The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/896287
96 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2017-18 ■ Erika Cassell 24 • Forward • 6-2 Sophomore • Marietta, Ga. Career Highlights: Played in 22 games as a true fresh- man and twice led NC State in rebounding … Logged dou- ble-digit minutes in nine con- tests … Scored a career-high eight points in a win at South Alabama … Rated as a four- star prospect with a scout grade of 94, and the No. 16 forward and No. 88 overall recruit and in the class of 2016 by ESPNW HoopGurlz … Won a 2016 Georgia High School Association state championship at Holy Innocents Episcopal School … Was a 2016 honorable mention McDonald's All-American … Tabbed as a second-team All-State performer by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Named to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-Star team as a junior, when she helped her team win a school-record 31 games … Also competed in track and field and spent significant time off the court participat - ing in charitable activities with the Atlanta Mission for Women and Children and both the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and Susan G. Komen Charity. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG RPG APG 2016-17 22 2.1 2.5 0.3 ■ Nae Nae Cole 44 • Center • 6-3 Junior • Gainesville, Va. Career Highlights: Saw action in 24 games last season for an average of 9.3 min- utes per contest … Led the Pack in field goal percent- age (63.0, 29 of 46) … Had a season-high eight points against LSU and Virginia Tech … Blocked a personal-best three shots against North Florida … Played in 18 games her freshman year, averaging 1.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per contest … Recorded a career-high nine points in the win over UAB as a freshman … As a prep senior, helped Paul VI High School post a 32-2 record and win its ninth straight state title … Was first-team All-Western Catholic Athletic Conference, Preseason All-Met and a McDonald's High School All-American nominee in 2015 … Listed as a four- star recruit, and the nation's No. 16 post player and No. 100 overall prospect in 2015 by ESPNW HoopGurlz … Ranked No. 33 in the country by Blue Star Report. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG RPG BPG 2015-16 18 1.8 1.5 0.1 2016-17 24 2.8 1.3 0.4 ■ Kai Crutchfield 3 • Guard • 5-8 Freshman • Raleigh Career Highlights: Rated as a four-star talent with a scouts grade of 94, and the No. 24 guard and No. 82 overall player in the class of 2017 by ESPNW HoopGurlz … Was an All-State selection by the Associated Press, and a second-team All-USA North Carolina pick … Named the NCBCA District 5 Player of the Year and the Cap-8 Con - ference Player of the Year … Helped Millbrook High School to a 28-4 record (14-0 conference) while advanc- ing to the state's final four as a senior … Hit the game- winning shot during Millbrook's 2016 NCHSAA 4A state championship win over Northwest Guilford … Selected as The Raleigh News & Observer's Girls Basketball Player of the Year after her junior season … Member of the National Honor Society. ■ Kaila Ealey 2 • Guard • 5-8 Redshirt Sophomore • Raleigh Career Highlights: Played in 29 games and averaged 13.2 minutes off the bench as a redshirt freshman last season … Logged at least 10 minutes in 20 contests and scored a career-high 12 points in the win over Mary- land Eastern Shore … Twice grabbed nine rebounds in a contest, including in an over- time win at No. 7 Louisville … Played in four games before her true freshman season was cut short by an injury suffered in NC State's Nov. 20 win at Liberty … Averaged 26.4 points per game during her senior year at Broughton High School while helping the team to a 20-7 mark … Earned second-team All-State honors from the Associated Press … Was also named a McDonald's High School All-America nominee … Picked for The Raleigh News & Observer's 2014 All-Metro Team … Rated as a four-star recruit, and the No. 16 guard and No. 75 overall prospect in 2015 by ESPNW HoopGurlz. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG RPG APG 2015-16 4 2.0 2.0 1.3 2016-17 29 2.9 2.9 1.6 ■ Armani Hawkins 50 • Guard • 5-10 Redshirt Junior • Mesa, Ariz. Career Highlights: Will sit out the fall semester before becoming eligible … Trans- ferred to NC State after play- ing six games in her sopho- more season at Arizona State … Opened the campaign for ASU that year with 14 points in a season-opening win over Illinois State … Played 10 games as a freshman for the Sun Devils on a team that went 26-7 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament … Was rated as the No. 22 guard and No. 100 overall prospect in the 2015 class by ESPNW HoopGurlz … Averaged 22.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.9 blocks a game as a senior at Mountain View High School and was named to The Arizona Republic All-Arizona Girls Basketball Team. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG 2015-16* 10 1.5 2016-17* 6 3.2 * at Arizona State ■ Grace Hunter 23 • Guard • 5-9 Redshirt Sophomore • Raleigh Career Highlights: Likely will redshirt this season after transferring in from Charlotte … Led the 49ers in scoring (17.2 points per game) and rebounding (8.6 boards per contest) last season while helping Charlotte go 21-10 overall and 12-6 in Confer - ence USA … Tied for the team lead in three-point shooting (35.8 percent, 24 of 67) and was second in field goal shooting (47.9 percent, 192 of 401) … Started 17 games as a freshman and earned a spot on the Conference USA Freshman Team after being voted the league's Freshman of the Week on five occasions. CAREER STATISTICS Year GP PPG RPG 2015-16* 31 11.0 7.3 2016-17* 31 17.2 8.6 * at Charlotte ■ Kayla Jones 25 • Forward • 6-1 Freshman • Jamesville, N.C. Career Highlights: Rated as a four-star prospect with a scouts grade of 90 and the No. 20 forward in the coun- Meet The Pack Bios Of The 2017-18 Women's Basketball Team