Women’s Basketball Signs Kaylene Smikle & Antonia Bates
Nov 23 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's basketball announced the inking of two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the 2021-22 early signing period. Kaylene Smikle and Antonia Bates are set to join the Scarlet Knights as freshmen for the 2022-23 season.
"Both of our newest Scarlet Knights are known for their ability to score at all three levels," said acting head coach Timothy Eatman. "These young ladies have competed for two of the best AAU programs in the tri-state area, the New York Exodus and the New Jersey Sparks. We love them as people, and we are excited to welcome them 'To the Banks.' If they continue to improve and focus on getting better every day, they will have an opportunity to compete at freshmen for playing time."
Kaylene Smikle, a 6-foot winger out of Farmingdale, New York, is a four-star recruit and the No. 11 ranked wing in the nation according to espnW and the No. 64 overall recruit in the country. A fierce and agile competitor is known for her diverse abilities to score the basketball and defend with tenacity with Westtown High School and Exodus NYC. She has high-leverage experience playing in the elite AAU tournament, the Rose Classic.
A 2021-22 McDonald's All-America Game nominee, Smikle was named All-State honorable mention in New York in 2019-20, and was selected as a All-Nike National First Team following a breakout 2021 AAU season with Exodus NYC while leading the league in four separate statistical categories.
"Kaylene is a multitalented student-athlete that has decided to further her career close to home," Eatman said. "She has elite experience playing in the Rose Classic. Kaylene has the talent, size, strength, and toughness to be an impact player at the next level."
Antonia Bates, a 6-foot-3 star out of Easton, Pennsylvania originally starred for Notre Dame High School before transferring to Rutgers Prep for her final year of high school. Bates came up as a guard, and has since sprouted in height and ability across the court. She is athletic in transition, attacks the rim, hits jumpers from mid-range to the arc, grabs rebounds, and plays anticipatory defense.
Bates, who was born in Bound Brook, New Jersey before moving to Pennsylvania when she was 4, scored 12.4 points per game last winter for Notre Dame while leading the Crusaders to their first state semifinal in program history. She was a Class 3A All-State Second Team selection by the PA Sports Writers in 2020-21. Bates plays her AAU ball with the New Jersey Sparks, and is the No. 40 ranked guard in the country according to espnW.
"When Antonia was 5-foot-11, she played the 1, 2, and 3," Eatman said. "Now that she is 6-foot-3, she can play anywhere on the court on offense and defense. With her four-point range, she is able to stretch the defense and add versatility and length to our 55 defense."
