GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG head coach Wendy Palmer announced the 2016 signing class Friday afternoon. Alexis Pitchford, Alexus Willey and Mangela Ngandjui all have committed to join the women's basketball team for the 2016-17 season.
Pitchford is a 5-foot-7 point guard from Winter Park, Fla. She is a four-year letter winner at Winter Park High School where she has twice been named First Team All-Metro for the Wildcats. She's a four-time selection to the All-Metro Team having twice earned second team honors as well. Pitchford has a two-time FABC All-State selection having been named to the third team and honorable mention team during her career at WPHS.
“Alexis Pitchford plays like a seasoned point guard,” said Palmer. “Her poise and basketball IQ are very advanced for her age and she will be a great floor general here at UNCG.”
She ranks 49th in the USA Today Girls High School Basketball Rankings and her team was named the 2014 Metro Champions. She has played four years for the Central Florida Elite under the direction of head coach Al Honors.
Pitchford is also a strong in the classroom as a member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and BETA. She is also a member of the Winter Park High School NJROTC Honor Cadets.
Willey, a 6-foot-1 guard, hails from Clinton, Md. She is a two-year letter winner at Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro, Md., where she was named was named to the NCSAA Regional Team and earned All-Met honors. Prior to Riverdale Baptist, Willey was a two-sport athlete at Westlake High School in Waldorf, Md. While at Westlake, she was twice named to the SMAC All-Conference Team.
“Alexus Willey is a knock down shooter and will be a great asset to us offensively,” said Palmer. “She is a taller than average guard and will definitely create a match-up problem for our opponents. “
Willey plays for head coach Rob Hildreth and the MD Lady Terps, an AAU team based out of Bladensburg, Md. The MD Lady Terps went undefeated in pool play at the USJN during 2015.
Ngandjui also hails from Riverdale Baptist. The 6-foot power forward has played four years with the Lady Crusaders.
“Mangela Ngandjui is going to come in here and make everyone work harder,” said Palmer. “She is a spark on in the paint. Her ability to chase rebounds and utilize her quickness inside is going to be help us on both ends of the floor.”
She is a honor roll student at Riverdale Baptist and was named to the WCAC Honor Roll in 2015.
Willey and Ngandijui are both high school and AAU teammates playing on one of the top-ranked AAU teams in the nation.
“Alexus and Mangela are AAU teammates so they already have great chemistry on the court,” Palmer added. “When you add Alexis Pitchford in the mix they will be very talented trio and will undoubtedly elevate this program to a new level".
UNCG will bid farewell to four seniors at the end of this season, three of which have been four-year members of the women's basketball team including Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) who is chasing the programs all-time career points record this season.
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