NORMAL – The early integration of four transfers onto her Illinois State women’s basketball roster has Coach Kristen Gillespie intrigued by the possibilities.
“There is a level of excitement and energy in our program we haven’t had in a while,” Gillespie said after a practice Wednesday at CEFCU Arena. “It’s an exciting time right now. The four transfers we brought in are really high level not only basketball players but maturity level. They all chose here because they want a chance to win a championship.”
ISU has added proven Division I players in Nevaeh Thomas from Evansville and Addison Martin from Abilene Christian as well as former Millikin All-American Elyce Knudsen and ex-Old Dominion player De’Shawnti Thomas.
“They just have a different mentality, and I love that because it’s infectious,” said Gillespie. “The returners had it, but now everybody is on the same page. The freshmen are following right in their footsteps.”
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Nevaeh Thomas has joined the Illinois State roster after starting as a freshman at Evansville.
The 5-foot-11 Neveah Thomas earned a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team by averaging 15.7 points and 7.1 rebounds for a 4-28 Purple Aces squad.
“I wanted to play a bit more competitively and a little bit closer to home,” said Thomas, a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin. “I really just love this conference. This program is a lot more competitive. I saw that when I played them.
“I really wanted to be somewhere that would push me to be my best. That’s what they’ve done so far.”
Gillespie has been pleased with Thomas’ perimeter skills.
“We thought she was really talented, but she’s better on the perimeter than I anticipated,” the ISU coach said. “We’re really going to challenge her to be a force down low, but to step out on the perimeter too and stretch some things for us.”
Addison Martin has transferred from Abilene Christian to Illinois State.
The 6-1 Martin has averaged 11.9 points and 5.6 rebounds over the past two season as a starter at Abilene Christian.
“It’s been a big adjustment for me going from south to up here,” said the Shreveport, Louisiana, native. “I’m really enjoyed it. I’m learning a lot. I feel like I’m growing more and more each day. I want to just be a leader and be a big example for some of the younger post players and younger teammates as well.”
Gillespie is enthralled with the workmanlike ways of Martin.
“Addi, you have to have a player like that in your program if you want to contend for a championship. She does all the little things,” Gillespie said. “She is the hardest worker, the best talker, as good of a lead by example type leader you can have. She’s also a pretty talented scorer, too.”
Martin has two years of eligibility at ISU.
“Just go out there and play really hard,” Martin said of her playing style. “They (ISU fans) are going to see a really big defensive player, someone who is going to work really hard and give 110 percent every time.”
Elyce Knudsen was a Division III All-American at Millikin before transferring to Illinois State.
The addition of Knudsen is reminiscent of the highly successful venture of bringing former Division II All-American Paige Robinson to ISU. Robinson earned MVC Player of the Year honors in her only season as a Redbirds.
Similarly, the 5-8 Knudsen will have one year to play at ISU after scoring 2,310 points and averaging 22.6 over four seasons at Millikin.
“She has exceeded our expectations. She is really talented,” said Gillespie. “I know from the general public people may question Division III to Division I. But I think she has a chance to be one of the better guards in our league. She plays with an incredible pace, but what I love about her is she’s an unbelievable leader.”
Knudsen began considering a transfer before her final season at Millikin.
“The pace is a lot faster,” Knudsen said of her new team. “I’m going to face bigger, stronger, faster players of the same caliber. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get better in this last year. I’m ready to lighten the load off my shoulders a little bit.”
De’Shawnti Thomas sat out last season at Old Dominion with an injury before transferring to Illinois State.
At 5-10, De’Shawnti Thomas started 29 of 31 games in 2022-23 at Seward County Community College, averaging 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds. She spent last season at Old Dominion but did not play after tearing her Achilles’ tendon.
“I’m fully recovered. I’m just still building muscle and breaking scar tissue down,” said Thomas. “I really like how they do things here. It’s a really good transition. I’m able to pick things up and just go.”
The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native described herself as a “fast defensive player who likes to take charges and slash to the basket for rebounds.”
“With T it’s going to be those intangibles,” Gillespie said of Thomas. “She’s a wonderful human being, but she’s such a gifted rebounder and a great defender. She’s going to do the dirty work to help us really succeed.”
Another IWU matchup
Gillespie confirmed the Redbirds will play Illinois Wesleyan in an exhibition game at CEFCU Arena for the second straight season. The matchup will be Oct. 27.
While the rest of ISU’s schedule is not finalized, the Redbirds will face Northwestern and Marquette on the road and Harvard and Saint Louis at home as well as a tournament that feature Power Four conference teams and other mid-majors over Thanksgiving.
“Our nonconference schedule is going to be really challenging,” said Gillespie. “It’s not for the faint of heart. But we’re up for it.”
Follow Randy Reinhardt on Twitter: @Pg_Reinhardt