
Beach Women’s Basketball Inks Four To National Letters Of Intent
4/18/2024 5:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Beach add JaQuoia Brown, Rachel Loobie, Tairat Samuel, and Haley Wright to the roster for the 2024-25 season
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Wright announced the signing of four players on Wednesday. The Beach have inked three incoming freshmen in JaQuoia Brown, Tairat Samuel, and Haley Wright, while adding graduate transfer Rachel Loobie for the 2024-25 season.
"I am so excited to welcome this staff's first recruiting class to the Beach," Wright said. "In addition to Mykelle Richards, these young women provide a variety of skills, athleticism, and high basketball IQ to add to our program. Our vision is still wanting to play fast on offense and defend in a gritty, pesky manner. These women have embraced that vision and are ready to contribute and grow our program for the 2024-25 season. I am honored to welcome JaQuoia, Haley, Tairat, and Rachel to the Beach Family."
JaQuoia Brown | Fr. | Guard | 5-6 | Atlanta, Ga. | Westlake HS
Brown is a 5-foot-6 guard who prepped at Westlake High School in Atlanta where she was a three-time All-State First Team selection, two-time All-Region First Team honoree, and a Second Team All-Regional selection. Originally from West Palm Beach, Fla., Brown was raised in Atlanta and made a name for herself playing both high school girl's basketball, Zone 6 in the club circuit, and for the U17 National Team.
During her high school career, Brown garnered numerous awards such as Best Scorer, Outstanding Warrior, Offensive Player of the Game, Defensive Player of the Game, as well as MVP of the 10th grade girl's basketball championship. A three-time All-Tournament MVP, Brown reached 1,000 career points in her junior year at Westlake and led the Lions in rebounding multiple times. At Westlake, she led her team to the State Championship in her freshman year. She was named Player of the Championship Game. She finished her rookie season with the Lions averaging 17.5 points per game. Brown went on to average 18.5 points per game as a sophomore, before averaging 24.1 points per game as a junior.
Rachel Loobie | Gr. | Forward | 6-1 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Franklin Central HS (Wright State)
Loobie is Long Beach State's lone transfer student in the signing class. She comes to the Beach after playing two years at Central Michigan and two years at Wright State. The 6-foot-1 forward is coming off of a Horizon League Championship Semifinal appearance after a senior season in which she led the Raiders in rebounds per game (6.8) and averaged 8.8 points per game. She also contributed 45 assists, 39 blocks, and 29 steals a year ago.
Loobie prepped at Franklin Central High School where she wrapped her career as the Flashes' all-time leading rebounder (773) and was second on the all-time scoring list (1,396). She averaged 20.1 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game in her senior year at Franklin Central. Loobie conclude her prep career with an AP All-State recognition in 2019 and was a four-time Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State selection. A member of the IBCA Supreme 15 Senior team in 2020, Lobbie was a four-time All-Conference honoree and helped lead the Flash to a team sectional championship in 2020.
Tairat Samuel | Fr. | Point Guard | 5-7 | Stockholm, Sweden | Fryshuset Gymnasium
Samuel comes to Long Beach State all the way from Stockholm, Sweden where the point guard prepped at Fryshuset Gymnasium and played for the U18 National Team. In her time with the National Team, Samuel averaged 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game.
Haley Wright | Fr. | Center | 6-3 | Valencia, Spain | Valencia Basketball Club
Wright is an incoming freshman who comes to the Beach from Valencia, Spain where she played center for the Valencia Basketball Club and Great Britain U16. In the FIBA European championships with Great Britain, she averaged 10.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 2023. While playing with the U16 Spanish National Team, Wright was named Day 2 MVP and put up 19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
In addition, Wright was named to the 2018 Singapore JNBA Team. In 2021, she helped the U14 Spanish National Team win a silver medal. In 2023, Wright was named to the All-Star Team at the Barcelona Famers Tournament, before being named MVP for the U16 squad. While with the U16 team, Wright helped the squad reach the State Finals in 2023 where she was named MVP. Rounding out her accolades in 2023, Wright helped the U18 Spanish National Team win a bronze medal.
Brown, Loobie, Samuel, and Wright join incoming freshman forward Mykelle Richards, who signed with the Beach last November. Since signing with Long Beach, Richards has helped Etiwanda High School capture the 2024 CIF Southern Section Championship, after the Eagles claimed the 2024 CIF Southern Section Region Championship, CIF State Championship, and MaxPreps National Championship. The CIF Southern Section Defensive Player of the Year was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Open Division Second Team after averaging 7.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 4.3 steals per game.
"I am so excited to welcome this staff's first recruiting class to the Beach," Wright said. "In addition to Mykelle Richards, these young women provide a variety of skills, athleticism, and high basketball IQ to add to our program. Our vision is still wanting to play fast on offense and defend in a gritty, pesky manner. These women have embraced that vision and are ready to contribute and grow our program for the 2024-25 season. I am honored to welcome JaQuoia, Haley, Tairat, and Rachel to the Beach Family."
JaQuoia Brown | Fr. | Guard | 5-6 | Atlanta, Ga. | Westlake HS
Brown is a 5-foot-6 guard who prepped at Westlake High School in Atlanta where she was a three-time All-State First Team selection, two-time All-Region First Team honoree, and a Second Team All-Regional selection. Originally from West Palm Beach, Fla., Brown was raised in Atlanta and made a name for herself playing both high school girl's basketball, Zone 6 in the club circuit, and for the U17 National Team.
During her high school career, Brown garnered numerous awards such as Best Scorer, Outstanding Warrior, Offensive Player of the Game, Defensive Player of the Game, as well as MVP of the 10th grade girl's basketball championship. A three-time All-Tournament MVP, Brown reached 1,000 career points in her junior year at Westlake and led the Lions in rebounding multiple times. At Westlake, she led her team to the State Championship in her freshman year. She was named Player of the Championship Game. She finished her rookie season with the Lions averaging 17.5 points per game. Brown went on to average 18.5 points per game as a sophomore, before averaging 24.1 points per game as a junior.
Rachel Loobie | Gr. | Forward | 6-1 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Franklin Central HS (Wright State)
Loobie is Long Beach State's lone transfer student in the signing class. She comes to the Beach after playing two years at Central Michigan and two years at Wright State. The 6-foot-1 forward is coming off of a Horizon League Championship Semifinal appearance after a senior season in which she led the Raiders in rebounds per game (6.8) and averaged 8.8 points per game. She also contributed 45 assists, 39 blocks, and 29 steals a year ago.
Loobie prepped at Franklin Central High School where she wrapped her career as the Flashes' all-time leading rebounder (773) and was second on the all-time scoring list (1,396). She averaged 20.1 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game in her senior year at Franklin Central. Loobie conclude her prep career with an AP All-State recognition in 2019 and was a four-time Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State selection. A member of the IBCA Supreme 15 Senior team in 2020, Lobbie was a four-time All-Conference honoree and helped lead the Flash to a team sectional championship in 2020.
Tairat Samuel | Fr. | Point Guard | 5-7 | Stockholm, Sweden | Fryshuset Gymnasium
Samuel comes to Long Beach State all the way from Stockholm, Sweden where the point guard prepped at Fryshuset Gymnasium and played for the U18 National Team. In her time with the National Team, Samuel averaged 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game.
Haley Wright | Fr. | Center | 6-3 | Valencia, Spain | Valencia Basketball Club
Wright is an incoming freshman who comes to the Beach from Valencia, Spain where she played center for the Valencia Basketball Club and Great Britain U16. In the FIBA European championships with Great Britain, she averaged 10.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 2023. While playing with the U16 Spanish National Team, Wright was named Day 2 MVP and put up 19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
In addition, Wright was named to the 2018 Singapore JNBA Team. In 2021, she helped the U14 Spanish National Team win a silver medal. In 2023, Wright was named to the All-Star Team at the Barcelona Famers Tournament, before being named MVP for the U16 squad. While with the U16 team, Wright helped the squad reach the State Finals in 2023 where she was named MVP. Rounding out her accolades in 2023, Wright helped the U18 Spanish National Team win a bronze medal.
Brown, Loobie, Samuel, and Wright join incoming freshman forward Mykelle Richards, who signed with the Beach last November. Since signing with Long Beach, Richards has helped Etiwanda High School capture the 2024 CIF Southern Section Championship, after the Eagles claimed the 2024 CIF Southern Section Region Championship, CIF State Championship, and MaxPreps National Championship. The CIF Southern Section Defensive Player of the Year was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Open Division Second Team after averaging 7.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 4.3 steals per game.
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