NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale women's basketball program welcomes five members of the incoming Class of 2025 to the roster for the 2021-22 season. The group includes three guards, a forward and a guard/forward. It supplements a group of returnees that includes eight players who helped Yale tie the school record for wins and earn a spot in the Ivy League Tournament in 2019-20.
The members of the Class of 2025 have excelled on the court, with all five earning MVP and/or all-state honors. They have been a part of successful teams, with four having won at least one championship with her high school team.
The newcomers also have leadership experience, as all five have been team captains -- including two who were captains for three years. They have a variety of interests, including everything from orthopedic studies to weightlifting to designing clothing.
This group of five will add to a core group already in place for
Allison Guth, who enters her seventh year as the Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Basketball. Under Guth the Bulldogs have set the school record for wins (19) twice in their last three seasons, earning a pair of berths in the Ivy League Tournament. In 2018 Yale became the first Ivy League women's basketball team to win a national postseason championship, winning the WBI.
Here is a look at the newest Bulldogs:
Mackenzie Egger
5-11
Guard/Forward
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Mount Pleasant High School
Michigan Mystics
Mount Pleasant High School: Female Student-Athlete of the Year … Team captain junior and senior years … Four-year starter … Fourth player in school history to reach 1,000 points … Three-time team MVP … Saginaw Valley League Conference Co-MVP senior year … Saginaw Valley first team All-Conference junior and senior years … AP second team All-State Division 1 senior year ... Detroit News fourth team All-State Division 1 senior year … MLive Saginaw Area first team senior year … Conference scoring leader (19.5 PPG) and second in rebounds (12.5 RPG) senior year … BCAM Best of Division 1 junior year … Detroit News and AP Honorable Mention All-State junior year … Second team Saginaw Valley All-Conference sophomore year … Honorable Mention SVL All-Conference freshman year … Four-time Saginaw Valley All-Academic Team … Volleyball team captain junior and senior years … Helped lead volleyball team to its only regional victory and first state quarterfinals appearance … Helped volleyball team win Districts all three years she was on varsity … Track team captain sophomore, junior and senior years.
Notes: Battle in the Boro All-Tournament Team 2019 playing for Michigan Mystics … Has volunteered at a local thrift store whose proceeds go towards free preschool for underprivileged children … Hobbies include water skiing … Mother was a thrower for Central Michigan University's track and field team.
Why Yale? "I chose Yale because it offers a great education and Division I athletics. I feel that the rigorous academics will prepare me for a career in medicine. When I first visited Yale, the coaches were extremely welcoming and exuded so much positive energy that I wanted to be a part of the Yale family. I love how Yale's campus integrates into New Haven, and how it has a collaborative environment."
Avery Lee
5-8
Guard
Los Altos Hills, Calif.
Menlo School
Menlo School: Four-year varsity starter … Captain sophomore, junior, and senior year … Bay Area News Group Player to Watch 2020-21 and 2019-20 … Bay Area News Group Athlete of the Week April 2021 … Bay Area News Group All-Bay Area 2nd Team 2020 … San Francisco Chronicle: Fourth team All-Metro 2020 … First team all-league West Bay Athletic League, Foothill Division (WBAL) 2020 … 1,000 point milestone reached in December 2019 … Led league in scoring (14.2 PPG), second in league in assists (3.2 APG), third in league in steals (3.0 SPG) 2019-20 ... Sixth team MaxPreps California All-State Girls Basketball Team 2018-19 … Second team San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro 2018-19 … Bay Area News Group Second team All-Bay Area 2018-19 … First team all-league West Bay Athletic League, Foothill Division 2018-19 … Team MVP 2018-19 … Led league in steals (3.2 SPG), second in league in scoring (16.9 PPG) and assists (3.8 APG) 2018-19 ... 25th Annual Rich Thomas Memorial 2018 Lady Hornet Invitational Tournament MVP 2018-19 … 8th Annual Eastside Prep Coaches vs. Cancer Invitational Tournament MVP 2018-19 … 2018 Ladycat Classic Tournament All-Tournament Team … San Jose Mercury News: Athlete of the Week, January and March 2019 … Second team West Bay Athletic League, Foothill Division all-league 2017-18 … Led league in steals (3.2 SPG), third in league in assists (3.1 APG), fourth in league in scoring (13.4 PPG) 2017-18 … Team Offensive Player of the Year 2017-18 … 2017 Ladycat Classic Tournament All-Tournament Team … Team ranked fifth in Northern California Region by Bay Area News Group to start 2020-21 season … Team advanced to round two of CIF Division I playoffs 2020 before season ended due to COVID-19 … Team was ranked No. 15 in Northern California region 2019-20 … Team qualified for CIF Division I playoffs 2020 … Central Coast Section (CCS) Open Division qualifiers 2020 (first win in school history) 2019 and 2018 … Team was CIF Division II State Champions 2018-19 … Had 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 2019 state championship game, earning Sportsmanship Award … Team was CIF Division II Northern California Champion 2018-19 … Team ranked 15th in California, 67th in country by MaxPreps 2018-19.
Notes: Interested in sports medicine and orthopedic studies … Co-founder of Drumfire Socks … Interests include snowboarding and sports photography … Played with Yale teammate
Klara Astrom early in career in AAU, then became rivals in high school as Astrom and her Pinewood HS team competed vs. Menlo in league play and CCS playoffs.
Why Yale? "I chose Yale because of the uniquely supportive, welcoming, and fun community. The school stems from the people themselves and that's what makes it so special. At Yale, the opportunities in the classroom are endless and I can't wait to explore everything this historically rich institution has to offer. Here I can not only push myself on the basketball court or in the classroom, but also outside both of those places to be the best person I can possibly be each and every day. I can't wait to soak everything in for the next four years."
Christen McCann
5-9
Guard
Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Lincoln Park Academy
Lincoln Park Academy: Three-year captain of basketball team … McDonald's All-American Nominee 2021 … Second team all-state 2020 … Two-time TCPalm Girls Basketball Player of the Year 2020, 2021 ... Three-time first team all-area 2018-21 … Two-time team MVP 2020, 2021 … Three-time Coach's Award recipient 2017-2019 … Scored more than 2,000 career points … Set school records for three-pointers made in a career and in a season … Team was Class 4A state runners-up and Class 4A regional champions 2021 … Team was Class 4A district champions 2017-2021 … Also competed for track and field team … Track and field team's Most Valuable Runner 2019 … Track and field team's Top Middle-Distance Runner 2017 … Set school records in 400m and 800m … Track and field team was St. Lucie County Champions 2018, 2019.
Notes: Provides basketball training to younger girls in her area ... Hobbies include designing/altering clothing ... Has painted a collection of denim jackets.
Why Yale? "Following my visit of the campus in 2019, I was impressed by the positive atmosphere of Yale as well as the academic, social and athletic opportunities that the university has to offer. From that point on, I yearned to immerse myself into the culture of Yale and discover what it means to be a Bulldog."
Nyla McGill
5-8
Guard
Charlotte, N.C.
Providence High School
Providence High School: Team captain 2020-21 … Charlotte Observer all-star team 2021 … Charlotte Preps all-state 2021 … All-district 2020, 2021 … All-defensive 2020 … SoMeck 7 Conference Player of the Year 2020, 2021 … SoMeck 7 all-conference 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 … Charlotte Basketball Awards Scholar Athlete of the Year 2020 … Conference Tournament MVP and Champions … School record holder in single-game and career assists … 1,233 points, 703 rebounds, 563 assists, 340 steals … Led team to best record in school history, 25-3, in 2020 … Team reached Final Four for first time in 2021 … Team reached Elite Eight for first time in 2020 ... Team was conference champions 2019, 2020 and 2021 … Team went undefeated in conference play for first time in 2020; repeated that feat in 2021 ... Team won conference for first time in 27 years in 2019 ... Team had a winning record, qualified for playoffs and won a playoff game for the first time in more than a decade in 2018 … Team beat Myers Park for first time in 17 years in 2018; also beat AK for first time ever … National German Honor Society ... Silver medalist for National German Exam … Tutor.
Notes: Has worked as a tournament scorekeeper and for DoorDash … Avid gamer and weightlifter … Sister's godfather is an Ivy Leaguer -- attended Yale for undergraduate degree, then attended Columbia Medical School.
Why Yale? "I wanted to play for an energetic coaching staff in a humble yet competitive environment, all while still receiving a world-class education."
Grace Thybulle
6-3
Forward
Irvington, N.Y.
Irvington High School
Irvington High School: Five-year varsity basketball player (made team in 8th grade) ... Team captain senior year … All-section sophomore, junior and senior years … Section One Class B MVP 2019 … New York State Championship MVP 2019 … All-tournament in 2019 New York Federation Championship … Tied record for most rebounds in a New York federation playoff game (31) … 1,000 point scorer … Team won three Section One Class B championship titles … Team was New York state champions 2019 … Team was New York federation champions 2019 … Played varsity volleyball as a freshman … Varsity track as a sophomore … Varsity golf as a junior … Student council class president all four years.
Notes: CYO volunteer basketball coach for 1st and 2nd grade girls … Leader of Irvington's chapter of Girl Talk (high school girls meeting with 6th and 7th grade girls once a week for general help and advice) … Member of youth activism group Ocean Uprise under non-profit organization Parley for the Oceans … Brother Sidney Thybulle plays basketball at Johns Hopkins University … Cousin Matisse Thybulle plays for Philadelphia 76ers.
Why Yale? "When I first visited Yale I immediately felt at home. I knew that this community and the endless opportunities within it would help me grow as a student, as an athlete, and as a person."
