CARBONDALE, Ill. — SIU women’s basketball coach Kelly Bond-White announced the program has added Central Arizona transfer Seairra Hughes.
Hughes said she felt at home with the team and knew she wanted to be a Saluki.
“The people and the coaching staff made me feel like they were more than just a team, but a family,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of it.”
Bond-White said relationships are what brought Hughes to Carbondale.
“In this business, relationships and follow thru are everything. Not just when coaches, administrators, staff, evaluators, or trainers have players,” she said. “Keep in touch when they don’t. You lose a young lady in recruiting, be gracious, not bitter. You never know who you will cross paths with again in life. My staff has been exceptional in just that.”
“A full qualifier going into CAC, we reached out early when we first got here, but one of Seairra’s greatest assets is her loyalty. She enjoyed her team, college and coaches and decided to stay another year. Seairra’s high energy, relentless work effort, contagious attitude, and want to be a Saluki, was a no-brainer for us.”
A native of Aurora, Colorado, Holmes comes to Carbondale after spending last season with the Vaqueras, where she averaged 15.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg and 1.8 asp as a freshman.
“Seairra brings the same passion to the floor,” Bond-White said. “She rebounds out of space very well and can create mismatches with her strength underneath. Her ability to defend multiple positions, stretch the floor from the high post, and quick first step create a dual threat versatility that will bring great depth to our team.”
Hughes said she’s ready for the competition of not only her opponents in games but her teammates in practice as well.
