Orange Land Grad Transfer Asia Strong
Asia Strong, a 6-foot-2 forward, is heading to Syracuse for the 2022-23 season. Strong scored 601 points and grabbed 286 rebounds in 48 games over the last two seasons at Wichita State after beginning her college career at Bradley before transferring to Trinity Valley Community College for her sophomore year.
“We hit a home run with this young lady,” Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “She has amazing character and is a great student. Her basketball skill set is on the pro level! She is a fantastic communicator and is passionate about winning. She will be an incredible teammate and we are extremely fortunate to have her join our women’s basketball family.”
Strong played in all 30 games for the Shockers this season making 29 starts while averaging 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. She shot a career-best 77.4 percent from the free throw line and was second on the team with 18 games scoring in double figures. She tallied 20 games with five or more rebounds and posted a pair of double doubles this season. She finished her Wichita State career with back-to-back 20-point games including a season-high 22 points in the final regular season game.
In Strong’s first season at Wichita State, she earned All-American Athletic Conference Second Team honors and AAC All-Academic Team. Strong appeared in all 18 games with 17 starts and led Wichita State in scoring with 15.2 points per game while adding 6.6 rebounds. She scored in double figures in 16 of 18 games and had three games with 20 or more points.
Strong played the 2020-21 season at Trinity Valley helping her team to a 32-1 record as a sophomore while going 18-0 in conference play. She averaged 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds while making 24 starts. She earned Region XIV All-Tournament Team and All-Conference honors while helping the Lady Cardinals clinch the Region XIV Championship.
At Bradley, Strong appeared in 12 games as a true freshman. She scored a season-high eight points against Chicago State and grabbed a season-best six rebounds that same outing. She scored in seven games and rebounded a rebound in six different contests.
A standout at Riley High School in her hometown of South Bend, Ind., she averaged 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game as a senior en route to earning IFCA Large School First Team honors. She was a second team all-conference selection as a junior and was a two-time team MVP. She was selected to play in the 2017 Michiana McDonald’s All-Star Game.
Strong is the seventh player to sign with the Orange since Legette-Jack was named head coach of the Orange on March 26 and adds even more depth to Syracuse’s front court.
