Lizzy Williamson commits to NC State
NC State women’s basketball has added a second addition from the transfer portal. The latest is Southern Utah sophomore center Lizzy Williamson.
Williamson confirmed the commitment in a message to the TheWolfpacker.com.
“I’m super excited to get started,” she added.
The 6-5 post player played in 33 games last season, helping Southern Utah win its conference championship and taking home the WAC defensive player of the year award. Southern Utah lost to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round.
During the 2022-2023 season, Williamson led the Thunderbirds at 10.0 rebounds per game, setting the program’s all-time single season record on the glass with 329 boards.
She nearly averaged a double-double was well, scoring 9.6 points per game at a 52.3-percent shooting clip from the field. Aside from her impact in the paint, the center did not attempt a 3 last season and hit 57.5 percent of her free throw attempts.
Williamson racked up most of her accolades on defense last year and recorded a staggering 77 blocked shots— more than double the total of any of her Southern Utah teammates. Madison Hayes and Jada Boyd led NC State in blocks last year with 22 each.
After the regular season, the WAC recognized Williamson as the league’s defensive player of the year. The Thunderbirds’ center, who is from Adelaide, Australia, made this impact defensively while only committing 51 personal fouls, which is less than 2 per game.
Williamson will team up with River Baldwin and Mimi Collins as upperclassmen in the Wolfpack front court. Four-star class of 2023 signees Mallory Collier and Madison Cox will also join the team as freshmen this year.
Lizzy Williamson is second NC State women’s basketball transfer addition
Former Sacramento State forward Katie Peneueta has also committed to the Wolfpack.
Peneuta announced her pledge to NC State in April.
Standing at 6-2, Peneueta is one of the best three-point shooters in the nation, hitting her attempts at a 45.5-percent clip. Only 5 players in the nation knocked down a higher percentage of their threes than the recent NC state commit.
She attempted 170 shots during the 2022-2023 season, and 156 were threes. Despite not getting to the line often, the rising junior did hit 16 of 20 free throws.
Peneueta is more than just a shooter though, as she also added 5.8 rebounds per game, tied for second on her former team, and led the program in blocks with 42. She also recorded 57 assists and just 27 turnovers.
Like Williamson and Southern Utah, Peneuta and Sacramento State reached the NCAA Tournament, losing to UCLA in the opening round.
