University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Jalise Smallwood to Join the Lady Eagles
4/17/2019 5:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Oklahoma native signs with Southern Miss women's basketball.
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss Lady Eagles have announced the signing of Jalise Smallwood to the women's basketball program, announced Wednesday.
Smallwood, who will join as a junior, comes to Southern Miss from Butler Community College in Kansas. The 5'7" guard is a Tulsa, Oklahoma native and graduated from Broken Arrow High School. She and the Butler Grizzlies competed in the Junior College National Championships in 2018, falling in the Sweet 16 after starting in a field of 32. She averages 11 points per game, and shot 34 percent from behind the arc and 82 percent from the free throw line. Smallwood comes to Southern Miss with an interest in the health science field, including physical therapy and sports psychology.
Joye Lee McNelis on Smallwood
"We are thrilled to have Jalise to join our Lady Eagle program. Jalise brings to us much experience of playing in championship atmospheres. All teams she has played on have competed at a high level. Her junior college team – Butler – has competed in the Junior College Nationals during her freshman and sophomore season. She has played an integral role their success.
Jalise displays leadership qualities that will make a difference in our program. As we have spent time with her through the recruiting process it seems as if her dreams are big and has a plan to reach them. One of her concerns was the availability of our coliseum for extra shooting. She is a "gym rat" and we welcome that type of player in our program.
As a young lady she seems to possess the intangibles that are important when being a part of our program. Heart, passion, work ethic, difference-maker, giver to others and wants to be her best in everything in life."
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Smallwood, who will join as a junior, comes to Southern Miss from Butler Community College in Kansas. The 5'7" guard is a Tulsa, Oklahoma native and graduated from Broken Arrow High School. She and the Butler Grizzlies competed in the Junior College National Championships in 2018, falling in the Sweet 16 after starting in a field of 32. She averages 11 points per game, and shot 34 percent from behind the arc and 82 percent from the free throw line. Smallwood comes to Southern Miss with an interest in the health science field, including physical therapy and sports psychology.
Joye Lee McNelis on Smallwood
"We are thrilled to have Jalise to join our Lady Eagle program. Jalise brings to us much experience of playing in championship atmospheres. All teams she has played on have competed at a high level. Her junior college team – Butler – has competed in the Junior College Nationals during her freshman and sophomore season. She has played an integral role their success.
Jalise displays leadership qualities that will make a difference in our program. As we have spent time with her through the recruiting process it seems as if her dreams are big and has a plan to reach them. One of her concerns was the availability of our coliseum for extra shooting. She is a "gym rat" and we welcome that type of player in our program.
As a young lady she seems to possess the intangibles that are important when being a part of our program. Heart, passion, work ethic, difference-maker, giver to others and wants to be her best in everything in life."
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