Tag: Coquese Washington

Rutgers women’s basketball announces signing of five-star guard Kiyomi McMiller

Kiyomi McMiller has officially signed with Rutgers basketball.

On Thursday afternoon, Rutgers women’s basketball added another talented guard to the mix with the signing of Kiyomi McMiller.

McMiller signs with Rutgers following an impressive high school career at Life Center Academy (Burlington, New Jersey).

Over the last two years, McMiller has been a scoring machine, but she took her game to a new level as a senior. Last season, she averaged 30.1 points per game. During her high school career, the talented guard scored 2,015 points and recorded 231 steals in 70 games. 

While McMiller’ collegiate debut is months away excitement in Piscataway is building for the impact she will make. Her new head coach has been impressed by what she has seen from McMiller and sees her as a great fit.

5️⃣🌟 guard @Kiyomi_McMiller has officially SIGNED with #Rutgers Basketball‼️@aleccr12 has more —> https://t.co/Cl1uTk56rd

pic.twitter.com/gp5IZk2i8Y

— Rutgers Scarlet Knights | TheKnightReport.Net (@RutgersRivals) April 18, 2024

“Kiyomi McMiller is one of the most exciting players I’ve ever seen play the game of basketball,” head coach Coquese Washington told Rutger athletics. “She is a walking highlight, and our fans are going to love watching her breathtaking performances in Jersey Mike’s Arena. She is a fast-paced guard which fits in well with how we like to play.”

Kiyomi McMiller so tough 😳 @KEYthe_baller32 pic.twitter.com/WgKqBAs71f

— Overtime (@overtime) April 30, 2022

With McMiller in the lineup Rutgers offense is expected to improve. She is known for her skilled ball handling and scoring ability. She was graded as one of the top prospects in the country by outlets such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sports Center Next and WSLAM.

Rutgers women’s basketball head coach Coquese Washington: Rebuilding season points up for young Scarlet Knights

Rutgers women’s basketball closes out a disappointing season with optimism.

A season of raised expectations ended with disappointment for Rutgers women’s basketball, who lost in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.

The Scarlet Knights, in their second season under head coach Coquese Washington, finished the year 8-24 (2-14 Big Ten).

There was hope that this year under Washington would see Rutgers take a step forward in their development. Despite undertaking a rather substantial rebuild, Washington had done a solid job of recruiting and adding some talent via the transfer portal.

There was a strong belief that Rutgers could build off the struggles from their first season under Washington. But this season underscored the lack of depth on the roster as Washington continues to revamp the group.

That was seen on Wednesday in a 77-69 loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament.

“I really like this team. I really like the young ladies that I’m coaching this year. They make it easy to come in the gym every day. They make it
easy to come to work every day, to keep fighting because
of who they are,” Washington told reporters on Wednesday following the opening round loss in the Big Ten Tournament.

“We are still in the mindset and the process of building this program up. We’re still building our culture. We’re still getting the pieces that we need to have. This year was a really, really tough year for a lot of reasons, but the
perseverance that these young ladies showed throughout the season is the thing that we’ll take out of it.”

One of those bright spots this season was Destiny Adams.

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The transfer from North Carolina was a huge addition to the program, providing scoring, rebounding and toughness as well as strong leadership.

In the Big Ten Tournament loss, Adams scored 31 points and had 24 rebounds in 38 minutes played.

Rutgers women’s basketball recruit scores over 40 points in win over Cardinal O’Hara

Kiyomi McMiller had a huge game over the weekend.

The future is certainly bright for Rutgers women’s basketball. Kioymi Mcmiller, who recently committed to Rutgers, put together a masterpiece in her most recent game.

The five-star guard recorded an impressive 43 points against Cardinal O’Hara on Sunday. Due to her strong scoring effort, Life Center Academy was able to move on in their play-by-play event. While McMiller is one of the best players in her class, her recent performance provided a reminder of why Rutgers made her a priority.

When Mcmiller committed to Rutgers, she became the highest-ranked recruit since head coach Coquese Washington took over the program. The New Jersey native was ranked as the No.22 player in the nation by ESPNW.

Although she has yet to make her collegiate debut, expectations are high after performances like this.

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For Washington, McMiller’s recent excellence is an encouraging sign. She is already looked at as a building block of the future for a program looking to turn things around.

If McMiller can string together a few 40-point performances as a Scarlet Knight, then she will become a fan favorite quickly.

In her second year with Rutgers basketball, Coquese Washington hopes that the rebuilding will grow and continue

Rutgers women’s basketball begins an important season of their rebuild under Coquese Washington.

Last season was the first of what is likely to be an extensive rebuild of Rutgers women’s basketball under head coach Coquese Washington. A program that was very much lacking in both top-tier talent and overall depth appears to be better in both regards heading into this year.

In their first season under Washington, Rutgers finished 12-20 (5-13) and won their opening-round game in the Big Ten Tournament. The direction is pointed up on the program under Washington.

With a strong offseason that was headlined by the arrival of Destiny Adams in the transfer portal, there are certain expectations around the program.

“I’m extremely happy about where the program is right now. Our first year was really about building a foundation, building a culture, establishing how we’re going to run our program, how we’re going to recruit, how we’re going to play on game day, and we were successful at that,” Washington said during the Big Ten’s Media Days earlier this month.

“I think we’re definitely in a position now to continue to move the program forward and be more competitive on game day, and we’re looking at where our team is with the additions that we’ve brought in. I’m excited about our ability to do that this year.”

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Rutgers opens up their season next Monday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena against Monmouth.

What was Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington’s biggest takeaway from last season?

Rutgers women’s basketball Coquese Washington finished last season with a 12-20 record. What was her biggest takeaway from last season?

In her first season as head coach,Coquese Washington saw plenty of growth from her Rutgers women’s basketball program.

The Scarlet Knights finished the 2022-23 season with a 12-20 (5-13 Big Ten) record. It was a building block season for sure as Rutgers looks like they established a foundation for the program.

During the Big Ten Basketball Media Day, a question was raised to Washington, asking her what was her biggest takeaway from last year as a new head coach. Rutgers’ head coach expressed her biggest takeaway was the quality of coaching and talent throughout the Big Ten Conference.

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“When you look across the landscape of Big Ten women’s basketball, there’s so much talent. There’s so much outstanding coaching. That helps you prepare for postseason play. You have to be on your P’s and Q’s every night because you’re going to face coaches who are great at making in-game adjustments, who are great at preparation, who have varying styles of play, so it helps make your program one that you have to elevate your ability to be successful in this conference,” Washington stated during the Big Ten Basketball Media Day.

Washington and the Scarlet Knights kick off their 2023-24 season against Monmouth on Monday, November 6. Their hope is that they will continue to build a foundation.

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The Scarlet Knights will be led by sophomore guard Kaylene Smikle, one of the best players in the Big Ten, averaging 17.9 points per game last season. Also, Rutgers added North Carolina transfer Destiny Adams to their roster. Originally from New Jersey, Adams is expected to be a big upgrade in the program’s starting five.

 

 

Rutgers women’s basketball adds Nneka Enemkpali to the coaching staff

Rutgers women’s basketball adds Nneka Enemkpali to their coaching staff

Coquese Washington added to her coaching staff on Tuesday with the addition of Nneka Enemkpali. She is a proven recruiter and will take on the assistant coach and director of recruiting role for Rutgers. With Enemkpali now a Scarlet Knight, many in Piscataway, including Washington, are excited for what the future holds.

“Adding Nneka Enemkpali to our staff is an incredible gift for the Scarlet Knight program,” Washington told Rutgers athletics. “Nneka enjoyed a remarkable career as a player at Texas, whose work ethic helped her achieve outstanding successes both on and off the court. We are quite fortunate to have Nneka here, sharing her experiences as an elite player and coach.”

Over the last two seasons, Enemkpali was an assistant coach for USC. She also served as recruiting coordinator this past season. Enemkpali was key in bringing the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class to California during her time as a Trojan. She also was selected to represent the USA at the 2023 Americup games.

While Enemkpali was instrumental in USC’s success, she has impacted multiple programs. Her career includes stops at Gonzaga and UNLV. Her success has not gone unnoticed, as during the 2019-2020 season, Enemkpali was named one of the 50 Impactful Assistants in D1 Women’s Basketball by Silver Waves Media.

RELATED: Nneka Enemkpali Joins Women’s Basketball Coaching Staff

As Enemkplai begins a new chapter in her career, she is looking forward to calling Piscataway home.

“I am excited to be joining the rich tradition and legacy that is Rutgers women’s basketball,” Enemkpali told Rutgers athletics. “Coquese has a clear vision for the direction in which she wants to grow this program. I look forward to working alongside her and the incredible staff to support this program and our student-athletes.”

Jeanine Wasielewski joins the Rutgers family

Rutgers women’s basketball has a new director of player engagement.

Rutgers women’s basketball added a new face to their coaching staff on Wednesday with the addition of Jeanine Wasielewski. She brings 14 years of experience, including six seasons in the Big Ten. Wasielewski will serve as an assistant coach and Director of Player Enhancement.

Before coming to Piscataway, Wasielewski was the head coach at Southwestern Michigan College. She led the Roadrunners to an 18-9 record last season and was a key part of the program’s revival. That is one of the many reasons her hiring has been met with excitement.

“Jeanine truly has an incredible basketball mind,” head coach Coquese Washington said in a statement released by Rutgers athletics. ” Her background in analytics and statistical breakdown will be of tremendous benefit to our program. In addition, Jeanine is an experienced teacher of the game and has helped grow the basketball knowledge of players under her guidance at each of her coaching stops. There is no question, she will have a positive impact on Scarlet Knights women’s basketball.”

While Wasielewski has recently made headlines due to her coaching, she also has extensive development with development. From 2017-2019 she was part of Coquese Washington’s coaching staff at Penn State. During her time as a Nittany Lion, Wasielewski helped with the team’s offense, practice, and game planning. She also helped bring a top-15 recruit to Happy Valley.

Regardless of the role, success has always seemed to follow Wasielewski. During her collegiate career at Northwestern, she was part of two NCAA tournament teams. She will be looking to bring that success to Piscataway.

With Wasielewski now in Piscataway, the future for Rutgers just got brighter.

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Big Ten Network analyst Meghan McKeown says Rutgers women’s basketball improved this offseason

Big Ten Network analyst believes Rutgers women’s basketball took a step forward this offseason.

Coquese Washington did a solid job in her first season as head coach of the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Now this offseason, she has made a pair of additions in the transfer portal that should help the rebuilding program take the next step.

Rutgers landed two big transfers this offseason in guard Mya Petticord (Texas A&M) and guard Destiny Adams (North Carolina)

A former Northwestern basketball player, McKeown has worked for ESPN as well as her current role with the Big Ten Network. She sees promise and potential in the Scarlet Knights following a first season under Washington where they went 12-20 (5-13 Big Ten) and won a game in the conference tournament.

“Rutgers added high-major talent in the transfer portal, which is massive. Mya Petticord from Texas A&M played 15 minutes a game in the SEC her freshman year,” McKeown said.

“Destiny Adams played 17 minutes a game at North Carolina. Experience at the Power Five level will be huge for coach Washington in year two.”

Adams is an interesting addition for Rutgers. A former standout player from Machester Township, N.J., Adams was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school.

“Huge for Rutgers to get New Jersey-native Destiny Adams. What’s good about getting a player like Adams is she has played impactful minutes in the ACC, which is one of the best conferences in the country,” McKeown said.

“She understands how hard you have to compete in an elite conference, plus she has size and a great motor. Her faceup game and ability to drive by players at 6-foot-3 makes her difficult to guard. The Big Ten doesn’t necessarily have a ton of players at 6-foot-3 who can effectively defend on the perimeter against a player as quick as Adams. Her game will allow Rutgers to continue to try and play fast.”

Last season, Adams averaged 4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for North Carolina.

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Big Ten Network women’s basketball analyst Meghan McKeown: ‘This Rutgers team will give a lot of the Big Ten issues next year’

Rutgers women’s basketball is trending up according to one Big Ten Network analyst.

This was a year of growth for Rutgers women’s basketball with the Scarlet Knights showing development and maturation under first-year head coach Coquese Washington. A seasoned and experienced Big Ten coach, Washington saw her team begin to take shape as the season wore on.

Rutgers finished the season 12-20 (5-13 Big Ten). Washington took over for Vivian C. Stringer, who didn’t coach the previous season for personal reasons.

Even with a tough out-of-conference schedule, Rutgers still showed plenty of signs of life from the get-go under Washington. An accomplished Big Ten coach who spent 12 seasons at Penn State, Washington knows how to get a team to the postseason.

Her Nittany Lions teams made the NCAA Tournament four times and the NIT on three occasions. For Big Ten Network analyst Meghan McKeown, there is a clear upward trend for Rutgers women’s basketball this offseason.

“Coach Washington has done a fantastic job coming in to replace coach Stringer. She’s not trying to be coach Stringer, but respects and understands what coach Stringer did at Rutgers throughout her legendary career,” McKeown told Rutgers Wire this week.

“I love how coach Washington understands her identity as a coach. This Rutgers team will give a lot of the Big Ten issues next year.”

Some quality wins down the stretch of the regular season and a win in the Big Ten Tournament capped off a rebuilding season for the once-proud program. A program that now seems to be trending upwards.

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Rutgers has added some real quality this offseason with a couple of high-level transfers. These additions, headlined by Destiny Adams, come into a team that already has some good depth pieces.

“Coach Washington knows two very important concepts: how to recruit in the Big Ten and how to win the Big Ten. She had a ‘rebuild’ last season that produced one of the best freshmen in the league in Kaylene Smikle, and one of the best rebounders in the league in Chyna Cornwell,” McKeown said.

“They picked up some key wins along the way, such as a huge win over Nebraska. This is a team that plays hard and has the ability to make in-game adjustments. I’m excited to see how they do in 2023-24.”

For more basketball insight and in-depth Big Ten coverage, make sure to follow Meghan on Twitter @MeghanMcKeown_.

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Rutgers women’s basketball lands Destiny Adams in the transfer portal

Destiny Adams commits to Rutgers women’s basketball.

A former top 20 recruit in the nation, Destiny Adams, committed to Rutgers women’s basketball on Saturday night. Adams had spent the first two years of his college career in North Carolina.

A 6-foot-3 guard from Manchester, N.J., Adams was a highly-sought after recruit who now returns home and projects to be a crucial part of head coach Coquese Washington’s rebuild.

In two seasons at North Carolina, Adams averaged 13.0 minutes, with 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

In 2021, she was the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey and the No. 20 recruit in the nation. She was ranked the fourth-best wing in the nation by ESPN.com.

Adams posted the news of her decision to transfer to Rutgers via her social media.

 

In their first season under Washington, Rutgers went 12-20 (5-13 Big Ten). They were 10-7 at Jersey Mike’s Arena.

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It was an impressive showing from the Scarlet Knights as they rebuild under Washington, who was a successful head coach at Penn State. During her time at State College, she led the Nittany Lions to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.

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