West Virginia University women’s basketball coach Mike Carey announced the additions of Alexis Brewer, Desiree Rhodes and graduate student transfer Arielle Roberson for the 2015-16 campaign on Thursday.

 

Brewer joins the program as a freshman from Bardstown (KY) High School. Rhodes transferred to West Virginia from Wabash Valley College, while Roberson graduated from Colorado with a degree in communications and will have one year of eligibility remaining.   

 

“All three players will be able to come in and contribute to the team immediately,” said Carey. “We’re excited to have them here at West Virginia University. They play different positions and they’ll be able to help us in the upcoming season.” 

 

Brewer, a native of Buffalo, Kentucky, scored 611 points and pulled in 203 rebounds for Bardstown this season. The 5-foot-9 shooting guard averaged 21.1 points and 7.0 rebounds to lead Bardstown to a 21-9 record. Bardstown only had won 15 games the two previous seasons combined. She shot 41 percent from the field, knocked down 39 percent from three-point range and connected on 81 percent of her free throw attempts. 

 

This season, Brewer was named a finalist for Kentucky Miss Basketball and was tabbed the Region 5 Co-Player of the Year. She was honored as a Kentucky All-State First Team Basketball selection and was nominated for the Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year and the McDonald’s All-American team. 

 

“Alexis is a big guard that can play different positions,” Carey said. “She’s another player that can play different positions. Alexis gives us another perimeter shooter.” 

 

While at LaRue County High, Brewer tallied 2,258 points and grabbed 760 rebounds to help the Hawks finish as runner-up in their region. She posted a record 44 points in a region tournament game against North Hardin.

 

Brewer was tabbed as one of the top 12 prospects in the state of Kentucky by Rick Bolus’ Basketball Recruiting Service. She played AAU basketball for Kentucky Premier. Her father, James “Boo” Brewer, played collegiate basketball at Louisville from 1988-93. 

 

Rhodes, who played high school basketball at East Aurora, helped Wabash Valley reach the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament this season for the first time since 2003. 

 

The 6-foot-1 post averaged 7.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 35 games this season. She led the team with 2.5 blocks per contest, which ranked 10th nationally. 

 

“Desiree Rhodes is another player that can inserted in the lineup at several different positions,” said Carey. “She gives us size and can score.” 

 

Rhodes, a native of Aurora, Illinois, came off the bench to score 15 points and grab 11 rebounds in Wabash Valley’s 93-57 win at Shawnee Community College. Overall, Rhodes tallied four double-doubles on the season. 

 

She hit a pair of three-pointers and scored a team-high 12 points in the Lady Warriors’ 63-60 victory over Vincennes to claim the Region 24 Tournament title. 

 

The All-Star Girls Report listed Rhodes as the 14th best overall junior college prospect and the third best among post players. Rhodes garnered News-Gazette All-State Honorable Mention for her standout career at East Aurora.  

 

Roberson comes to the WVU women’s basketball program after spending the past five years at Colorado. She missed the 2014-15 campaign due to an ACL injury during the preseason. She also missed her true freshman year in 2010-11 due to a torn labrum in her left hip. The 6-foot-1 forward is a two-time All-Pac 12 Conference Honorable Mention selection and was tabbed the 2011-12 Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year. 

 

“Arielle comes in with big time stats from Colorado,” noted Carey. “She is a player that has been highly regarded across the country. We can use her, isolate her and put her in position to score. With her veteran experience and leadership, she can contribute immediately.” 

 

For her career, Roberson averaged 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 64 career games for the Buffaloes. She led CU in scoring (12.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) as a sophomore in 2013, while ranking second in blocked shots (1.0 bpg) and third in field goal percentage (45.8 percent). Roberson finished her career 10th all-time on Colorado’s all-time career rebounding average ledger. 

 

The San Antonio, Texas, native finished her career 14th all-time at CU with 10 double-doubles and 14 double-figure rebounding games. Her 57 blocked shots are 19th all-time at Colorado. Roberson’s brother Andre is currently a member of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Roberson played AAU basketball for TeamXpress, the same squad as former WVU standout Sarah Miles and Mountaineer newcomers Anja Martin and Katrina Pardee. 

 

Brewer, Rhodes and Roberson join seven others who are set to join the program next season: Anja Martin (F/G), Tynice Martin (G), Katrina Pardee (G), Yassemeen Sa’Dullah (G), Lauren Saiki (G), Marlena Schmidt (F) and Olivia Seggie (G). Guard Chania Ray, who transferred from Florida State, joined WVU in the spring of 2015.