EL PASO, Texas – Former Kansas State guard and former JUCO All-American Makayla Pippin will join the UTEP women's basketball team as a transfer, head coach Kevin Baker revealed Wednesday. Pippin will have two years of eligibility for the Miners.
 
A profile on Pippin and a quote from Baker follows below.
 
Makayla Pippin
6-1, Guard
Junior
Indianapolis, Ind.
 
Transfer from Kansas State who will have two years of eligibility … played in six games in 2020-21 before opting out for the remainder of the season after Jan. 1 … had two rebounds and an assist in her Division 1 debut against Southern (11/29) … previously was the 15th-ranked junior college player in the country according to Girls Basketball Report in the 2019-20 season … tabbed as a third-team National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American for Central Arizona College … played in 58 games, including 54 starts, compiling 16.8 points per game (977 points), 8.9 rebounds per game (515 rebounds), 2.9 assists per game (166 assists), 1.7 steals per game (100 steals) and 0.6 blocks per game (32 blocks) ... surpassed 20 points in 21 games, including pouring in a career-high 34 points against Tohono O'odham Community College on December 7, 2019 … drilled 92 triples over two years, including 71 alone in 2019-20 … led her squad to a 28-3 record and a bid to the 2020 NJCAA National Tournament … for the year averaged 18.7 points per game on 42.1 percent shooting, including 33.5 percent from distance … aided the team to a 22-9 record and a bid into the 2018-19 NJCAA Division I Region I Final … accounted for 14.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg and 3.2 apg … coming out of high school she was ranked as the number 19 forward in the nation by ESPN Hoopgurlz and the number eight forward in the country and 149th-rated overall prospect by ProspectsNation.Com.
 
 
"Makayla is a fantastic addition to our program. Coming out of junior college she was one the most talented and highly coveted players in the country. She has a natural ability to score the ball a variety of ways. She has developed her perimeter shot but can still play inside with the forwards. Makayla is a relentless rebounder and is willing to defend with a ton of energy. Overall, her versatility will fit very well in our system and she will flourish into a top player in Conference USA."  
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