Malica Monk
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-5
CLASS Junior
HOMETOWN North Little Rock
LAST SEASON Started 27 games and averaged 9.1 points, 3.1 assists, 2.3 steals and 3.0 rebounds per game. ... Scored in double figures in 13 games with a career-high of 18 against Stetson. ... Led the team with 62 steals and averaged a team-high 31.2 minutes played.
THE SKINNY "No returner will benefit more from our fast-paced attack than Mal. She was made to run an offense and defense that we like to play. We forged a strong bond very quickly. The trust that we place in Mal will be obvious to everyone who watches us from day one." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
A'Tayanna Gaulden
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-7
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN Ocilla, Ga.
LAST SEASON Averaged just 5.7 minutes and 1.1 points per game while playing in 21 games as a freshman at Florida State. ... Transferred to Arkansas.
THE SKINNY "Using every single day of her transfer year to learn the decision making we require of our perimeter players will be IT's role this year. Not being able to participate in games is tough thing. But she is a tough kid. She will make all of our other perimeter players every day in practice and at the same time hone her game to be ready for next year." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Raven Northcross-Baker
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-7
CLASS Junior
HOMETOWN Malvern
LAST SEASON Averaged 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals, while starting 33 games at Chioola College and helped her team advance to Junior College national tournament quarterfinals and led team in scoring.
THE SKINNY "If you want to play fast, you need players who can function fast. Raven has done it at the high school and junior college level. She will be an important part of us establishing a pace that some others have never played. A proven winner who combines that with an Arkansas Pride, being from Malvern, that we need spread through our team." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Keiryn Swenson
POSITION Guard/Forward
HEIGHT 6-1
CLASS Junior
HOMETOWN Wichita, Kan.
LAST SEASON Averaged 8.0 points per game playing in all 30 games, after averaging just 2.7 points per game as a freshman. ... Scored in double figures in 12 games, including a career-high 23 points against Houston Baptist. ... Ranked second on the team with 31 3-pointers made.
THE SKINNY "To play a positionless style that we employ, you need a Keiryn Swenson who embraces that and can create match-up problems for opposing teams. She can use the talents that make her unique to make a defender wrong in a variety of ways and a variety of situations." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Kiara Williams
POSITION Forward/Center
HEIGHT 6-1
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN Alexander
LAST SEASON Played in 20 games, including making five starts, while averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. ... Scored career-best nine points in 14 minutes of action against Louisiana-Monroe.
THE SKINNY "It's impossible to play fast without your interior players being committed to running the floor. It will be Kiara that triggers our transition. She has been diligent in our early practices do just that as well as being our toughest back to the basket presence." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Grace Spangler
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-11
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Fayetteville
LAST SEASON Helped Fayetteville to the Class 7A state championship as a reserve. ... Returned early in her senior season from knee surgery.
The Skinny "Consistent winning is not a trait that follows every student/athlete but that's what you get with Grayce. Scholastic team and summer teams won. Powderpuff football, tug of war, tailgate corn hole... she's a winner. We need that mentality she brings every day." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Jailyn Mason
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-9
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN Mason, Ohio
LAST SEASON Started all 30 games as a true freshman and averaged 7.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. ... Earned SEC Freshman of the Week twice. ... Posted a pair of double-doubles in points and assists. ... Dished out 11 assists against Houston Baptist, the most by a freshman in the Southeastern Conference. ... Shifted to point guard for three games and committed just two turnovers in 109 minutes.
THE SKINNy "Leaders by example usually take time to develop. It took about one practice for us to recognize that wouldn't be the case with this squad. Jailyn has been that for us every day since. Multiple positions, multiple roles, multiple demands... she delivers regardless. Triple doubles in 40 minute games are very difficult, but wouldn't surprise me to see Jailyn pull one off this season." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Sydney Stout
POSITION Forward
HEIGHT 6-0
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN Bixby, Okla.
LAST SEASON Started as a walk-on but earned a scholarship. ... Played in 15 games, averaging 1.1 points per game.
THE SKINNY "Fits our "bright spot" approach perfectly. Very understanding of her strengths and finds a way to play toward them. Her roles could change from game to game and we are confident she can fill each of them." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Devin Cosper
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-10
CLASS Senor
HOMETOWNCoffeyville, Kan.
LAST SEASON Averaged 6.4 points per game in 29 games. ... Scored in double figures in eight games with a high of 18 at Missouri State. ... Shot 31 percent (23-of-75) from 3-point range. ... Tied career high with four steals against Vanderbilt.
THE SKINNY "Every transition requires an anchor point for stability. Devin's decision to use her last year of eligibility was our first sign that we would have strong leadership returning. She will be an important voice in the locker room. We will count on her to play multiple positions and score from them all." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Bailey Zimmerman
POSITION Guard/Forward
HEIGHT 6-0
CLASS Junior
HOMETOWN St. Vincient
LAST SEASON started 23 of 30 games and scored in double figures twice with a high of 14 against Missouri. ... Ranked third on the team with 24 3-pointers made. ... Played with a broken nose and six stitches in her forehead for the final six games.
THE SKINNY "Authentic, enthusiasm and relentless effort are two indicators for our team success. We count on Bailey to provide the spark for those two every practice and need them be very evident come game time. Her activity level with act as a gauge for us every second she is on the court." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Taylah Thomas
POSITION Forward
HEIGHT 6-1
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Arlington, Texas
LAST SEASON Averaged 10.6 points and 7.6 rebounds for a Mansfield team that finished as Class 5A state runner-up in Texas and made the all-state tournament team. ... Earned all-district and all-state honors. ... Played for former Razorback Kit Kyle Martin in high school.
THE SKINNY "Papa Neighbors always said, 'if they will bite, they will bite as pups.' This pup (freshman) will bite. Not literally but figuratively in her pursuit of excellence. She is as hard on herself (which is a great quality on our scheme) as any freshman I've had. She wants to be excellent on and off the court." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Macy Weaver
POSITION Freshman
HEIGHT 6-3
CLASS Freshman
HOMETOWN Davis Junction, Ill.
LAST SEASON Surpassed 1,000 career points at Stillman Valley, Ill. and earned AP all-state second team honors in Class 3A. ... Averaged 19.9 points per game as a senior. .. Also played volleyball and softball in high school.
THE SKINNY"From our first conversation we could sense her love for being a Razorback. You can hear it in her words and she backs it up with her actions. She loves to be coached and that will be her greatest strength in her individual development and our team's." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Chelsea Dungee
POSITION Guard
HEIGHT 5-11
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN Sapulpa, Okla.
LAST SEASON Earned Big 12 All-Freshman team at Oklahoma where she averaged 7.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 33 games, including 18 starts. ... Went 6 of 12 from the floor with two 3 -pointers against Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors' Washington team in the NCAA Tournament. ... Transferring to Arkansas.
THE SKINNY "Sitting out from competition is the toughest thing ever for a player like Chels. We will find ways to challenge her, develop her game, and still impact this year's team on the practice floor. Has a rare quality of being able to compete for every win possible but remain a great teammate. We will count on her to simulate every opponents best player which will expand her game that is already SEC ready." -- Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors
Sports on 11/05/2017