Boston College Athletics
Bernabei-McNamee Adds Two For the 2019-20 Season
November 14, 2018 | Women's Basketball
Batts, Konkwo will join Eagles program in 2019.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Two players signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Boston College women's basketball team for the 2019-20 season, as announced today by first-year head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee. This is officially Coach Bernabei-McNamee's first signed class.
Jaelyn Alona Batts (South Riding, Virginia) and Chinenya Akunna Konkwo (Alexandria, Virginia) will be added to the Eagles' ranks next season.
"Akunna and Jaelyn are both great teammates and well-rounded young women,'' said Coach Bernabei-McNamee. "They have outstanding character and possess positive values, which we expect from our BC women's basketball student-athletes."
Batts is a 6-foot small forward from Freedom High School in South Riding, Virginia. She was an All-State first team and Player of the Conference as a junior and sophomore. Batts was an All-Conference first team honoree as a freshman, second team All-State and was the Player of the Year on the All-Potomac District basketball team. She was also a 2017-18 All-NOVA junior girls team honoree.
She averaged 18 points a game as she led the Eagles to 27 victories in 2017-18. She notched her 1,000th career point as a junior.
Batts plays for Coach Teddy Whitney and the Virginia Lady Storm out of Northern Virginia.
"Jaelyn excels in a fast-paced system and is a versatile scorer that has the athleticism to play the guard and stretch forward positions,'' said Bernabei-McNamee. "She is a competitor that is used to winning. I am eager to see her grow as a player and expecting her to be a solid contributor to our program."
Konkwo is a 6-foot-3 center from Alexandria, Virginia. She plays at Bishop Ireton High School and is ranked by ESPN as the No. 18 center in the class of 2019. Konkwo is also ranked in the Top 100 by ProspectsNation.com. She averaged a double-double last season – 19 points, 15 rebounds a game and helped Ireton to a 22-10 record. The team finished ranked second in the region.
In a victory over DeMatha in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) quarterfinal last year, Konkwo scored 16 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Against St. Paul's, Konkwo had 15 points and 20 rebounds.
A 2017-18 All-NOVA first team selection, Konkwo was a first team WCAC honoree from her freshman to junior season. Konkwo has been an All-State first team selection all three years.
She surpassed 1,000 points in her sophomore season and now has over 1,500 career points and 1,000 rebounds. As a sophomore, Konkwo once scored 41 points in a game. She finished the season averaging, 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game.
Konkwo played for Boo Williams last summer and played for PSPA as a freshman and sophomore. She was named to the USA TODAY High School Sports American Family Insurance ALL-USA Virginia Girls Basketball second team.
"Akunna has great size and strength inside. Her athleticism, soft shooting touch and willingness to run the floor will add depth to our interior game. I am very excited to watch her develop into a dominant player for us,'' said Coach Bernabei-McNamee.
The current Boston College roster has three juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen. The 2-0 Eagles will host Holy Cross on Thursday in the annual Field Trip Day game at 11:30 a.m.
Jaelyn Alona Batts (South Riding, Virginia) and Chinenya Akunna Konkwo (Alexandria, Virginia) will be added to the Eagles' ranks next season.
"Akunna and Jaelyn are both great teammates and well-rounded young women,'' said Coach Bernabei-McNamee. "They have outstanding character and possess positive values, which we expect from our BC women's basketball student-athletes."
Batts is a 6-foot small forward from Freedom High School in South Riding, Virginia. She was an All-State first team and Player of the Conference as a junior and sophomore. Batts was an All-Conference first team honoree as a freshman, second team All-State and was the Player of the Year on the All-Potomac District basketball team. She was also a 2017-18 All-NOVA junior girls team honoree.
She averaged 18 points a game as she led the Eagles to 27 victories in 2017-18. She notched her 1,000th career point as a junior.
Batts plays for Coach Teddy Whitney and the Virginia Lady Storm out of Northern Virginia.
"Jaelyn excels in a fast-paced system and is a versatile scorer that has the athleticism to play the guard and stretch forward positions,'' said Bernabei-McNamee. "She is a competitor that is used to winning. I am eager to see her grow as a player and expecting her to be a solid contributor to our program."
Konkwo is a 6-foot-3 center from Alexandria, Virginia. She plays at Bishop Ireton High School and is ranked by ESPN as the No. 18 center in the class of 2019. Konkwo is also ranked in the Top 100 by ProspectsNation.com. She averaged a double-double last season – 19 points, 15 rebounds a game and helped Ireton to a 22-10 record. The team finished ranked second in the region.
In a victory over DeMatha in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) quarterfinal last year, Konkwo scored 16 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Against St. Paul's, Konkwo had 15 points and 20 rebounds.
A 2017-18 All-NOVA first team selection, Konkwo was a first team WCAC honoree from her freshman to junior season. Konkwo has been an All-State first team selection all three years.
She surpassed 1,000 points in her sophomore season and now has over 1,500 career points and 1,000 rebounds. As a sophomore, Konkwo once scored 41 points in a game. She finished the season averaging, 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game.
Konkwo played for Boo Williams last summer and played for PSPA as a freshman and sophomore. She was named to the USA TODAY High School Sports American Family Insurance ALL-USA Virginia Girls Basketball second team.
"Akunna has great size and strength inside. Her athleticism, soft shooting touch and willingness to run the floor will add depth to our interior game. I am very excited to watch her develop into a dominant player for us,'' said Coach Bernabei-McNamee.
The current Boston College roster has three juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen. The 2-0 Eagles will host Holy Cross on Thursday in the annual Field Trip Day game at 11:30 a.m.
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