WBB Inks Mississippi State Transfer Jacaira Allen
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head women’s basketball coach Katie Meier announced Monday the signing of Jacaira Allen, a transfer from Mississippi State.
A 5-foot, 10-inch guard, Allen joins the Hurricanes as a midyear enrollee and will be eligible to begin competition after the 2019 fall semester, at which point she will be a redshirt junior.
“We are excited to welcome ‘Iggy’ back home,” Meier said. “The experience she brings from a great program, Mississippi State, will make us better. We’ve always loved her athleticism, grit and high motor. We look forward to seeing her in orange and green.”
In Allen’s two years with the Bulldogs, they went 71-7 and made a pair of NCAA championship game appearances.
During the 2016-17 season, Allen played in 20 contests and averaged 2.7 points per game. She posted 10 points and a season-high six rebounds in her collegiate debut against Villanova. Allen logged a season-best 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting versus San Jose State.
After suffering an injury during preseason practice last year, Allen did not play during the 2017-18 season and earned a redshirt.
Allen had an illustrious prep career in South Florida at Dillard High School, where she was named a McDonald’s All-American Game nominee. ProspectsNation.com tabbed Allen as a four-star recruit and the No. 43 overall prospect in the 2016 class, including the ninth-best guard and fourth-best Floridian.
As a junior, Allen averaged 15.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, en route to Florida Dairy Farmers 5A Player of the Year and FABC/SourceHoops 5A First Team All-State honors. Dillard went 31-2, won the 5A state championship and reached the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals title game at Madison Square Garden.
A native of Pompano Beach, Fla., Allen was also the BCAA Big 8 Tournament MVP and the Sun Sentinel 5A-2A Broward County Player of the Year as a junior. In her senior season, she was a finalist for the Florida Dairy Farmers 6A Player of the Year distinction.
Allen will be the third South Floridian on the Hurricanes’ roster this season, joining sophomore guard Kelsey Marshall (Davie) and redshirt junior forward Beatrice Mompremier (Miami).
In addition to adding Allen, Miami signed three top-100 recruits in the early signing period: guard Yasmeen Chang, forward Brianna Jackson and center Sydnee Roby.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
