The rebuild isn’t subtle in Huntsville — it’s aggressive, intentional, and built for immediate impact.
Alabama A&M University women’s basketball officially unveiled an 11-player recruiting class this week, headlined by nine Division I and collegiate transfers and two high school signees, as head coach Dawn Thornton continues reshaping the program into a SWAC contender.
“This signing class is special. We added young women who fit our culture, our style of play and our vision for the future. They are competitors, they are winners and they are not afraid of expectations,” Thornton said.
The message is clear: Alabama A&M isn’t easing into expectations — it’s embracing them.
Transfer Portal Reload: 9 New Pieces
The Bulldogs’ class is powered by a deep and experienced transfer group designed to elevate the roster immediately across multiple positions.
The eight new transfers include:
- Addison Howell (5-7 G, Olive Branch, MS) — Mississippi Valley State
- Kalea Rainey (5-7 G, Orland, FL) — Florida Memorial University
- Shunteria Anmele (5-8 G, Houston, TX) — University of Houston
- Miracle Akpotayobo (6-3 F, Nigeria) — University of Arizona
- Janessa Kelley (5-9 G, Margate, FL) — Bethune-Cookman
- Skylar White (5-7 G, Fayetteville, NC) — Virginia State University
- Logyn McNeil (6-3 F, Rockwall, TX) — University of Houston
- Tazi Harris (6-1 F, Guntersville, AL) — Snead State
- Alisha Murray (5-11 G, Toronto, Canada) — Grambling State
This group brings a mix of Power 5 size, HBCU experience, JUCO toughness, and international upside, giving Alabama A&M one of its most versatile portal hauls in recent memory.
High School Talent Adds Long-Term Upside
While the transfer class is built for immediate results, the Bulldogs also secured two high school prospects to balance the future of the program.
- Khloe Bradley (6-1 F, Huntsville, AL) — Sparkman High School
- Alya Benson (5-8 G, Madison, MS) — Madison Central High School
Bradley, a local standout, adds size and familiarity with the Huntsville basketball landscape, while Benson brings backcourt skill and scoring ability from one of Mississippi’s most competitive programs.
Returning Core Provides Stability
The new additions will join a returning group that already established chemistry and competitiveness last season.
Key returners include:
- Guards Vanessa Wimberly and Sumayah McIntosh
- Forwards Aniya Palmer and Crystianna Whitehead
That blend of continuity and infusion of talent gives Alabama A&M a roster that is both experienced and newly explosive heading into the next season.
A Roster Built for the Next Step
This isn’t a developmental reset — it’s a roster built to compete now.
With size in the frontcourt, depth in the backcourt, and proven collegiate experience across nearly every addition, Alabama A&M is positioning itself to remain firmly in the upper tier of the SWAC.
The blueprint under Dawn Thornton is becoming clear:
- Win locally
- Win the portal
- Win immediately
And with this 11-player class, the Bulldogs are signaling they intend to do all three.
Final Take
Alabama A&M didn’t just add players.
They added identity, depth, and pressure.
And in a conference where momentum shifts fast, the Bulldogs are betting that experience + chemistry + belief will keep them right where they want to be — at the top of the SWAC conversation.
