CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois women's basketball head coach Shauna Green announced Friday (May 27) the signing of center Aicha Ndour.

Ndour, a 6-6 post originally from Somone, Senegal, joins the Fighting Illini after one season of junior college ball at Northwest Florida State College. Prior to her time at NWF, she spent the 2020-21 season at Rutgers, and joins the Illini with three years of collegiate eligibility remaining.

Ndour is the fifth player to sign with Illinois since Green and her staff took over the reins of the Fighting Illini program, and the fourth with previous collegiate experience, joining UD transfers Makira Cook and Brynn Shoup-Hill and NC State transfer Genesis Bryant. The Illini also signed Arizona prep standout Kam'Ren Rhodes this spring, and welcome fall signees Camille Jackson, Samantha Dewey, and Liisa Taponen for their freshmen campaigns in 2022-23.

AICHA NDOUR | 6-6 | CENTER | SOMONE, SENEGAL (NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE)

HIGHLIGHTS                

• Appeared in 18 games with one start and averaged 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 41 percent from the field for Northwest Florida in 2021-22.
• Help the Raiders to a 27-3 record and a second-round appearance as the No. 4 overall seed in the 2022 NJCAA Division I women's basketball championships.
• Played in one game as a true freshman at Rutgers in 2020-21, logging two minutes and one steal in a home game against the Illini on Feb. 20, 2021.
• Participated at SEED Academy and the Women's NBA Academy of Africa
• In 2018, participated in the first NBA Academy girls' basketball camp in Senegal and in April 2019, joined NBA Academy participants from Africa, Australia, China, India, and Mexico, in addition to select players from Canada and Europe, for a three-day minicamp in Tampa, Florida, culminating with exhibition games at Next Generation Saturday at the NCAA Women's Final Four
• Following three years in the SEED Academy in Senegal, completed her high school education in the U.S. at Cushing Academy in Massachusetts while playing basketball and volleyball.

Why Illinois: "I chose Illinois because I want to be part of the best and I think that Coach Green and the Illinois staff can help me get there. I feel family when I am around them."

Green's Take: "I am very excited to have Aicha join our Illini family. Aicha fits our system very well with her ability to defend and rebound. Her presence on both ends of the court is something that will be impactful for our program and I believe her skill set is only going to improve. She comes from one of the best junior college programs in the country and is used to winning. She is ready to work and I can't wait to have her here on campus in a few weeks."