ACU Womens Basketball Recruiting News

ACU adds pair of transfers

Courtesy ACU
Release 7/1/2008

ACU adds pair of transfers

ABILENE -- ACU women's basketball coach Shawna Lavender announced Tuesday that the Wildcats have added a pair of transfers for the 2008-09 season, including an Abilene native transferring home from an NCAA Division I institution.

Lavender announced that former Abilene Wylie standout Courtney Laing will transfer to ACU from Texas-San Antonio, while Kelsea Lyda of Harding will also transfer to ACU for the upcoming season. Both players will be juniors in 2008-09 as Laing will join returning all-region center Audrey Maxwell on the Wildcats' front line, while Lyda will play in the Wildcats' backcourt.

"Kelsea is a pure shooter and will be a great threat on the perimeter for us," Lavender said. "She is an extremely hard worker and brings a lot of fire to our team. Courtney will give us some great depth at the forward and post positions. She is a good athlete and has great touch around the basket and can step out and shoot the mid-range shot. I look for both of these ladies to make immediate impacts on our team."

Last year as a sophomore at Division I UTSA, Laing averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in 26 games played (three starts). She had a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds in an 89-50 win over Huston-Tillotson in the Lady Roadrunners' season opener.

As a freshman in 2006-07, Laing averaged 4.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 26 games. She had a season-best 15 points in two games, once against Cal State-Bakersfield and again against Central Arkansas.

A four-year letterwinner at Wylie High School, Laing averaged 14.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a senior when she helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to the Class 3A state championship game. A two-time first team all-district selection, she was named to the TABC all-region team three times and made the Texas Basketball Magazine all-state team three times.

Lyda played her high school basketball at Fort Worth Christian High School alongside new ACU teammates Kat Kundmueller and Kristee Davidson.

As a sophomore in 2007-08, Lyda helped Harding to an 18-10 record and a berth in the Gulf South Conference Post-Season Tournament. Lyda was the fourth-leading scorer on the team, averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 40.3 percent from the field, including 32.9 percent from 3-point range (28 for 85).

As a freshman in 2006-07, Lyda came off the bench in all 29 games for the Lady Bisons, averaging 11.6 points per game (second on the team and 13th in the GSC). She scored in double figures 19 times, including a season-best 22 points at Christian Brothers on Jan. 27, 2007.

As a high school standout at Fort Worth Christian, Lyda started three seasons as a guard and forward, helping the Lady Cardinals to the TAPPS Class 5A state championship and earning first team all-state honors.