Women's Basketball Signs Incoming Freshman Zachara Perkins
Nov 08 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's basketball head coach Coquese Washington announced the signing of incoming freshman Zachara Perkins on Wednesday morning. Perkins, a 6-foot-3 guard/forward combo will join the Scarlet Knights ahead of the 2024-25 season out of Humble, Texas.
𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙉𝙀𝘿 🖊️
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) November 8, 2023
Welcome to the newest member of the Scarlet Knights, Zachara Perkins 🛡️⚔️
📰: https://t.co/4SLq04tCAq#GoRU | #RUWBB pic.twitter.com/RWDlgp4hJK
"Signing Zachara Perkins gives us another addition to our roster that will help us compete on an elite level," said Washington. "Zachara is a very talented, versatile forward who brings a variety of skills to the table. She is a serious competitor with a strong work ethic. She is also a kind, considerate young woman who will be a great teammate and have a positive impact on our culture. It's exciting to imagine all the ways in which Zachara will help move this program forward."
During Perkins' 2022-23 season at Summercreek High School in Houston, Texas, she led her team to both an Area and a Bi-District Championship in addition to the Region 3 Finals. A consistent double-double type player, she averaged 18.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game through her junior season.
Perkins was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) All-State and All-Region teams. In addition, she was selected as the Newcomer of the Year and to the All-Academic Team.
"I chose Rutgers because as soon as I stepped on campus, it felt like family," Perkins said. "It felt like Coach Coquese and the rest of the staff really wanted me to be there and it wasn't just fake love. The team was amazing and really nice. Overall, it just felt like the place to be."
Basketball and New Jersey run deep in the Perkins family as her mother, DeMya Walker-Wheatfall, was a high school All American at Rancocas Valley in Mount Holly, N.J. She had a successful collegiate career at the University of Virginia where she was an honorable mention All-American and went on to play 14 seasons in the WNBA, competing for five different teams and winning a WNBA Championship in 2005 with the Sacramento Monarchs.
Perkins' father Ben also played college hoops, suiting up for both Providence University and McNeese University.
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