Top 2026 recruit Chikae Desdunes commits to Penn State

Top 2026 recruit Chikae Desdunes has committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions, she announced on Friday. The 5-10 combo guard from Daytona Beach (FL) DME Academy chose Penn State over Purdue, West Virginia, Michigan State, Auburn and Baylor. 

“Penn State kind of came in a little bit later, but I’ve had some great talks with Coach Sean [Bair] and Coach [Carolyn] Kieger,” Desdunes previously told Rivals. “They’re really good people. I had a good relationship with them pretty fast, I would say. They’re also in the Big 10 and I have a lot of Big 12 offers, so their conference is a little different, but it’s good. They also show good interest in me, and they’re impressed with my summer this year. It’s really good to keep in contact with them.”

She also broke down what would be the deciding factors in her decision.

“It has to feel right,” Desdunes said. “Once you go to a school, you know the feeling of ‘I definitely feel like I’m going to go here.’ I’m just really excited to get on these campuses, get to know these coaching staffs, see the players and all that stuff. The most important thing is just feeling comfortable, feeling like a real family atmosphere.”

Desdunes’ shooting has been one of the major reasons her stock has recently risen. At DME this season, she shot 42% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc. At Nike EYBL session one, Desdunes showed out from the perimeter and gained the attention of several national powerhouses. 

“My shooting is number one,” Desdunes told On3. “That’s what has kind of stood out for me. I feel like now coming to DME, I’ve grown to become a three-level scorer. I’m a lot more confident with the ball in my hands – a combo guard who can read the game really well and also can guard multiple positions. I can be versatile at the combo guard position.”