DAVIS, Calif. — A pair of high-scoring guards are the newest additions to the UC Davis women's basketball program as Head Coach
Jennifer Gross announced two student-athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and athletic careers with the Aggies during the NCAA's early signing period on Friday.
Evanne Turner, a 5-9 guard from Fontana, Calif., and Campbell Gray, a 5-10 guard from Tigard, Ore., will bolster the UC Davis backcourt in the coming seasons and will have four years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2019-20 school year..
"We are really excited to announce the addition of these two incredible student-athletes," Gross said. "Campbell and Evanne are extremely skilled and competitive, have great character and are very motivated academically. They are perfect fits for our program and will help us continue to build on the success that we've had in our program. We cannot wait for them to join our Aggie family."
Brief bios on each of the new Aggies are below.
UC Davis opens a two-game Pacific Northwest road trip on Friday (Nov. 16) at 4 p.m., taking on Portland State in the "Rose City." The Aggies then head to Pullman, Wash., on Sunday (Nov. 18) for a 1 p.m. tip off at Washington State.
EVANNE TURNER (5-9, Guard, Fontana, Calif. / Etiwanda HS, West Coast Premier EYBL)
Entering her senior season at Etiwanda HS in Fontana, Calif… Helped the Eagles to their 17th consecutive Baseline League title as a junior and reached the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Open Division bracket for the second straight year, finishing third in the section with a 25-6 overall record… Etiwanda HS has not lost a league game in Turner's three seasons, posting a 30-0 mark in Baseline League play in the last three seasons… Earned All-Baseline League first team honors as a sophomore and junior, and all-league second team honors as a freshman… First-team All-CIF Southern Section Open Division first team as a junior, averaging 23 points and six rebounds per game… Earned second team CIF honors as a sophomore, averaging 16 points and four rebounds… Also ran two years of track… Her parents are Everett and Bridget, and she has two older brothers: Everett, Jr., and Malcom… Intends to major in biology at UC Davis… Played for the West Coast Premier EYBL team.
Head Coach Jennifer Gross: "One of my favorite things about Evanne is how hard she competes. Evanne will be a lock down defender as well as a consistent scoring threat for us. She is a tremendous three-point shooter, can hit the mid-range jumper, and also finishes well at the rim. With her physicality and versatile skillset, Evanne will fit perfectly into our system. I know our fans will love watching her play the next four years while she earns a degree in biological sciences."
CAMPBELL GRAY (5-10, Guard, Tigard, Ore. / Tigard HS, Oregon Elite)
Entering her senior season at Tigard HS in Tigard, Ore., located 20 minutes outside of Portland… Has helped lead the Tigers to a trio of Three Rivers League titles, with a combined 71-15 record (45-3 in league play) in her three previous prep campaigns… Team finished second in the state Class 6A tournament as a freshman, following that up with a seventh-place finish as a sophomore and a fourth-place finish in her junior season… Averaged 14.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game as a junior, earning OSAA Class 6A All-State first team honors and Three Rivers League Player of the Year honors… Was named to the OSAA 6A State All-Tournament team and the Portland Interscholastic League Holiday Classic All-Tournament squad… Averaged 11.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game as a sophomore, earning all-league first team honors… Was a Class 6A State All-Tournament team selection and an honorable mention all-league choice as a freshman… Named one of the top underclassmen in Oregon high school basketball by Oregon Live… Parents are Robin and Dawn… Has two sisters: Mason and Sawyer… Intends to major in biomedical engineering at UC Davis… Has served as a youth basketball coach, academic tutor, and works with "Everybody Athletics" as an athletic trainer for adults with developmental disabilities… Helped her Oregon Elite club team to a first place finish at the Canadian Western Championships in 2016 and 2018, including earning tournament MVP honors in 2018.
Head Coach Jennifer Gross: "When our staff first saw Campbell play, we immediately knew she would be a perfect Aggie. Campbell has a very high basketball IQ, is extremely competitive, and is an exciting passer with great court vision. She loves to share the ball, but is also a skilled scorer who can stretch defenses with her outside shot. We are excited to help Campbell achieve all her basketball goals while she pursues an engineering degree at UC Davis."
2018 UC DAVIS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EARLY SIGNEES
Name (Height, Position, Hometown / Previous School, Club Team)
Evanne Turner (5-9, Guard, Fontana, Calif. / Etiwanda HS, West Coast Premier)
Campbell Gray (5-10, Guard, Tigard, Ore. / Tigard HS, Oregon Elite)
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
