior in 2021 … High school coach is Carlesa Dixon … Club coach is Chris Johnson.
Coach J on Kaitlyn: “Kaitlyn is a defensive specialist who plays with a level of intensity that we rarely see in a high school player. She has an uncanny ability to get to the paint and knock down jumpers. She’s been a multi-sport athlete, and we’re excited about the versatility she will bring to our team.”
JAKAYLA JOHNSON
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Clinton, Miss.
High School: Clinton HS
Junior College: Jones College
Highlights: 2021 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches All-American … Led Jones College to its first-ever NJCAA No. 1 national ranking … First Team All-Mississippi Association Community Colleges … NJCAA All-Region and Region All-Tournament Team … Averaged 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds as a freshman … Scored season-high 39 points in win over Mississippi Gulf Coast as a freshman … Honor roll student at Clinton HS … Averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 2.9 assists as a high school senior … Coach at Jones College is Misty Bilderback … Chose Auburn over LSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Coach J on Jakayla: “Jakayla is a tremendous talent that will immediately make our program better, both on and off the court. She has a tremendous work ethic that will permeate throughout our team. She impacts the game on both sides of the ball with her scoring and her pride in getting defensive stops.”
MYA PRATCHER
Position: Wing/Forward
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
High School: Bartlett HS
Club: DC Bucks
Highlights: No. 4-ranked player in Tennessee in the class of 2022 by Prep Girls Hoops … 2021 All-Metro Division I Team as a junior … High school coach is Wes Shappley.
Coach J on Mya: “Mya is a guard/forward who can be effective in our system, both on the offensive and defensive ends. Her ability to go off the bounce and stretch the floor with range will make her a valuable asset in our system.”
KHARYSSA RICHARDSON
Position: Forward
Height: 6-2
Hometown: Douglasville, Ga.
High School: New Manchester HS
Club: Hoop Dreams Athletics
Highlights: Georgia Class 5A all-state selection in 2021 as a junior … In 82 career high school games, averaging 11.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.8 blocks … Helped team to regional championship and GHSA Elite Eight … Averaged 18.4 points as a junior … Chose Auburn over Alabama, Pitt and Rutgers … High school coach is Vincent Parks … Club coach is Dorian Williams.
Coach J on Kharyssa: “Kharyssa is a strong, physical forward whose game reminds me a lot of Charles Barkley. She has a strong face-up and back-to-the-basket game and will be a matchup problem for those defending her.”
SYDNEY SHAW
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
High School: DME Academy
Club: Miami Suns Team Fowles
Highlights: Ranked No. 43 overall in class of 2022 by ESPN HoopGurlz … Led American Heritage HS to the program’s fourth straight Class 5A state title as a junior in 2021 … Scored game-high 20 points in state semifinals … Averaged 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.4 steals per game as a sophomore at Miami Country Day School … Chose Auburn over Indiana, St. John’s, Penn State … Club coach is Miguel Diaz.
Coach J on Sydney: “Sydney is a versatile guard who has the ability to score. She has played at a high level on the EYBL circuit since middle school. I’m really excited about her ability to come in and make an immediate impact.”
AUDIA YOUNG
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.
High School: Florida State University HS
Club: Central Florida Elite
Highlights: Daughter of former Auburn All-American Carolyn Jones-Young (1988-91) and current Florida State men’s basketball assistant coach CY Young … Averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists as a high school junior … Club coach is Al Honor.
Coach J on Audia: “Audia is a competitor with a high IQ, as most coaches’ kids have. She is capable of knocking down open shots and defending multiple positions. She has the ability to be a great floor general.”
Six top prospects have signed National Letters of Intent and financial aid agreements to compete for the Auburn women’s basketball team, beginning with the 2022-23 season, head coach Johnnie Harris announced today.
The first class signed by Harris – which includes a top-50 blue chip recruit - is ranked No. 19 overall nationally by the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, which rates third among SEC schools.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our first official class,” Harris said. “We recruited great basketball players. But more importantly, we recruited great young ladies that our community will enjoy getting to know and love. They all chose Auburn because of our competitive culture, our family environment, and the energy and support from the community.”
The Tigers will welcome Kaitlyn Duhon (5-10, G, Houston, Texas); Jakayla Johnson (5-9, G, Clinton, Miss.); Mya Pratcher (6-1, F, Memphis, Tenn.); Kharyssa Richardson (6-2, F, Douglasville, Ga.); Sydney Shaw (G, 5-9, Miami, Fla.); and Audia Young (5-9, G, Tallahassee, Fla.).
Below is some information on each of the Tigers’ six signees:
KAITLYN DUHON
Position: Guard/Wing
Height: 5-10
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: Summer Creek HS
Club: ASGR Southwest Select
Highlights: Fast, aggressive, lock-down defender … District defensive player of the year as a high school junior … Averaged 15.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 3.0 steals for Summer Creek HS as a junior … All-state jumper in track & field … Was state runner-up in the long jump (19 feet, 8.25 inches) as a junior in 2021 … High school coach is Carlesa Dixon … Club coach is Chris Johnson.
Coach J on Kaitlyn: “Kaitlyn is a defensive specialist who plays with a level of intensity that we rarely see in a high school player. She has an uncanny ability to get to the paint and knock down jumpers. She’s been a multi-sport athlete, and we’re excited about the versatility she will bring to our team.”
JAKAYLA JOHNSON
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Clinton, Miss.
High School: Clinton HS
Junior College: Jones College
Highlights: 2021 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches All-American … Led Jones College to its first-ever NJCAA No. 1 national ranking … First Team All-Mississippi Association Community Colleges … NJCAA All-Region and Region All-Tournament Team … Averaged 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds as a freshman … Scored season-high 39 points in win over Mississippi Gulf Coast as a freshman … Honor roll student at Clinton HS … Averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 2.9 assists as a high school senior … Coach at Jones College is Misty Bilderback … Chose Auburn over LSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Coach J on Jakayla: “Jakayla is a tremendous talent that will immediately make our program better, both on and off the court. She has a tremendous work ethic that will permeate throughout our team. She impacts the game on both sides of the ball with her scoring and her pride in getting defensive stops.”
MYA PRATCHER
Position: Wing/Forward
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
High School: Bartlett HS
Club: DC Bucks
Highlights: No. 4-ranked player in Tennessee in the class of 2022 by Prep Girls Hoops … 2021 All-Metro Division I Team as a junior … High school coach is Wes Shappley.
Coach J on Mya: “Mya is a guard/forward who can be effective in our system, both on the offensive and defensive ends. Her ability to go off the bounce and stretch the floor with range will make her a valuable asset in our system.”
KHARYSSA RICHARDSON
Position: Forward
Height: 6-2
Hometown: Douglasville, Ga.
High School: New Manchester HS
Club: Hoop Dreams Athletics
Highlights: Georgia Class 5A all-state selection in 2021 as a junior … In 82 career high school games, averaging 11.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.8 blocks … Helped team to regional championship and GHSA Elite Eight … Averaged 18.4 points as a junior … Chose Auburn over Alabama, Pitt and Rutgers … High school coach is Vincent Parks … Club coach is Dorian Williams.
Coach J on Kharyssa: “Kharyssa is a strong, physical forward whose game reminds me a lot of Charles Barkley. She has a strong face-up and back-to-the-basket game and will be a matchup problem for those defending her.”
SYDNEY SHAW
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
High School: DME Academy
Club: Miami Suns Team Fowles
Highlights: Ranked No. 43 overall in class of 2022 by ESPN HoopGurlz … Led American Heritage HS to the program’s fourth straight Class 5A state title as a junior in 2021 … Scored game-high 20 points in state semifinals … Averaged 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.4 steals per game as a sophomore at Miami Country Day School … Chose Auburn over Indiana, St. John’s, Penn State … Club coach is Miguel Diaz.
Coach J on Sydney: “Sydney is a versatile guard who has the ability to score. She has played at a high level on the EYBL circuit since middle school. I’m really excited about her ability to come in and make an immediate impact.”
AUDIA YOUNG
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.
High School: Florida State University HS
Club: Central Florida Elite
Highlights: Daughter of former Auburn All-American Carolyn Jones-Young (1988-91) and current Florida State men’s basketball assistant coach CY Young … Averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists as a high school junior … Club coach is Al Honor.
Coach J on Audia: “Audia is a competitor with a high IQ, as most coaches’ kids have. She is capable of knocking down open shots and defending multiple positions. She has the ability to be a great floor general.”
