UNCW Women’s Basketball adds six players

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - UNCW Head Women’s Basketball Coach Karen Barefoot has announced the addition of six student-athletes, including four transfers, to the Seahawks’ 2021-22 roster.

Selma Eklund, a 6-0 guard from Stockholm, Sweden, and Jaliya Sharp, a 6-3 center from Garland, Texas, will join the Seahawks along with transfers Allie Best (Marist), Dejah Carter (Old Dominion), Carrie Gross (Xavier) and Vita Stam (George Mason).

The group of six student-athletes joins Holly Springs, N.C., native Jayde Gamble, who signed a National Letter of Intent with the Seahawks in November.

Eklund, who had her last two seasons at Solna Gymnasium canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has played with the Swedish U-15 and U-16 National Teams and led Solna Gymnasium to three straight appearances in the Swedish National Championship.

Sharp, a two-time All-District selection, averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a senior at Lakeview Centennial High School. She is also a two-time recipient of the NAACP Award and earned Academic All-District Team distinction.

Best, a four-year letter winner at Marist, ranks ninth in school history with 354 career assists while her .364 three-point field goal percentage is 11th on the Red Foxes’ all-time list. She helped Marist win a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season crowns in addition to the 2020-21 MAAC Tournament title.

Carter makes her way to the Port City after playing in 12 games, including two starts, during her senior season at Old Dominion. The Chesterfield, Va., product averaged 4.8 points per game and set season highs with 17 points and 11 rebounds against Marshall.

Gross, a three-year letter winner at Xavier, appeared in 13 games during the 2020-21 campaign and averaged 6.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

Stam, a 6-3 forward from Utrecht, Netherlands, appeared in 31 games with four starts in her two seasons at George Mason, averaging 1.8 points and 1.5 rebounds per outing.

“We are excited to welcome this group of student-athletes to our program,” said Barefoot, who embarks on her fifth season in the Port City. “They are outstanding individuals that work at a high level and take pride in being successful on the floor and in the classroom. We are looking forward to continuing to grow our program to a championship level. We have goals of raising the first women’s basketball championship banner at Trask Coliseum. This group of student-athletes are proven leaders and we believe they will create a winning culture and buy into our ‘Teal Collar’ approach every day.”

Copyright 2021 WECT. All rights reserved.