PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State Women's Basketball Head Coach Kamie Ethridge announced a trio of signees on the first day of the National Signing Period. Jenna Villa, Alex Covill, and Candace Kpetikou have each inked a National Letter of Intent to join the Cougars next season.
After back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, Ethridge has reigned in arguably one of her best signing classes at Washington State, as the Cougars are bringing in a trio of highly touted prospects to the Palouse. It is also one of the tallest signing classes in program history, as the average height of the three newest Cougs is 6-3.
"I want to welcome Jenna Villa, Candace Kpetikou and Alex Covill to the Coug Family," said Ethridge. "These three young ladies are outstanding student-athletes who have competed and excelled on-and-off the court throughout their high school careers. This class is adding talented pieces to our program that will be key ingredients to our continued rise as a perennial top-15 program in the nation. With the signing of these three players, our program is adding tremendous talent, depth, work ethic, passion and unique individual strengths. Help us welcome our three newest Cougs!"
Jenna Villa | 6-1 | G | Arlington, Wash. (Arlington HS/Tree of Hope)
Villa comes to the Cougars as one of the most touted prospects to sign with Washington State under Ethridge. The 6-1 guard from Arlington, Washington is ranked as the No. 68-best prospect in the Class of 2023 by both espnW and is a four-star prospect according to HoopGurlz Recruiting.
Villa has played the last four seasons at Arlington High School in Arlington, Washington and she averaged 20.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game as a junior. The 6-1 guard was named the 3A/2A Wesco Player of the Year last season after leading the Eagles to the third-place game of the 2022 WIAA 3A State Tournament. In addition, Villa was named to the WIAA 3A All-State second team and was the 2021-22 Everett Herald Player of the Year. The guard has displayed limitless range from behind the arc during her prep career, as she drilled a school-record 10 3-point field goals in a single game last season. Villa shot 36 percent from behind during her junior season. Her career-best for points scored in a game at the prep level is 34, while her career-high for rebounds in a single game is 17.
The Arlington, Washington native played club ball for Tree of Hope out of Newcastle, Washington, which is under the direction of Maurice Hines.
Coach Ethridge on Jenna Villa: "Jenna Villa is one of the premier shooters in the entire country. We targeted Jenna as a player when she was in eighth grade. Jenna has played in the elite EYBL summer circuit for Tree of Hope, and was coached by former a Coug assistant coach, Maurice Hines. This kind of competition has prepared Jenna for college basketball. Jenna has size, touch, IQ and versatility. She is a fearless competitor that will bring a much-needed skill and talent. Our fans will love her shooting touch, deep range, and competitive mindset."
Alex Covill | 6-6 | C | Missoula, Mont. (Hellgate HS/Northwest Blazers)
Covill comes to the Palouse from Missoula, Montana, where she is currently a senior at Hellgate High School. The 6-6 post player is a two-time first-time all-state recipient and has guided Hellgate to back-to-back state runner-up finishes during her sophomore and junior seasons. Covill was also named the 2021-22 Western AA Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 3.0 blocks per game.
Covill led all of Montana in field goal percentage last season, hitting 72.9 percent of her shot attempts from the floor, and also led the state in points per field goal attempt at 1.79. During her junior season with the Knights, Covill ranked fifth in the state of Montana in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game. The 6-6 post player has demonstrated plenty of touch of her shot, as she ranked 11th in Montana in free throw percentage last season, hitting 70.9 percent of her shots from the charity stripe.
The Missoula, Montana native played her club ball for the Northwest Blazers out of Spokane, Washington, and played under coach Steve Klees.
Coach Ethridge on Alex Covill: "Alex Covill is a tremendous talent. Her 6-6 frame will allow us to match up with many Pac-12 teams that have had a size advantage over us. Alex has become one of the best post players in our region of the country. Alex played summer ball for highly successful Steve Klees and the Northwest Blazers. She has a beautiful outside shot that we believe will stretch to 3-point range. Alex's best basketball years are ahead of her. She will be a force in the paint with her ability to score with both hands. Signing a 6-6 player that can score with her back to the basket, facing the basket, and affect the game defensively will add a new and exciting weapon to our post game. Our fans will enjoy watching Alex protect the rim and block shots throughout her career as a Coug."
Candace Kpetikou | 6-3 | C | Niamey, Niger (Saint Joseph HS/Team Taurasi)
Kpetikou comes to the Palouse from Santa Maria, California, where she currently plays for Saint Joseph High School. The 6-3 post player was born in Niger but was raised in Benin.
Over her 48-game career at Saint Joseph, Kpetikou has averaged 12.5 points and 15.7 rebounds per game, to go along with 2.1 blocks per contest. She has had six games with 20-or-more rebounds during her prep career and has 21 career double-doubles.
During her junior season at Saint Joseph, Kpetikou averaged 9.8 points and 9.5 caroms per game, while shooting 55 percent from the floor. She scored double-digit points in 12 games and has registered a career-high of 28 points. Those numbers helped the 6-4 post player earn All-CIF first-team honors after picking up a second-team all-league honor as a sophomore. During her sophomore season, Kpetikou pulled down a career-best 25 rebounds in a game. As a junior, she pulled down double-digit rebounds in 10 games.
The Niamey, Niger native played her club ball for Team Taurasi out of California and played under coach George Quintero.
Coach Ethridge on Candace Kpetikou: "Candace Kpetikou is a 6-3 post player that will remind our fans of Bella Murekatete. Candace has only played basketball for five years and her growth and development from Benin to St. Joseph High School in California is nothing short of amazing. She had the opportunity to play for George Quintero and Team Taurasi in the EYBL Summer Circuit. Candace has great hands, runs well, has fantastic defensive instincts and a huge upside in all phases of the game. Candace loves the thought of coming into our program with the opportunity to learn from a fifth-year senior in Bella Murekatete. Candace is a versatile and athletic post who likes to be physical and impose her will."
Washington State opened the 2022-23 season with a 93-41 victory over LMU this past Monday, Nov. 7, at Beasley Coliseum. The 52-point win is WSU's largest margin of victory in the Ethridge Era.
The Cougars return to action this Friday, November 11, when they head to the Bay Area to play the University of San Francisco. Tip-off against the Dons is set for 1 p.m. PT and will stream live on WCCSports.com.
For more information on the Washington State women's basketball team, follow @WSUCougarWBB on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
