We continue our exploration of the pathways that young Kiwi players pursue – following high school and local association representative basketball – around the world. In this article we take a look at the other classes of Women’s collegiate hoops in the US and Canada in 2022-23, including Div II, Div III, Canada Div I and NAIA Div I.
There are 13 Kiwi women currently in the NCAA Division II circuit, including 9 juniors and 4 freshman – remarkably, four of these athletes will all play together this season at Auburn University at Montgomery. New Zealand also has women players participating in both NCAA Division III, Canada Div I and NAIA Div I.
The List: NCAA Division II Women (2022/23)
Juniors
Ella Bradley – Junior at University of Texas at Tyler
Prior to her time at Texas at Tyler, the former St Peter’s School Cambridge and Waikato forward enjoyed two outstanding seasons at Utah State Eastern College – where she was a two-year starter for the Golden Eagles. In 2021-22 Bradley was second on the team in scoring (12.5ppg), rebounding (6.0rpg) and assists (3.6); she also had played alongside Charlisse Leger-Walker on four St Peter’s School national championship winning teams.
Molly Cockburn – Junior at Chadron State College
Coming out of Kaiapo High School, Cockburn had the distinction of being President of the Miles Community College Student Senate during the 2021-22 academic year. The Cantabrian guard played two years for Miles Pioneers prior to Chadron State.
Victoria Ikenasio – Junior at University of Texas at Tyler
Ikenasio played 53 games in two years at St Peter’s University, New Jersey (NCAA Division I), before transferring to Texas at Tyler for 2022-23. Prior to this, she attended Maribyrnong Secondary College in Melbourne and suited up for the Junior Tall Ferns in 2019.
Jordyn Maddix – Junior at Auburn University at Montgomery
Before shifting to AUM, Maddix played 46 games in two years for Western Texas Community College – scoring a career-high 28 points versus Clarendon College in January this year. Before college, she played for Westlake Girls High and Harbour Basketball.
Kyra Paniora – Junior at Western New Mexico University
Queensland-educated Paniora played at Hutchinson Community College and College of Southern Idaho prior to WNMU, with the latter reaching the NJCAA (Junior College) National Championships last year. She also played for New Zealand at the FIBA U17 World Cup in 2018.
Kay-Hauata Phillips – Junior at Johnson C Smith University
The former Tauranga City Basketball forward played her freshman year at Utah State Eastern and her sophomore year at Cloud CC in the 2021-22 season. At Cloud she made 23 starts across 29 games, averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Tessa Talo-Tomokino – Junior at Northeastern State University
Talo-Tomokino has started 22 of 44 games for the Riverhawks over the last two seasons. In her freshman year she led the team in Field goal percentage, making 23 from 47 at a 48% clip. Before college, she played for Mt Albert Grammar School and Harbour Basketball.
Keeley Tini – Junior at Auburn University at Montgomery
Tini – daughter of former Tall Fern Jody Cameron – played a season at Hutchinson Community College and two at Williston State College. She started 53 of 56 games for Williston State; last season averaging 16.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while scoring in double figures on 26 occasions. Before college, she played for Westlake Girls High and Harbour Basketball.
Hannah Wentworth – Junior at Eckerd College
Wentworth played her freshman season at Utah State University Eastern in 2020-21, where she played in all 20 games. Last season she played 25 games for Eckerd College, leading the team in 3-point shooting (43.1%), which also ranked second in the Sunshine State Conference and eighth in NCAA Division II women’s basketball. Before heading to the States, she played for Orewa College, Rangitoto College and Harbour Basketball.
Freshmen
Makenzee Boucher – Freshman at Midwestern State University, Texas
Boucher – daughter of former Tall Black Dillion Boucher – is a combo guard out of Westlake Girls High School and Harbour Basketball. She helped Westlake to a fourth-place finish at the 2019 Secondary Schools National Championships.
Savannah Cook – Freshman at University of Montevallo, Alabama
Coming out of One Tree Hill College and Auckland age group basketball, Cook also played for Auckland Dream. She is the first international player ever signed by AUM Head Coach Gary Van Atta.
Jyordanna Davey – Freshman at Auburn University at Montgomery
Davey played with AUM teammate Lilly Parke on the NZ team at the 2022 FIBA U18 Asian Championship in India. Prior to this, the Wellingtonian attended Wainuiomata High School and Sacred Heart College.
Lilly Parke – Freshman at Auburn University at Montgomery
Parke plays alongside fellow kiwi Jyordanna Davey at Auburn; the two also teammates in the NZ team at the 2022 FIBA U18 Asian Championship in India – where she averaged 8.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. She also played for Auckland Basketball and Baradene College. Her dad Andrew Parke is a former Tall Black.
NCAA Division III
Katie Van Den Bogaert – Sophomore at Whitworth University
Now in her second season at Whitworth, the 5’7” combo guard previously played at Middleton Grange School. She is also a Gators Club and Canterbury representative.
Canada Division I
Sofia Kennedy – Junior at University of Windsor
The former Middleton Grange and Canterbury representative has played 34 games for the Lancers. Kennedy also played for the Junior Tall Ferns at the 2018 FIBA Asia Cup in India, while representing NZ at the Secondary Schools X-Country World Championships in Paris that same year.
NAIA Division I
Dominique Stephens – Sophomore at Rocky Mountain College, Montana
Stephens played all 32 games for Rocky Mountain College as they went all the way to the NAIA National Championships in 2021-22 – averaged 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. She also played on the St Peter’s, Cambridge 2019 Secondary Schools National Championship winning team. Her dad Neil Stephens is a former Tall Black.
Other articles:
NCAA Women Division II, II, Canada & NAIA Division I
NCAA Men Division II, II, Canada & NAIA Division I
