JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey announced Thursday a three-player recruiting class for the 2023-24 women's basketball season bringing in Madelyn Ladd, Karli Haworth and Mattie Nuckolls to Mossy Creek.
"We look forward to getting all three of our early signees on campus in the fall," Mincey said. "All three will fit into our system and will add quality depth as soon as they get on campus. Karli will add another quick guard to help in our defensive style of play while also being able to bolster our three-point shooting. Madelyn and Mattie have size to play inside and out and their addition like Karli's will allow us to continue to play an up-tempo pressing style while being able to put mobile forwards in post-up situations."
Carson-Newman, the reigning South Atlantic Conference Tournament champions, has won 20 games in each of the last five non-Covid seasons reaching the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championships five years running. The Lady Eagles have led the South Atlantic Conference in scoring in seven straight seasons while sitting in first place of the Mountain Division after Wednesday's win over Tusculum.
Madelyn Ladd – Guard – 5-10 – Harriman, Tenn. – Webb School of Knoxville
As a member of the 1,000-point club for the Spartans, Ladd has been a three-time All-State selection in addition to All-District and All-Region laurels. The guard helped lead Webb School of Knoxville to Final Four in the 2022 Tennessee State Championship. Her mother played basketball in college and her father, Matt, played basketball and golf collegiately.
Mincey on Ladd: "She is a physical guard that can do a lot of things well scoring at all three levels and plays with a high motor. We are excited to have another player in that 5'10 range that can play inside and out. Most recently, she won a three-point shooting contest in the inaugural 5-Star Preps Christmas tourney."
Karli Haworth – Guard – 5-5 – Maryville, Tenn. – Alcoa
Leading Alcoa in scoring over the past two seasons, Haworth has racked up more than 1,500 points, good for a scoring average of 17 points per game in addition to more than 350 assists and 350 steals. In late December of her senior year, Haworth set the Ladies Classic single-game record with nine three-pointers, including five in the second quarter in a 30-point outburst of Alcoa's 80-39 win over the University School of Jackson. As a freshman, Haworth was the District Freshman of the Year bumping that to District MVP honors as a sophomore. In 2021-22, the guard maxed out her laurels earning TSWA All-State honors.
Mincey on Haworth: "She is a quick guard that can handle the ball as well as anyone and knows how to use her quickness to get by defenders and score at the rim. Also Karli shoots the three well and will be a great distributor for us and is a great competitor."
Mattie Nuckolls – Forward – 5-11 – Chatsworth, Ga. – Murray County
As a junior, Nuckolls was named a first-team All-State selection by the Georgia Coaches' Association after being All-Area and All-Region picks in each season. The forward is averaging 16 points per game and netted her 1,000th career point in game No. 64 of her career. Helping lead a turnaround for the Indians, the team reached the State Sweet 16 for the first time in school history after tallying a winning campaign for the first time in 15 years and reaching the regional final for the time in two decades.
Mincey on Nuckolls: "Mattie is a very mobile guard / forward that plays with great footwork around the rim but can also step out and shoot the three well. She sees the floor extremely well and looks to get others opportunities with her passing ability."
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