PULLMAN, Wash. (May 18, 2023) – Washington State Women's Basketball Head Coach Kamie Ethridge announced the addition of graduate transfer Beyonce Bea, who joins the defending Pac-12 Champions after an illustrious career at nearby Idaho. She will have one year of eligibility at Washington State.
"This is a great day for Washington State Women's basketball," Ethridge expressed. "I am so excited to introduce Beyonce Bea to the Coug Nation. At Idaho, Beyonce established herself as the premier scorer in the highly respected Big Sky Conference. Her leadership skills, work ethic, experience, maturity, and toughness are extremely impressive. Her skill set is one we expect will mirror that of vacated Coug great and graduate, Ula Motuga. Beyonce's ability to score is impressive. She can shoot the three has a tremendous high-post game, and can both score and defend with her back to the basket."
Beyonce Bea, pronounced Be-Ontz Bee, is from Washougal, Washington. She makes the eight-mile trek from Moscow to Pullman after putting together one of the most decorated careers in Idaho women's basketball history. Bea is Idaho's third all-time leading scorer after amassing 1,938 points during her four-year career with the Vandals. She also pulled down 886 rebounds during her Idaho career. Bea enters the 2023-24 season sixth out of all active NCAA Division I players in career points and 10th in career rebounds.
"Her versatility, fundamentals, and work ethic are outstanding. Beyonce is more than ready to help our team reach new heights," added Ethridge. "She will play the 'stretch four position' for our 23-24 squad and I am confident in her ability to impact winning. Beyonce is a perfect addition to our program both on the court and off. She truly exemplifies the title 'exceptional student-athlete' and I can't wait to see her competing in a Coug uniform!"
The newest Coug is coming off a prolific 2022-23 season, one in which she ranked inside the top 15 in the NCAA in five offensive categories. Bea was the second-leading scorer in the transfer portal after she led the Big Sky in scoring last season at 22.8 points per game. Her scoring average ranked sixth nationally, while she also ranked 10th in all of NCAA Division I with 685 points while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor along the way. Bea ranked seventh nationally in offensive efficiency last season, putting up 1.03 points per possession with the Vandals.
Bea scored a career-high 40 points on two occasions during her Vandal career, first at Portland State on March 3, 2022, then again at Montana on Feb. 27, 2023. She and Charlisse Leger-Walker were two of only 17 players to score 40 points in a game last season. With Bea's addition, Washington State now becomes the only program in NCAA Division I to have two players on its roster who recorded 40-point games last season.
Bea ranked third in the Big Sky in rebounding last season, averaging 8.4 caroms per contest. She brings 26 career double-doubles with her to Washington State, 11 of which she collected during the 2022-23 season. Last season, Bea scored 25 points and pulled down 10 rebounds at Utah and followed that up with a 19-point performance vs the Cal Bears. She has nearly averaged a double-double against Power 5 teams during her collegiate career, putting up 12.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in nine career contests against Power 5 foes.
Bea joins a veteran Washington State women's basketball team that is coming off the program's first Pac-12 title in program history. The Cougars return four starters from last season's team, including three-time All-American Charlisse Leger-Walker and All-Pac-12 Tournament selection Bella Murekatete. Washington State won a program-best 23 games in 2022-23.
Bea becomes the fourth addition to the Washington State women's basketball team this season, joining incoming freshmen Alex Covill (6-6/C/Missoula, Mont.), Candance Kpetikou (6-3/C/Niamey, Niger) and Jenna Villa (6-1/G/Arlington, Wash.). Click here for more information on WSU's three early signees for the 2023-24 signing class.
Season tickets for the 2023-24 Washington State women's basketball season are now on sale at WSUCougars.com or by calling the WSU Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-COUGS.
For more information on the Washington State women's basketball team, follow @WSUCougarsWBB on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
