June 4, 2009

Fort Wayne, IN - IPFW signed former Kokomo star, Indiana/Kentucky All-Star and the 2008-09 Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year Kayla Drake to compete for the Mastodons starting in 2010-11, after sitting out one year for the NCAA's residency requirements.

"We are thrilled to have Kayla joining our basketball program," said IPFW head women's basketball coach Chris Paul. "She is an Indiana kid who made a name for herself at Kokomo High School, and then went on to have an outstanding freshman season at Eastern Kentucky. To have her decide to return home and join IPFW says a lot about the direction of our program."

Drake comes to IPFW from Eastern Kentucky University, where she started every game for the Colonels, scoring 16.0 points per game, the second highest freshman total in Division I. She made 65 three-point field goals, tied for the sixth highest total in school history, an average of 2.4 per game, which ranked 70th in the country. EKU struggled to a 7-20 overall record, and a 4-14 record in the OVC, falling in the league tournament's first round to Murray State.

Kayla Drake averaged 16.0 points per game, second best among NCAA Division I freshmen last season

She led the team in nearly every offensive category, including scoring, field goals made (131), field goals attempted (394), three-point makes and attempts (216), free throws made (104), attempted (128), percentage (.813), assists (76), and steals (59). She finished last year ranked third in the conference in both steals and three-point makes, fourth in scoring and free throw percentage, seventh in minutes placed and 10th in assists, and 70th in the country in free throw percentage.

In her second collegiate game she scored a career-high 33 points, making 14-of-16 free throw attempts. She led or tied for the single-game scoring lead 19 times, including a stretch of seven straight games, and eight of nine to end the season. She reached double-figure scoring 23 times in her 27 games, pulled down a career-high nine rebounds against Jacksonville State, and dished out six assists twice, against UT-Martin and Southeast Missouri.

Drake, who led her Lady Wildcat squad to three sectional championships and a pair of Class 4A Final Four appearances, was a member of the Indiana squad in its annual Indiana/Kentucky All-Star series. She played in the Indiana North/South All-Star game, and was an Indiana Top-60 Workout participant, and was named one of the top 100 senior girls in the state.

Drake led the EKU Colonels in most offensive categories last season

She finished her four years in Kokomo with a 74-24 career record, winning a pair of North Central Conference titles. She averaged 16.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.2 steals per game, made 60 three-point baskets and converted on 70.2 percent of her free throws as a senior, helping her team to an 18-6 overall record and a conference and sectional championship.

As a freshman and sophomore, she was the starting point guard on a team that advanced to the State Semifinals, falling by two to Gary West Side in 2004-05, and by two to South Bend Washington in 2005-06. The Lady Wildcats fell in the sectional final in 2006-07, before falling in the regional final in 2007-08 to Fort Wayne Southside. A stellar athlete, Drake was also a three-year member of the KHS track & field team, advancing to the state regional meet in seven total events over her three years.

"She will bring a level of athleticism and understanding of the game that will fit perfectly with the current players and incoming recruits that we have here," noted Paul. "She is another example of the level of student-athlete that we are attracting, and we are very excited to have her to a part of our basketball program for the next few years."

Drake will join an IPFW squad that went 9-21 last season, winning six of its last seven games to cap the regular season with the league's fifth seed in the Summit League Tournament. The team returns all five starters, and six of its seven top scorers, including Chelsey Jackson and Jordan Zuppe, who averaged 13.3 and 10.3 points per game, the first of the two earning Second Team All-Conference honors.

~Dons~