STATESBORO - Georgia Southern Head Women's Basketball Coach Anita Howard today announced the addition of three new student-athletes who will join the Eagles for the upcoming 2023-24 campaign.

6-1 guard/forward Zaria Johnson (Houston, Texas / Gulf Coast State College), 5-8 guard Torrion Starks (Hartwell, Ga. / East Georgia State College) and 6-3 forward Kayla Thomas (Beltsville, Md. / Penn State) will all suit up for the Eagles this Fall, joining a squad that went 21-11 a season ago, the first 20-win season for Georgia Southern in 20 years.

These three transfers join a pair of incoming freshman - Kanija Daniel and Liv Fuller - to round out the 2023-24 recruiting class for Coach Howard and the Eagles.

Read about the three newest Eagles below!

Zaria Johnson
6-1 • Guard/Forward
Houston, Texas / Gulf Coast State College

Started all 30 games at Gulf Coast State as a sophomore in 2022-23 ... Averaged 10.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game ... Reached double figures 18 times ... Scored a season-high 23 points vs. Tallahassee CC on February 22 ... Played in four games as a freshman at the University of Virginia in 2020-21 ... Ranked No. 37 at her position by ESPNW ... Averaged 13.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during her senior season at Hightower HS.

Coach Howard: "Adding another bucket-getter was a top recruiting priority for us this offseason, and I believe we've found that in Zaria. She is a legit three-level scorer that has played in the ACC and in the country's toughest junior college conference."

 

Torrion Starks
5-8 • Guard
Hartwell, Ga. / East Georgia State College

Started 26 games for the Lady Bobcats in 2022-23 ... Averaged 19.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game ... Scored double digits in 25 of 26 games and reached 20+ points in 15 games, including 11 straight games from January 25-March 3 ... Scored more than 2,000 points at Hart County HS in her career ... Earned First Team All-Region and Player of the Year honors for the Bulldogs ... Averaged 27.8 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game as a senior ... Holds the all-time scoring record at Hart County HS.

Coach Howard: "At Georgia Southern, we play fast, and we feel like we have just added one of the fastest players in the country to our roster in Torrion. She is an electric playmaker who will make an immediate impact on our team this season."

 

Kayla Thomas
6-3 • Forward
Beltsville, Md. / Penn State

Played for two years at Penn State University ... Played in 17 games as a sophomore in 2022-23, scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in 100 minutes of action ... Scored a season-high seven points at Maryland on January 30 ... Played in 18 games as a freshman in 2021-22, scoring 32 points and grabbing 25 rebounds in 134 minutes of action ... Scored a career-high eight points at Purdue on February 9 ... Helped Emerge Christian Academy 76-13 record and a pair of district championships over her three full seasons…Named MVP of the She Got Game Classic Tournament in 2020 … Named team captain ahead of 2020-21 high school season … Ranked as the No. 9 post player in the Class of 2021 and #72 overall player in the class by Girls Basketball Report … Ranked as the No. 90 overall player in the Class of 2021 by ASGR

Coach Howard: "Kayla will be a huge addition to our frontcourt. She has played on some of the biggest stages in basketball, both in high school and in the Big 10. Her maturity and personality will make her a star on and off the court here at Georgia Southern!"