VANNETT, MAPUSUA SIGN WITH FOUR-YEAR SCHOOLS

Lauryn Mapusua (left) has signed with Central Arkansas and Makayla Vannett (right) has signed with Northwestern State University

May 1, 2020

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The second and third sophomores from the Hutchinson Community College 2020 Jayhawk West champion women's basketball team have signed national letters of intent with four-year programs.

Guard Makayla Vannett has signed with Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana and guard Lauryn Mapusua has signed with the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas.

Vannett and Mapusua join Abby Ogle as 2020 Blue Dragon sophomores to sign LOIs. Ogle, in April, signed with West Virginia University.

Vannett is a 5-foot-6 sharpshooter from St. Paul, Minnesota. Vannett averaged 13.1 points per game and posted the third-high 3-point percentage in the league at 39.0 percent in her sophomore season with the Blue Dragons.

Vannett tied for the sixth-most 3-pointers in Blue Dragon single-season history going 94 of 241 from distance this season. She ranks third on the Blue Dragon career list with 188 career 3-pointers.

Vannett also averaged 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

She had career highs of 26 points and seven 3-pointers against Neosho County on December 4. Vannett had five games this season of five more 3-pointers.

Vannett is 20th on the Blue Dragon career scoring list with 807 points.

Vannett was a first-team All-Jayhawk West and second-team All-Region VI selection in 2020.

Vannett is the first Blue Dragon women's basketball player to sign with Northwestern State.

Mapusua is a 5-9 guard from Queensland, Australia, who did a little bit of everything for the Blue Dragons this season.

In a four-game span in January, Mapusua posted career highs for assists (8 vs. Cowley on Jan. 11), rebounds (14 vs. Garden City on Jan. 15) and points (21 vs. Pratt on Jan. 18).

Starting in 30 of 32 games, Mapusua averaged 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She shot 36.3 percent overall and 25.6 percent from 3-point range. Mapusua also averaged 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Mapusua is the first Blue Dragon women's basketball player to sign with Central Arkansas.

Vannett and Mapusua become the 33rd and 34th Division I players to sign in the John Ontjes-coaching era. They are the 55th and 56th players to move onto four-year programs since Ontjes took over before the 2007-08 season.

The sophomore group of Vannett, Mapusua and Ogle combined for a record of 61-8, which includes two NJCAA National Tournament appearances, one league title and one National Tournament semifinal berth. The 2020 national tournament was canceled because of the Coronavirus pandemic.