Skylights ink standout hoops center

Typically, the college basketball recruiting season comes to an end late in the spring, but not for Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball coach Chirs Mouat who landed a prized transfer just days ago.

Mouat recently announced the signing of A’jha Edwards to an NAIA national letter of intent. Edwards, a 6-5 post player, recently finished her career at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona.

“A’jha is a huge addition to our program because she brings a great inside presence at both ends of the floor,” Mouat said. “She has good athleticism, runs the floor and is a very good rebounder at both ends.During her time at Pima, she has really developed her offensive game.”

This season, Edwards averaged 13.7 points and 14 rebounds per game, helping her earn First-Team NJCAA Division II All-American Honors. She ranked third nationally in field goal percentage (61 percent) and sixth nationally in total rebounds per game. This year, Edwards also received First Team All-Conference honors — Arizona Community College Athletic Conference — and was an NJCAA National Player of the Week honoree.

Edwards graduated from Tombstone High School in Tombstone, Arizona, in 2010, after spending her first two years at Sierra Vista High School. At Tombstone High School, she was named the team’s offensive and defensive Most Valuable Player as a senior. She helped lead the Yellowjackets to their first state 2A tournament appearances in eight years. In track and field, she was a state 2A shot put champion.

“A’jha had a pretty remarkable sophomore season at Pima, and she has just continued to get better and better,” Mouat said. “I believe that she comes to us after being very well-coached and still has the drive to get better every day. From the start she was a great fit with our kids, MSU-Northern, and the city of Havre. We are very excited to have her on board and in a Skylight uniform this fall.”

Edwards will major in criminal justice at MSU-Northern. She is the daughter of David and Barbara Edwards.