GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University head women's basketball coach Roger Hodge has announced that 11 players have committed to joining the Pioneer program for the 2023-24 season.
A total of seven transfers, including two from NCAA Division I schools, will join four incoming freshmen on the roster for the Pioneers. Hodge begins his first season at Tusculum after amassing 294 victories over 18 seasons as a head coach across NCAA Division II and NAIA.
"Before I accepted the opportunity to be the new coach at Tusculum, I did lots of research on the returning roster. I knew it would be a challenge, but I have great confidence in what this university has to offer and the ability to attract outstanding players to the program," Hodge said. "In addition, Pioneer Women's Basketball has a standard of excellence that provides a legacy to present to prospects that we speak with."
Among the transfers are two players from NCAA Division I schools, along with four junior college recruits and a fifth-year graduate player. The four freshmen include a pair of high school teammates along with two players who played their high school ball in Northeast Tennessee.
"I could not have imagined a better group of people to reload with than these young women," Hodge continued. "We were able to complete an outstanding class to add to those players who are returning and I could not be more excited about the potential we have both now and for the future. There is lots of work and learning ahead of us for both the team and coaching staff."
The additions to the Tusculum program are:
Ni'Kiah Chesterfield (6-0, Fr., F, Murfreesboro, Tenn.): Chesterfield surpassed 1,000 career points at Oakland High School and was an All-Region and All-County selection, while helping Oakland to the TSSAA Class 4A state tournament in 2021.
Artasia Cole (5-8, Fr., G, Murfreesboro, Tenn.): Cole was a teammate of Chesterfield's at Oakland High School, where she was a two-time All-Region pick and also played in the 2021 state tournament for Oakland.
Faith Diggs (5-7, Jr., G, Phoenix, Ariz.): Diggs was a two-year starter at Scottsdale Community College, where she averaged 7.2 points per game and made 47 three-pointers in 57 career games. Diggs averaged 7.7 points and 4.0 assists per game as a sophomore after averaging 6.6 points and 4.7 assists per game in her freshman season.
Simona Henshaw (5-10, Jr., F, London, England): Henshaw played two seasons at Florida Atlantic University, playing in 43 games and averaging 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high eight points at Western Kentucky on Jan. 20, 2022 and averaged 9.4 minutes per game for her career.
Angelina Jordan (5-8, So., G, Antelope, Calif.): Jordan averaged 14.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a freshman at Laney College during the 2021-22 season, including games of 44, 35 and 34 points, but missed nearly all of the 2022-23 season due to injury. Jordan scored in double figures 15 times as a freshman for Laney.
Kijanae Marion (5-10, Fr., F, Johnson City, Tenn.): Marion was first-team All-Conference all four years at Science Hill High School, and finished her career with averages of 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game, totaling 1,506 points for Science Hill.
Jordyn Roderick (5-11, Fr., F, Greeneville, Tenn.): Roderick was a two-sport star at South Greene High School, where she was a three-year letterwinner in basketball and an All-State performer in volleyball. Roderick helped South Greene to two straight District championships and was the 2023 District MVP after averaging 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Faith Silva (5-6, G, Sr., Alamogordo, N.Mex.): Silva is utilizing her fifth year of eligibility after a standout 2022-23 season at WVU Tech, where she was first-team All-River States Conference and the RSC Newcomer of the Year after averaging 18.2 points per game and leading all NAIA in three-pointers made with 115. Silva was a three-year standout at Arizona Western, where she made 160 three-pointers in 68 games and scored in double figures 38 times.
Aaliyah Vananda (5-9, Jr., G, Maryville, Tenn.): Vananda played two seasons at ETSU, averaging 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds across 30 games while playing 16.4 minutes per contest. Vananda scored a career-high 12 points at Tennessee on Dec. 20, 2021 and sank 19 three-pointers during her career for the Bucs.
Monraia Wilson (5-7, Jr., G, Hanover Park, Ill.): Wilson was a third-team NJCAA All-American and Region 4 Player of the Year after averaging 14.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.4 steals per game for Triton College last season. Wilson had two or more steals in 25 of 29 games and scored in double figures 23 times. Wilson averaged 11.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.9 steals per game across three seasons with Triton.
Maddison Zugna (6-2, Jr., C, Melbourne, Australia): Zugna started 30 games at Arizona Western College last season, averaging 11.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Zugna began her career with two seasons at San Diego Christian College, where she averaged 10.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season.
"Meshing such a large class with those who are coming back and with a new coaching staff and system will not be easy," Hodge added. "However, I feel we have the type of people all the way through our program who are committed to buying in and bringing continued success to Pioneer Women's Basketball. Assistant Coach Lindsey Roddy has done a tremendous job helping put this group together. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead."
Tusculum, which went 20-9 overall last season and 11-7 in the South Atlantic Conference, will open its 2023-24 season on Friday, Nov. 17 against North Georgia in the UNG Nighthawk Classic in Dahlonega, Georgia.
