ITHACA, N.Y. -- As the basketball season draws near, Cornell women's basketball looks to fill the hole left by the 2023 seniors, all three of which served as starters in the 2022-23 season. The coaching staff welcomes five new recruits for the upcoming 2023-2024 season as the team strides towards another Ivy League title.
"We feel as though this class as a whole will add a different dynamic to our program overall," said associate head coach
Val Klopfer. "Their individual skill sets are all very unique and as a collective unit we are excited about the energy and intensity they will provide in the season ahead."
#0 Azareya Kilgoe
Fr. • Guard • 5-4 • Seaford, Del. (Sanford School)
Led her team to a 2023 Delaware State Championship as a co-captain ... two-time runner up in the State Championship (2021,22) ... four-time Final 4 appearance fom 2020-23.
Coach's Comments: "Azareya "Zy" Kilgoe is a quick, composed and confident point guard that will add much needed depth to our backcourt this year. We are excited about her ability to create, her high motor and her knack for making it a challenge for the opponent to get settled with her scrappy defensive presence. She is coming off an outstanding senior season and high school career and we can't wait to see Zy's intensity shine through on the floor this season."
#5 Rachel Kaus
Fr. • Forward/Guard • 6-0 • Lake Bluff, Ill. (Lake Forest HS)
Broke her high school record for most rebounds in a season with 297 ('22-'23 season) ... ranked third all-time in scoring at Lake Forest ... led team in every statistical category ('22-'23) ... two-time regional champion ... News-Sun All-Area Second Team ... AP 3A All- State Honorable Mention in her senior season ... named Most Valuable Player twice ... NSC (North Suburban Conference) Sportsmanship Award ... NSC All-Conference in 2021-22 and 2022-23 ... Coaches Award recipient ... three-time Chairman of the Boards Award ... earned NSC All-Academic team twice ... two-time Holiday Tournament All-Tournament team honoree ... two-time captain ... played club basketball with Full Package Athletics.
Coach's Comments: "Rachel Kaus is a hard-nosed, work-horse of a small forward that we know will make an immediate impact within our system. We are excited to add her versatile scoring and rebounding ability to our frontcourt, as she will be a very nice addition to the core group of forwards we currently have on the roster. Rachel's skillset should mesh nicely within the flow of our system."
#15 Maya Watts
Fr. • Center • 6-1 • Hopewell Junction, N.Y. (Arlington HS)
Named All-Sectional and All-Conference in 2022 and 2023 ... won the Suffern Tournament in 2021 and 2022, where she was named MVP ... won the Scarsdale Tournament in back-to-back years, was named MVP ... played club basketball for Hooper NY ... two-time Most Valuable Player at the Big Shots National Basketball Tournament.
Coach's Comments: "Maya Watts is a multi-faceted forward with the ability to finish on the interior and a great first step from the perimeter. We are looking forward to adding her energy and determination to our forward core this season. We believe Maya will be a presence on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor and we are excited to have her in our program."
#22 Clarke Jackson
Fr. • Guard • 5-9 • Columbus, Ohio (Gahanna Lincoln HS)
Four-time Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) Champion (2019-2023) ... OCC Player of the Year (2022-23) ... Ohio All-State Team (2022-23) ... Columbus Dispatch All-Metro Team (2022-23) ... District 10 Super Team honoree (2022-23) and District 10 All-Star (2022-23) ... honored three times on the all-OCC teams, including two first-team appearances in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 season ... team MVP in 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons ... played club basketball for Ohio United ... was her classes valedictorian (2023).
Coach's Comments: "Clarke Jackson is a scrappy and hard-nosed player that we expect to impact the floor on both ends. We are looking forward to adding her ability to get into the lane to both score and create to our perimeter core. We believe that her skill set combined with her energetic presence will add a new dimension to our team this season."
#23 Kameryn Perry
Fr. • Guard • 5-10 • Middletown, Conn. (Choate Rosemary Hall)
Named NEPSAC Class A All-star for 2022-23 season ... named senior captain 2022-23 season ... a two sport athlete, made 2023 NEPSAC Track & Field Championships for high jump.
Coach's Comments: "Kameryn Perry is a versatile and lengthy perimeter player with the ability to score in a variety of ways. She will fit in nicely with the core of perimeter players we have returning and we are excited to see the new element she brings to our team this year."
