« Women’s Basketball 2019-20

Ayana Mitchell

School
LSU
Position
Forward
Major
Interdisciplinary Studies

Classroom

Ayana is in her fifth season as a Lady Tiger and will graduate in May 2020. Her grade point average suffered early in her collegiate career as she battled injuries, including a career-threatening back injury in her freshman season. She has worked hard to get her grades up over the last three years and was recently named to the LSU Athletics 3.0 Honor Roll for the Spring 2019 semester. She was named as one of the departments most improved student-athletes in 2019 by the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes staff. She currently holds a 2.156 grade point average.

Character

Ayana is an amazing young woman who will be serving as the team captain for a second consecutive season. Ayana has taken her role as a senior leader very seriously after being thrust into the role as a junior. She has a big heart, and as her SID, I have seen a new level of maturity in her as she goes into this 5th season.

Ayana leads by example on and off the court. On the court, she is the first one to pump up a teammate who gets down on themselves and needs a pick-me-up. Off the court, Ayana has become a leader in the classroom as she has seen a steady increase in her grades after a rough start. In the community, her personality draws people to her and her heart allows her to reach out to those who might be holding back.

Community

Ayana continues to grow her involvement in the community, not only in Baton Rouge, but back home in Conyers, Georgia.

Here is a list of Community Service she has done outside of the usual team activities:
*Gardere Elementary School (BR) - Volunteered in the classroom, at lunch, reading time and recess.
*Lighthouse Christian Fellowship Church - Volunteered at a youth lock-in and spoke to the group.
*Pre-Scholars Academy - Served as a counselor for a 3-week program for 60 incoming LSU students; helped get them used to their new environment on campus.
*Brusly Middle School (LA) - Served at their Field Day, playing ball and handing out T-shirts.
*Ville Platte High School (LA) - Spoke at athletics banquet and has been invited back to speak.
*Salem High School (GA) - Attended practices, gave speech to athletes at her alma mater and sent ‘Good Luck’ messages.

Volunteering with the team:
*Knock Knock Children’s Museum (BR)
*BOOzar (LSU SAAC)
*Thanksgiving With the Tigers (LSU SAAC)
*Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
*Summer Basketball Camps and In-season Clinics

Competition

Ayana is one of the Top 5 players in the prestigious Southeastern Conference going into the 2019-20 season.

She is currently on the 2019-20 Katrina McClain Power Forward Award Watch List sponsored by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

She was named to the SEC Coaches and Media Preseason First Team on Oct. 15 & 29.

2018-19 1st Team All-SEC.

Ayana averaged a double-double as a junior, with 13.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Her 56.3 percent in field goal shooting ranked 24th in the nation last season, while her rebounding average was 30th in the nation.

Ayana has the potential to join a rare group this season as she is 12 points away from her 1,000th career point and needs 276 rebounds to crack the 1,000 in a career mark. She would be the 4th Lady Tiger to accomplish the feat.