The Three Rivers Lady Raiders earned the No. 1 ranking in this week’s NJCAA Division I women’s basketball rankings.
Three Rivers (18-0) received seven first-place votes and 175 total points after being the only unbeaten team left in the top-25. The Lady Raiders also have wins over No. 8 Wabash Valley and No. 9 Moberly Area.
Third-year guard and returning All-American Myia Yelder, of Conway Ark., leads the team with 17.8 points per game with 4.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 steals. Third-year guard Autumn Dodd, of Neelyville, Mo., is averaging 12.9 points, 3.9 steals, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Freshman guard Jenna McMillen, of Mayflower, Ark., is averaging 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals.
Three Rivers leads the nation in 3-pointers made per game (10.6), and is ranked in the top-10 in points per game (89.9), field goals made per game (32.6), 3-point attempts per game (31.2), assists per game (19.2), defensive rebounds per game (30.8), and steals per game (15.9).
The roster features seven players from Missouri in Dodd, Karlee Holland (Licking), Abby Turner (Poplar Bluff), Makenzi Davis (Neelyville), Kourtney Kendrick (Boonville), Chaylea Mosby (Dexter), and Gracie Price (Ellington).
Out of state players include Yelder, McMillen, Grace Jerome (Bradenton, Fla.), Deja Pryor (Memphis), Joi Montgomery (Marion, Ark.), Ari Winston (Southaven, Miss.), Ahniya Melton (Aurora, Ill.), Mariah Smith (Tulsa, Okla.), and Jamiyah Thomas (Chicago).
After going 24-1 in 2020-21 and reaching the national semifinals for the first time in program history, Three Rivers returned 10 players and four starters and was ranked eighth heading into the season. The Lady Raiders steadily climbed the rankings and headed into their January 22 game against State Fair. Shortly after winning 90-43, Three Rivers learned that previous No. 1 and defending national champion Northwest Florida State, which ended Three Rivers’ season last year, lost 52-50 to then No. 16 Chipola.
Following the 2020-21 season, Yelder and Chaylea Mosby earned All-American honors, Thomas and Hya Haywood earned All-Tournament team honors, while Melton and Cameran Martin earned Academic All-American honors. In addition, Three Rivers College athletes across all sports finished with a 3.10 GPA. They won the Harold Oetting All-Academic Award for having the top collegiate GPA in the MCCAC Conference. Seventeen Raiders earned Academic All-American honors.
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, visit trcc.edu.
