Northwest Notes April 15, 2022

EWU women's basketball adds two more signees

CHENEY — Eastern Washington women's basketball coach Joddie Gleason announced the addition of guard Jamie Loera, the former Moses Lake High star, and forward Bella Hays to the 2022 signing class.

With the additions of Loera and Hays, Gleason's inaugural class has seven total signees, joining the five from the November early signing period. The five signees include Ella Gallatin (Snohomish, Wash.), Camille Jentzsch (Lake Stevens, Wash.), Jayden McNeal (Boise), Breeje Shuler (New Zealand) and Cori Wilcox (Lake Stevens, Wash).

Loera, a 5-foot-9 guard, will join the Eagles as a graduate transfer from Arizona State. While playing in Tempe, Loera was a part of the Sun Devils team that went to the Sweet 16 in the 2019 NCAA tournament and qualify for the 2021 NIT. During her first season, Loera led the team in 3-point field goal percentage.

Loera scored 1,526 points while playing at Moses Lake High and guided her team to four top-five finishes at state, including third place in 2018. As a senior, Loera averaged 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.3 steals per game. She was nominated for the Gatorade Player of the year and the McDonald's All-American team in 2018. Her senior year success earned numerous awards, including AP first-team all-state and Columbia Basin 4A Player of the Year honors. Loera was named Female Athlete of the Year in 2018 and was named to USA Today's All-USA Washington Girls Basketball second team.

Loera will pursue her master's degree in organizational leadership at Eastern Washington.

"We are so excited to have Jamie join the program next year," Gleason said. "She is an outstanding combo guard who has not only competed in the Pac-12 for several years but has completed her degree and knows what it takes to excel as a student-athlete."

Hays, a 6-3 forward, arrives in Cheney after a decorated career at Wasilla (Alaska) High, where she averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 61 percent from the field. Hays averaged 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Hays was a three-time first-team all-state selection. She also was a four-time, first-team all-conference selection.

Hays also earned four letters in basketball and three each in volleyball and track and field.