LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Women’s Basketball has added five student-athletes to its roster ahead of the 2022-23 season, head coach Garry Brodhead announced.

The new additions include guard Imani Ivery, center Wilnie Joseph, guard Sherry Porter, guard Imani Rothschild and center Mariah Stewart.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new Ragin’ Cajuns into our program,” Brodhead said. “This group includes two centers that stand at 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-2, respectively, and a trio of guards that have shown elite play-making ability. We feel that this combination of height, explosiveness and scoring prowess will continue to elevate our program.”

Learn more about this new group below:

IMANI IVERY

Guard | 5’9 | Foster HS | Houston, Texas

Played at Foster High School in Richmond, Texas…Named the 24-5A Most Valuable Players as a senior…During her senior season, she averaged 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 steals, 4.3 assists, 1.6 blocks in 31 games played…Finished the year with a 43.9 field goal percentage…Named the 2020-21 24-5A Defensive Player of the Year following her stellar junior campaign…As a sophomore, she was named the 24-5A Offensive Player of the Year after averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest.

WILNIE JOSEPH

Center | 6’5 | Labette CC | Whiteland HS | Greenwood, Ind.

Joins Louisiana after a two-year stint at Labette Community College…During the 2021-22 season, she appeared in 28 games with 16 starts, averaging 2.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 7.5 minutes played per game…In her first year with the program, she appeared in 14 games and averaged 5.2 minutes, scoring 1.3 points and pulling down 2.9 boards per game…Played her high school ball at Whiteland High School in Whiteland, Indiana…Led her team in rebounding throughout her high school career.

SHERRY PORTER

Guard | 5’6 | WKU | Madison Prep Academy | Baton Rouge, La.

Began her career at WKU, appearing in 91 games with 53 starts…During her career, she averaged 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists…On the defensive side of the floor, she totaled 71 career steals and 16 career blocks…Helped her team to the NCAA Tournament and a C-USA Tournament Title following the 2017-18 season and a WNIT appearance at the end of the 2018-19 campaign…Saw her team post a 22-7 record and a 14-4 mark in the league play before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19…Named to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 2A All-State Team in 2016 after leading Madison Prep to a 31-5 overall record…Helped the team to a combined 53-14 record and back-to-back regional appearances in the LHSAA State Tournament, the first coming at the 1A level before Madison Prep made the leap to 2A in 2015-16…Earned Second Team 1A All-State honors as a sophomore following a season that saw her average 21 points, 3.5 steals and three rebounds…Pushed the Chargers to a runner-up finish in the 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA Class 2A State Tournament, including an upset of No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas in the semifinals.

IMANI ROTHSCHILD

Guard | 5’7 | Warren Easton HS| New Orleans, La.

Joining Louisiana from Warren Easton High School in New Orleans…Four-year team captain…As a senior, helped her team finish as a state runner up in Class 4A…Ranked as the No. 5 player in the state of Louisiana by the Louisiana Girls Rankings…Helped her team to the LHSAA Final 4 as a junior…Had a stellar sophomore season, helping her team to the Class 3A State Championship title and a district title…Was named the 3A Championship Most Valuable Player and her school’s Defensive Player of the Year…Took her team to another Final 4 and helped the squad win another district title…Earned Second Team All-District honors…Picked up her first Defensive Player of the Year honor from her school.

MARIAH STEWART

Center | 6’2 | Mineral Area College | Hancock Place HS | St. Louis, Mo.

Heads to Louisiana after spending two years at Mineral Area College…Had a strong career at MAC, averaging 10.4 points and 8.9 rebounds in 54 appearances…Started in 50 of those games…Shot the ball at a 54.1 percent clip…Played in 32 games last season with 28 starts, averaging 11.8 points and 9.6 rebounds while totaling 40 assists, 26 blocks and 25 steals…Named an All-Region 16 and an All-Conference performer last season…Appeared and started in 22 games in 2020-21, averaging 8.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. Attended Hancock Place High School in St. Louis, Missouri…Earned All-Tournament and All-Conference honors during her high school career.

Louisiana is returning nine players from last year’s team, including Third Team All-Conference performer Makayia Hallmon and Preseason First Team All-Conference selection Brandi Williams, who missed the season due to injury.