PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State women's basketball head coach Kamie Ethridge has announced her first signee of the 2020 class, as Jessica Clarke from Saint Thomas Aquinas (BC) in North Vancouver, Canada has signed her National Letter of Intent to play for the Cougs.
The highly touted, 6-3 post player from North of the Border comes to the Palouse with a long list of accomplishments and is coming off a junior campaign that saw her average 21.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game for the Saints.
"It is with great excitement that we announce the signing of Jessica," said coach Ethridge. "She is a tough, strong and versatile player who brings great intensity and passion every minute she is on the floor." She has all the intrinsic and physical tools necessary to make an immediate impact in our program. As a committed, dedicated and high-character student-athlete, Jessica fits the Coug mold. She epitomizes hard work, and she compete with an edge and hunger that all great players possess."
In March, Clarke was selected to participate in the prestigious 2019 BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game, an annual showcase that features the top Canadian high school talent in Toronto. The 2019 BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game included the entire U17 Canadian World Cup Team, 14 players with international appearances for Team Canada, and fellow Class of 2020 signees to UCLA, Florida and Memphis. In the showcase, she scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds in 19 minutes of action to help her team collect a 112-78 victory.
"Jess adds the dimension of size and length to our front line," Ethridge added. "She combines a fundamentally strong back-to-the-basket game with the ability to face-up and shoot from the perimeter. Her agility, catch and pass skills, and her competitiveness all combine to make her a gifted and highly sought-after playmaking post player."
Since arriving at Saint Thomas Aquinas, she has guided the Saint Thomas Aquinas to 14 championship games, won two provincial championships, two British Columbia Catholic Championships and numerous North Shore, Vancouver and Lower Mainland district championships.
Washington State is off to a 2-0 start in year two under Coach Ethridge. The Cougs have collected back-to-back wins inside Beasley Coliseum over Pepperdine (85-48) and BYU (67-50) to get off to the program's first 2-0 start since the 2016-17 campaign.  WSU is back in action next Wednesday – Nov. 20 – as they make the trek east to Boise to take on the Broncos. Tip-off against Boise State is set for 4 p.m. PT.
