20 Apr 2022 UCA women’s basketball adds two

Posted at 4:59 PMh in Sports by

CONWAY — The Central Arkansas women’s basketball team announces a couple of additions to the team, signing a pair of transfers making their returns to the state of Arkansas. Transferring in from Mercer, Kinley Fisher makes her return to the Natural State as a three-level scorer, as well as Kayla Mitchell from Jonesboro, joining the squad from Lamar.

Fisher, from Greenwood, Ark., joins the Sugar Bears after a year at Mercer, by way of Greenwood HS. While at Greenwood, she set the school’s all-time record for points scored, netting 1,825 points in her four-year prep career. She was a three-time all-state performer and the Arkansas State 5A MVP, winning a state championship in 2020. During her senior season, she averaged 20.8 points per game while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Although she played a smaller role as a freshman at Mercer, she was part of a team that went 23-7 overall, 13-1 in Southern Conference play, winning a Southern championship and making the NCAA Tournament.

“We are so excited to have Kinley joining our Sugar Bear program and coming back to the state of Arkansas to continue her career. Kinley is a three-point treat but can also score in a variety of ways,” Head coach Sandra Rushing said of Fisher. “She was a part of winning programs at Greenwood and Mercer, so she knows what it takes to win at a high level, and we cannot wait to get her on campus.”

Also joining Central Arkansas, Mitchell signed from Southland program Lamar from Jonesboro HS in Jonesboro, Ark. A starting point guard with the Cardinals, Mitchell was known for her boundless energy and defensive IQ. Leading the team in assists with 84 and ranking second on the team with 28 steals, Mitchell proved time and time again that scoring isn’t the only way to positively impact a basketball team.

With Mitchell leading the charge, the Lamar defense held opponents to 61.4 points per game, holding opponents to 29 percent shooting from three. Her team also averaged more assists than their opponents and forced 16.2 turnovers per game.

“Kayla is another Arkansas girl who decided to come home and her decision will benefit our program. The way she contributes on both ends of the floor with her defense and the way she creates for others will be huge for us,” Rushing said of Mitchell. “Kayla plays with a lot of energy and enthusiasm on both ends of the floor and that will translate well for us next season.”

The pair joins four other signees for the Sugar Bears this offseason as the team looks to build off of last season’s inaugural campaign in the ASUN.