SAN ANTONIO – Head Coach Jeff Dow and the University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball coaching staff announced their 2024 signing class, consisting of two freshmen and five transfer student-athletes. 
 
Both freshmen are Texas natives with Brynn Lusby from Frisco and Eryn McKinzie from Fort Worth. The pair adds impressive resumes to the Cardinal squad on the court and in the classroom. Lusby and McKinzie were both named to the Academic All-District Team.
 
While at Panther Creek High School, Lusby was named District Co-Sixth Man of the Year, District MVP, District Offensive Player of the Year, Second Team All-District, All-Area Team (3x), 5A State Finalist, All-State Team, and All-State MVP. Premier Basketball ranked her No. 60 in Texas for the class of 2024 and she accepted an invitation to compete in the TABC All-Star Game. Lusby ended her high school career with 1,728 points, 936 rebounds, 270 assists, 115 blocks, and 172 steals.
 
McKinzie completed her career at Brewer High School, averaging 13.1 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.3 steals. With her 1,700 career points, she was named back-to-back district MVP, TABC All-Region, First Team All-District (4x), and Star Telegram All-Area Second Team. These accolades ranked her No. 37 in Texas for the class of 2024 according to Premier Basketball.
 
"We're excited about the overall depth of this recruiting class and the versatility that it will bring to our team," said Dow. "After signing them both in the early signing period, Eryn and Brynn had terrific senior years to reaffirm our belief that they can contribute as freshmen.  Plus, we've added five transfers that we envision making an impact instantly."
 
Dorian Norris is a graduate transfer from Southland Conference foe, Texas A&M – Commerce. She spent the last four seasons as a Lion, with her first two seasons helping the team to its fourth consecutive trip to the DII NCAA Tournament, and then playing in TAMUC's inaugural DI season that led to a fourth-place finish in the SLC regular season (tying with UIW). Her senior season, she averaged 4.5 points per game and 3.4 rebounds, along with a career-high 16 points versus Southern Utah, shooting 7-for-13 from the field.
 
Deja Lumsden is a junior college transfer from Weatherford Community College. She made an immediate impact with the Coyotes, appearing in 26 games her freshman season. She ended her sophomore season, averaging 11.1 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 31.4 percent from 3-point land and was named NTJCAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.  During her sophomore year she had a career-high 21 points against Collin County CC and 15 rebounds and eight assists against Paris JC.
 
"We wanted to get longer and more athletic on the wing and we've done that with the additions of Eryn, Brynn, Dorian and Deja.  Each of them has the ability to score in the paint or from behind the arc, plus their versatile enough to play and defend multiple positions."

Grace Okih is a 6-foot-3 junior from Jacksonville College where she was named Region XIV All-Conference Honorable Mention and Jacksonville College Women's Basketball MVP. She averaged a double-double her sophomore season with 10.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, leading the NJCAA Region 14 in rebounds and ranking twelfth in all of NJCAA. Okih recorded eight double-doubles in her final season and finished with a career-high 22 points and 29 rebounds against Coastal Bend CC.
 
"Grace gives us size that is unique to what we've played with in the past and has established herself as a force on the boards, plus we envision her being a presence offensively and defensively around the rim."  
 
Shio Osono is a senior guard, most recently coming from Southern Utah University where she averaged 4.9 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game while scoring in double digits during five contests. She notched a season-high 13 points and five rebounds against Tarleton State while at Southern Utah. Prior to SUU, she had impressive careers at both Tacoma CC and Western Nebraska CC.
 
Madison Cockrell travels across town from the University of Texas at San Antonio, making the transition from Roadrunner to Cardinal. While at UTSA, she was part of the program's first postseason appearance in the WNIT. She appeared in 41 games, with a career-high 13 points against East Carolina, while shooting 4-for-8 from the field and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc with three steals.
 
"Shio and Madi have both played a lot of college basketball and will give us two veteran guards to compete for playing time at the point guard position.  We were impressed with their ability to pressure the ball on the defensive end and create to set her their teammates up on the offensive end."
 
"Lastly, all seven of these incoming recruits have excelled academically so they will fit in well with their new teammates," Dow added.
 
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