Longwood women’s basketball add players to 2024 recruiting class

The Longwood women’s basketball team added five student-athletes, rounding out its class of 2024, head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery announced Thursday.

Joining the Lancers for the 2024-25 season are Jaci Bolden, Olivia Bowes, Jaelyn Brown, JaMya Robinson and Mariah Wilson.

The five complete a class which also includes Lili Booker, who signed in November.

“Our staff did a great job of identifying these young ladies that have the right STUPH,” Lang-Montgomery said. “We are excited to welcome Mariah, JaMya, Olivia, Jaelyn and Jaci to our basketball family. As we went through the recruiting process, we felt each player aligned with the values of our program and that all would be committed to being great ambassadors for Lancer Nation. They each bring a unique skill set that will help us in our journey to win and compete for a Big South championship.” 

Jaci Bolden

5-7 | G

Conyers, Georgia/Greater Atlanta Christian School

Cape Fear Community College

Bolden, a junior-college transfer from Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina, helped the Sea Devils to a 25-4 record, advancing to the NJCAA Region 10 championship game as a sophomore in 2023-24. She tallied 20.9 points 4.1 rebounds and four assists per game as a sophomore after transferring from NCAA Division II Biola following her freshman campaign.

At Biola in La Mirada, Calif., she went for 4.6 points and 1.7 boards per game in 27 contests as the Eagles advanced to the PacWest Conference tournament.

Bolden prepped at the Greater Atlanta Christian School, graduating in 2022. She led her team to three state tournament appearances where it won in 2020 and was runner up in 2021 and 2022. She claimed all-region and all-state honors, scoring more than 1,000 career points.

Bolden averaged 17 points and four rebounds per game as a senior while receiving several academic awards including being named to the school’s principal’s list and honor roll as well as the National Honor Society, graduating magna cum laude.

Olivia Bowes

6-0 | G

Chesapeake/Catholic High School

Bowes comes to Longwood women’s basketball from Chesapeake, and Catholic High School after transferring from Great Bridge High School in 2023, ahead of her senior season. Bowes scored 1,562 career points in her prep career and was named to the all-Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools first team in 2024, helping Catholic to the semifinals of the VISAA state tournament. Bowes earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the end of the run.

Bowes averaged 16.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as a senior while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range, helping Catholic to a TCIS championship.

She captained the Crusaders while earning team Rookie of the Year as a freshman and MVP honors twice at Great Bridge.

Bowes also played AAU ball for Elevate Elite 17U and was an honor-roll student throughout high school.

Jaelyn Brown

5-9 | G/F

Suffolk/Lakeland High School

Bryant & Stratton

Brown comes to Farmville after playing the 2023-24 season at Bryant & Stratton College, an NJCAA Division II institution in Virginia Beach, Va. She helped the Bobcats to their first-ever national tournament appearance at 29-4, averaging 12.6 points while shooting nearly 38 percent from 3-point range in 32 games.

A four-year letterwinner at Lakeland High School in Suffolk, Va., she earned all-state, all-region and player of the year honors in her career.

Brown helped the Cavaliers to their first region title in history in 2020 on the way to being named to the all-Tidewater second team. She was named Class 3 Region A Player of the Year, averaging 15 points and seven rebounds per game, also landing on the all-southern district first team that season, as well.

Academically, Brown was an honor-roll student at Lakeland.

JaMya Robinson

5-11 | G/F

Muskegon, Michigan/Muskegon High School

Indian River State College

Robinson arrives at Longwood after stops at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas (2022-23) and Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Fla. (2023-24). She averaged 7.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in 31 contests and 24 starts at Independence. At Indian River she tallied 8.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as the Pioneers advanced the district quarterfinals.

Robinson captained Muskegon High School, also earning MVP honors.

Mariah Wilson

5-10 | G

Lancaster, Pennsylvania/Lancaster Mennonite High School

Towson

Wilson heads to the Longwood women’s basketball program after appearing in 61 games over three seasons at Towson, in including 25 and 24, respectively, in her final two years at the CAA school.

A 5-foot-10 guard, Wilson averaged 23.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game during her senior year at Lancaster Mennonite High School, earning a McDonald’s All-American game nomination.

Wilson is the Blazers’ all-time leading scorer with 1,830 career points.

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