COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The Maryland women's basketball team will welcome a top 10 freshman class in the country next season, head coach Brenda Frese announced Wednesday.
Frese and her staff signed five top recruits that make up the No. 7-ranked class in the country, as ranked by ESPN. Summer Bostock (Toronto, Ontario), Hawa Doumbouya (Bronx, N.Y.), Emily Fisher (Libertyville, Ill.), Riley Nelson (Clarksburg, Md.) and Amiyah Reynolds (South Bend, Ind). make up one of the top classes in the country.
Nelson is ranked No. 17 overall by Blue Star Basketball and No. 18 by ESPN. Reynolds is also a top-50 signee. She is ranked No. 35 overall by Blue Star and No. 43 by ESPN. Fisher is ranked No. 80 by ESPN.
"I can't say enough about how hard our staff, Karen Blair, Lindsey Spann, Kaitlynn Fratz, worked on signing another Top 10 class to our program,” Frese said. “I appreciate their tireless work ethic to make it all come together. This class addresses many of our needs on our roster and will continue to provide depth and versatility to impact our program.”
This is the 16th top 10 recruiting class signed by Frese in her 21 years at Maryland. Frese brought in the top recruiting class in 2016 and 2019 and she signed the nation's No. 2 recruiting class in 2007, 2010 and 2018.
SUMMER BOSTOCK
Guard ● 6-1
Toronto, Ontario ● King’s Christian Collegiate
Bostock averaged 27.3 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists this past season. She averaged 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for Canada in the 2021 FIBA Under-16 Women’s Americas Championship.
Played AAU with Become One.
Frese on Bostock: “Summer is extremely skilled and can make big shots. She is a scorer with deep range. She has a high motor so her intensity will allow her to impact both ends of the floor. She has a tireless work ethic that loves to get in the gym.”
Bostock on Maryland: “I love the family environment. I want to win in a competitive environment.”
Zelimir Stevanovic (Kings Christian) on Bostock: “When I first saw Summer in seventh or eighth grade, I thought she was the most unique basketball talent I’ve seen in years. She has an amazing work ethic and dedication, which is hard to find in girls basketball. When you get to know her, you quickly realize she has a special personality. She is very observant and smart. She is really a great kid off the court. She’s a WNBA talent.”
HAWA DOUMBOUYA
Post ● 6-5
Bronx, N.Y. ● Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Doumbouya plays at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where she averaged 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks last season. She helped her team win the IAAM B conference Championship in 2022.
Doumbouya played AAU with Team Thrill and Team Takeover.
Frese on Doumbouya: “Hawa gives us a much needed post presence inside at 6-5. She has good hands and will be able to help us in the paint defensively. She has a huge upside and it will be exciting to watch her grow and develop with us.”
Doumbouya on Maryland: “I loved the environment and how I instantly felt the love and family.”
Ron James (Team Takeover) on Doumbouya: “Hawa is a young lady that every coach would love to coach. She always thinks about others first, sometimes to a fault. Hawa wants to be coached and has a deep understanding of the discipline it takes to be great on and off the court. She is the type of person and teammate that everyone gravitates to but don’t let that huge smile fool you. At 6-5 ,she can snatch down a ferocious rebound or set a mean screen to get her teammates open.
Hawa's decision to attend Maryland was simple...staying home and playing in front of her support base (family and friends). Hawa was also super excited about Coach Frese and her staff's plan to help her reach or exceed her potential on and off the court.”
EMILY FISHER
Guard ● 6-0
Libertyville, Ill. ● Libertyville High School
Ranked the No. 80 overall recruit by ESPN, Fisher has played three years of varsity at Libertyville so far. As a junior, Fisher was named Conference Player of the Year. That year, she earned 4A First Team All-State, First Team All Conference, First Team All Area honors. In her career so far, she’s averaged 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. She was named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Week. Fisher picked up nine double-doubles and two triple-doubles as a junior and became the Libertyville High School all-time block leader with 100. She was named an Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year candidate.
Fisher played AAU for the Wolverinas.
Frese on Fisher: “Emily is a versatile wing/forward who will fill many roles on our team. She has the size, skill, IQ and scoring to play any position on the floor. She is also very tough and will bring a strong presence on the glass and on the floor.”
Fisher on Maryland: “I decided to come to Maryland because I knew I found my second home. I also chose Maryland because I am playing to win and Maryland knows how to do that.”
Chris Kipley (Wolverinas) on Fisher: “It’s been an absolute honor to coach Emily and watch her grow up over the past decade. She has always been incredibly mature. That maturity has led to an unselfish style of play where she has always used her incredible court vision to make passes many players would never see. Coupled with her physical strength, Emily has been a standout since the first time she stepped on a court. I think that Emily’s physical capabilities make her an excellent fit for the Maryland basketball program and their style of play.”
RILEY NELSON
Guard ● 6-1
Clarksburg, Md. ● The Bullis School
A five-star recruit, Nelson is the No. 17-ranked incoming freshman overall by Blue Star Basketball and No. 18 by ESPN. She was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. She averaged 17.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.6 blocks per game last season. Nelson earned 4A First Team All-State and First Team All County honors as a junior. She was a Team USA Finalist and led her team to the 2019 and 2022 Regional titles and the 2022 Montgomery County championship. Nelson led her team to a runner-up finish in the 2022 State Championship.
Nelson played AAU for the Fairfax Stars.
Frese on Nelson: “Riley is an extremely versatile player who will be able to defend with her length, rebound and score in a variety of ways. She is athletic so she can get to the rim, pull-up and shoot the 3. She is a high motor player that will impact both ends of the floor.
Nelson on Maryland: “I came to Maryland for the family atmosphere. I really felt like Maryland was going to be my home away from home. Maryland gives me the feeling that I just belong here.”
Aggie McCormick-Dix (Fairfax Stars) on Nelson: “Riley Nelson is not only an exceptional basketball player but an exceptional person. Riley loves Maryland and the staff especially coach Frese. The DMV, including me, are excited to be able to see her in action for the next four years at home.”
AMIYAH REYNOLDS
Point Guard ● 6-0
South Bend, Ind. ● South Bend Washington High School
A four-star recruit, Reynolds is ranked No. 35 overall by Blue Star and No. 43 by ESPN. She averaged 10.0 points, 6.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game as a junior. Reynolds earned All-NIC Honorable Mention honors in her first three seasons. She was named to the Indiana Junior All-Star Team and to IBCA’s Supreme 15.
Reynolds played AAU for Michigan Crossover and Legends U.
Frese on Reynolds: “Amiyah, whose sister Mila is here, is a big guard who has tremendous court vision. She led her high school team last season to a state title. She is a skilled play maker with a high IQ and a nice pull-up jumper.”
Reynolds on Maryland: “I love the family atmosphere at Maryland and feel like the coaches really care about me. I enjoy playing with my sister, too!”
Bryce McKey (Legends U) on Reynolds: “Amiyah Reynolds is the epitome of a true floor leader. She will do whatever her team needs from her to win and makes everyone around her better. Amiyah is skilled offensively at all three levels and her length defensively causes problems for opponents. The thing that sets Amiyah apart is her high level basketball IQ. Simply put, Amiyah has won championships at every level and I would expect nothing different from her under the direction of Coach Frese!”
