BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - WKU women's basketball head coach Greg Collins and his staff have signed two for the 2023 class. Neveah Foster of South Bend, Indiana and Mackenzie Chatfield of Auckland, New Zealand have signed their National Letters of Intent to play for WKU.
"We're so excited for Neveah to be a Lady Topper," said Collins. "Vaya has been a priority for us for several years. One great thing about Vaya is regardless of all the success she has had in high school, she has not stopped working to improve and grow every year. She gets that from her dad. I like what Mackenzie said to me about her, 'Neveah is a bucket'."
Foster attends Mishawaka Marian High School where she has played basketball since eighth grade. She is the school's all-time leading scorer with over 1,500 career points. As a junior, she was the conference's leading scorer and steals earner, averaging 23 points and 3.9 steals.
She has earned All-State honors during her freshmen, sophomore and junior seasons, including First Team honors (IGBRR and Hoosier Magazine) last season. She also earned South Bend Tribune All-Area Team honors last season along with First Team All-Conference accolades. The Indy Star named her the No. 4 girls player in the state of Indiana and she's nationally ranked by AGSR, IBCA and Prep Girls Hoop.
Just two games into her senior season, Foster has already been named District Player of the Week and is averaging 33 points, 10 rebounds and 7.5 steals. In her first game of the season, she made six 3-pointers.
"Mackenzie stood out from the beginning," said Collins. "Her numbers and her experience winning were eye catching. Once I talked with her, I knew she would be a great fit for our team and WKU. On the court, she is a versatile and unselfish player. Off the court, she will be that teammate that pays attention to every detail from scouting reports to classroom notes."
Chatfield attended Westlake Girls High School in Auckland where she has played basketball the last four years. She led her team to a national championship in 2022 and was named Most Valuable Player and was on the Tournament Team. In her final season with the team, Chatfield earned the Westlake Girls High School Cup for all-around academic, athletics and leadership achievements. She was also named the Harbour Sport Junior Sportswoman of the Year.
On the international front, Chatfield was the captain of the U18 New Zealand national team. She and the team toured India earlier this year. Chatfield also played for her provincial team, North Harbour, and was recognized on the Tournament Team and was the leading scorer, averaging 25 point per game. She also played in the Hoop Nation Junior Showcase in April.
Chatfield will be the first WKU women's basketball player from New Zealand.
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on Lady Topper Hoops, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on Twitter, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- Big Red
- CHAMPIONS CLIMB HERE
- CLIMB Program - NIL
- Compliance
- Facilities
- Financial Reports
- For Students
- Student Employment
- Forms/Requests
- Book Big Red
- Donation Requests
- Site Feedback
- For Fans
- Hilltopper Highlights
- Gameday Promotions
- Alumni Tailgates
- Big Red's Rascals
- Basketball Gameday
- Football Gameday
- Mobile Tickets
- Travel Center
- Tickets
- Give
