BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona announced the signing of 6-9 rising senior Emondrek Erkins-Ford to the 2026-27 roster.
Erkins-Ford arrives on The Hill after spending the 2025-26 season at Jax State and two seasons at Eastern Florida State College in Cocoa, Florida.
"Emondrek is going to be a great addition to our Hilltopper family," said Plona. "He proved against us and many other Conference USA teams that he has the potential to be an all-league player. We expect him to come in, score, rebound and help us win. Emondrek has gotten better and better every year, and we're excited to help him continue his journey toward being a successful pro."
In 2025-26, Erkins-Ford appeared in 28 games with seven starts for the Gamecocks, shooting an efficient 53.0% from the field.
The Chicago native averaged 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while scoring in double figures 12 times. He posted a season-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting against Liberty on Jan. 4.
Erkins-Ford recorded a 5.4% block percentage, ranking sixth in CUSA, while his 113.7 offensive rating ranked 19th in the league.
Prior to Jax State, Erkins-Ford was a key contributor at Eastern Florida State, helping lead the Titans to a 50-10 record over two seasons. The program captured a Region VIII Men's Basketball Championship and advanced to the FCSAA/NJCAA South Atlantic District Semifinals in 2023-24, followed by a trip to the FCSAA DI Men's Basketball Championship Quarterfinals in 2024-25.
As a sophomore in 2024-25, Erkins-Ford started 26 games and averaged 15.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 58.2% from the field. He scored in double figures 24 times, including four 20-point performances.
During his freshman season in 2023-24, Erkins-Ford appeared in 32 games with two starts and averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game on 58.7% shooting. He reached double figures nine times.
Erkins-Ford played his high school basketball at Bloom Trail High School in Chicago.
How to follow WKU Hilltopper Basketball: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKUBasketball on Instagram and X.Â
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
- 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
