JACKSON, Miss. - The Jackson State Lady Tigers basketball program continued to pave new paths to reaching new levels under the direction and guidance of third year head coach Tomekia Reed.

On Wednesday, the Lady Tigers inked themselves in program history, establishing the highest rated recruiting class to ever sign with the dotted line for JSU. The Lady Tigers pulled off major recruiting battles with several elite prospects including signing the programs highest rated recruit in No. 70 overall ESPN prospect Se'Quoia Allmond. Allmond also marks the first ESPN Top 100 prospect to sign with an HBCU women's basketball program.

The Tigers also signed three Dandy Dozens to this years recruiting class in Meloney Thames, Kennedy Ransom, Areyanna Hunter, and Ja'Leah Hickman. Jackson State also signed standout Forward and Newton, Miss product, Alexis Roberts.

Coach Reed discussed what this class means to the future of Jackson State women's basketball and how excited she is about what the 2021 class brings to her program. 

"I'm extremely excited about our signees today. I want to thank my staff for being go-getters with an amazing vision to help our program continue to grow. Reeling in the top three out of five players in the state is an amazing accomplishment and I'm extremely thankful. Bringing in an ESPN Top 100 player in Se'Quoia Allmond and No. 12 in the country at her position, is an extraordinary accomplishment. I've been coaching basketball for 16 years and I've never seen a talented class as this signed in one season, ALL in the early signing period. I'm ecstatic about where we are with our signees. Three Dandy Dozens and a USA Basketball National ranked player in this signing class is pretty phenomenal. I'm excited for their future as Lady Tigers." 
 

Se'Quoia Allmond

Height: 5-7

Position: Point Guard

Hometown: Memphis, Tenn. 

Previous School: Whitehaven High School

Se'Quoia Allmond joins the program as the highest rated recruit to ever sign for the Lady Tigers. Allmond is a highly-touted prospect out of Whitehaven High School in Memphis, Tenn. Ranked by numerous recruiting services, Allmond ranked as the No. 70 overall prospect in the country, No. 12 overall as a point guard nationally, and a four-star prospect. Allmond also marks the first ESPN Top 100 prospect to sign with an HBCU women's basketball program. She averaged 16 points and 10 assists and led Whitehaven to it's first state tournament appearance in school history. She was also named a first-team all-metro selection last season in Tennessee. 

 
Meloney Thames

Height: 5'8

Position: Guard

Hometown: Philadelphia, MS

Previous School: Choctaw Central High School

Thames averaged 16.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game in helping lead the Lady Warriors to their sixth straight playoff quarterfinal appearance. She was named MHSAA Region 4-4A MVP, as well as the regional tournament's MVP. She was also named to the 2020 Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen list and second team All-State. Meloney Thames a dandy dozen selection and a state championship. Ranked No. 1 player in the state by one publication and No. 2 by another. A consensus Top-2 player in the state. 2x premier prep basketball selection and the MHSAA Region 4- 4A MVP as well as the tournament MVP. Was named to a North/South All Star Game Selection this past season.

Kennedy Ransom

Height: 6'2

Position: Forward

Hometown: Flora, MS

Previous School: Madison Central High School

Ransom joins the Tigers out of Madison Central High School. She is a two-time Dandy-Dozen selection. She averaged 18.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks. and 1.6 last season. She helped the Jaguars (20-10) qualify for the 6A playoffs. She also recorded 21 double-doubles last season and was a second-team All-State Selection as well as a member of the Mississippi North-South All-Star Game. Ransom is also a member of the 1,000 point and 1,000 rebounds club. All metro selection. She's ranked No. 1 player in the state by one publication and No. 2 in another and is the top ranked player in the state. She also was a North/South All Star Game Selection a year ago.

Areyanna Hunter

Height: 5'6

Position:  Guard

Hometown: Louisville, MS

Previous School: Louisville High School

Hunter is a two-time Dandy Dozen selection after averaging 19 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals per game last season as a junior at Louisville High School., becoming the first player in school history to accomplish such a feat. She helped lead the Lady Wildcats (19-9) to the second round of the 4A playoffs a year ago. She was a member of the 2020 Clarion Ledger All-State team as well as being a member of the Mississippi North-South All-Star game. Hunter ranks as the active leading scorer in the state of Mississippi. In 2018-19, as a sophomore, she led Louisville to state championship . She ranks as the No. 4 player in the state and was selected to the North/South All Star Game this past season.
   
Alexis Roberts

Height:  6'0

Position: Forward

Hometown: Newton, MS

Previous School: MS School of Deaf

Alexis is the first division one athlete in Mississippi School of Deaf history. She was the two-time National Athlete for the National Deaf Interscholastic Athletic Association. Roberts also ranked the No. 9 player in the state, No. 6 by another. This past season, she averaged 17 points per game, 9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.9 blocks.


Ja'Leah Hickmon

Height: 5'11

Position: Guard/Forward

Hometown: Newton, MS

Previous School: Newton High School

Hickmon dropped 21.2 points per game for the Lady Tigers, who collected a 19-9 record this season and reached the MHSAA Class 2A second round. She earned an All-Region selection and was named MVP for both the Region 6-2A regular-season competition and the postseason tournament. Ja'Leah Hickmon is the premier prep player of the year. She helped lead Newton to a state championship as a sophomore. MHSAA Region 6-2A MVP and tournament MVP. Junior North/South All Star Game Selection. Hickman was a consensus Top 10 recruit in the state.