SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– Drury Lady Panthers head coach Molly Miller has announced guard Lauren Holmes has signed with Drury after transferring from the University of North Texas.
Holmes played one season for the Mean Green and will enter Drury as a sophomore. The Fayetteville, Arkansas native averaged 9.0 points, appeared in 29 games and made 17 starts for North Texas. She was her team’s second-leading scorer and was second on the squad in three-pointers made with 44 while shooting 30 percent from behind the arc. The 5’9” guard averaged 4.7 rebounds and was an 81 percent free throw shooter connecting on 35 of 43 tries. She helped North Texas to a 17-14 record last season.
“It has been great getting to know Lauren as a person during this recruiting process,” said Drury head coach Molly Miller. “I have no doubt she will fit in well with our current team and Lady Panther culture. She will also find success on the basketball court as our style of play will compliment her skill set as a player. She is an incredible athlete that will add some instant offense and exciting defensive intensity to our team. I look forward to coaching her and am excited she has joined our Lady Panther family.”
Holmes was the 2017 Arkansas Prep Female Athlete of the Year following her senior season at Fayetteville High School. She won five state titles in three different sports during her senior year as she helped the Bulldogs to state championships in basketball, volleyball, and track & field and she won individual state track & field titles in the long jump and 4 x 100-meter relay.
Holmes averaged eight points, and 2.2 steals per game as a senior for Fayetteville HS as the Bulldogs went 30-2, won the Class 7A state championship and ended the year ranked 33rd in the nation by MaxPreps. She was named to the All-State team in Arkansas twice during high school career.
As a sophomore, Holmes was named the 2015 Northwest Arkansas Girls Basketball Newcomer of the Year by the Democrat-Gazette and helped to the Bulldogs to the state championship that season. She was the Northwest Arkansas Track & Field Athlete of the Year three times during her prep career winning the award in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Holmes ended her high school career with nine state championships winning the basketball title twice, two track & field team championships, a volleyball title, and four individual track & field crowns (twice in the long jump, once in the 4 x 100 relay, and the 100-meter hurdles).
Lauren Holmes is the fifth Lady Panthers signing for the 2018-19 season. Drury will also add guard Paige Robinson (Okaw Valley HS, Bethany, Illinois), guard Zoey Mullings (Strafford HS, Strafford, Missouri), center Adene Edwards (Troy-Buchanan HS, Troy, Missouri), and forward Shelby Myers (Effingham HS, Effingham, Illinois).
The Lady Panthers ended the 2017-18 season 31-3, and 17-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. They won the GLVC title for the second straight year, advanced to the NCAA-II Midwest Regional championship game for the third consecutive season and ended the year ranked 7th in the final NCAA-II coaches’ poll.
