Alabama A&M isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore after consecutive 20-win seasons.
And the Bulldogs are reloading for another run in the SWAC.
Fresh off a 22-11 campaign that reestablished the Bulldogs as a force in the conference, Alabama A&M women’s basketball is now faced with a new challenge: staying on top.
The Bulldogs unveiled an 11-player signing class built to sustain—and elevate—the program’s momentum. The group features nine transfers with collegiate experience and two promising high school additions, signaling a clear win-now approach with an eye toward long-term stability.
“This signing class is special,” Thornton said in a statement. “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.”
Alabama A&M goes heavy on transfers
The transfer-heavy class brings in a mix of guards and forwards from across the country, including Addison Howell (Mississippi Valley State), Kalea Rainey (Florida Memorial), Shunteria Anmele (Houston), Miracle Akpotayobo (Arizona), Janessa Kelley (Bethune-Cookman), Skylar White (Virginia State), Logyn McNeil (Houston), Tazi Harris (Snead State), and Alisha Murray (Grambling State).
The group adds depth, size, and versatility—particularly in the frontcourt, where multiple 6-foot-plus forwards could reshape the Bulldogs’ interior presence, according to Thornton.
High school standouts Khloe Bradley, out of Huntsville’s Sparkman High School, and Alya Benson from Madison Central High School, round out the class, giving Alabama A&M two in-state-adjacent pieces to develop within Thornton’s system.
They’ll join a returning core that includes guards Vanessa Wimberly and Sumayah McIntosh, along with forwards Aniya Palmer and Crystianna Whitehead—players who were instrumental in last season’s success and understand what it takes to compete at the top of the conference.
“We wanted players who could help us continue building a championship program, and we found that in this class,” said Thornton. “They understand the standard, they embrace the work and they are ready to help us take the next step. Bulldog Nation should be excited because the future of Alabama A&M women’s basketball is in great hands.”
