Transferring from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), junior guard Shaneese Bailey promises to be a dynamic addition to the women’s basketball team. Named a First Team All-Conference USA selection in her sophomore year, the Callahan, Florida native has demonstrated her athleticism and dexterity by playing multiple positions.
In accordance with NCAA transfer rules, Bailey will sit out the 2015-16 season, but will have two years of eligibility at Miami. Bailey, however, will only improve as a player using this season to better skills such as ball handling and shooting range.
Playing in all 30 games with five starts as a freshman, Bailey established her strength as a college player averaging 5.5 points on 46.4 percent shooting from the floor, while pulling down 3.1 rebounds per game.
Bailey only improved as a sophomore, playing 29 of 30 games with 28 starts. Offensively, Bailey is a force to be reckoned with. She led the Owls in scoring at 16.2 points per game, putting up double figures 25 times, including 16 games in a row. On 16 occasions she posted 15-plus points and had a stretch of three straight games with at least 27.
Bailey has an impressive shooting range, achieving 51.3 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from three-point range and 77.5 percent from the free throw line. Finishing fifth in Conference USA in field goal percentage, seventh in scoring and seventh in free throw percentage, Bailey was one of just two players in the top seven of all three categories.
Bailey’s defensive skill supplements her offensive skill. Never shying away from the ball, she threatens the rim on offense and seeks out the ball on defense, including rebounding from the post. She led the Owls with 34 steals and ranked second in rebounds with 5.3 per game. In each of her two seasons at FAU, Bailey had the Owls’ highest single-game rebounding total with 15 at Marshall in 2013-14 and 17 against New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2014-15.
The Hurricanes won’t have Bailey this season, but with the addition of her and three other skilled recruits, the future is promising for the women’s basketball team.