COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – To say the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team has been blessed with some tremendous guards in its 50-year history would be an understatement.
The Golden Eagles could be adding another record-breaking scorer to the mix as Tech Head Coach Kim Rosamond announced on Wednesday morning the signing of 5-8 guard Harley Paynter.
Kentucky has been fertile recruiting ground for Tech over the last few years, and the Boyd County High School sharpshooter will join current Tech standouts Mackenzie Coleman, Jordan Brock and Maaliya Owens as players who have traveled from the Bluegrass State to wear Purple and Gold since Rosamond and her staff arrived in 2016.
"I am so thankful for the opportunity to become a Golden Eagle," Paynter said. "I have never been as excited as I am right now. I am looking forward to all the hard work, great times and championships together."
The decision wasn't a hard one for her.
"I chose Tennessee Tech because of the culture the women's basketball program has here and the family atmosphere I felt while visiting Cookeville," Paynter said. "Feeling at home was a priority to me and instantly I felt that as soon as I developed relationships with the coaches and players on the team.
"I know that with my hard work and dedication, I will be able to get a top-notch education while also doing what I love most."
Paynter, a native of Grayson, Ky., has put together an incredible high school career that began as a seventh-grader playing varsity basketball. The dynamic lefty has already eclipsed the 2,000 point-scoring mark heading into her senior season with 2,176 points to go along with 866 rebounds. She has spent her last three seasons prepping under Boyd County head coach Pete Fraley, who has built an ultra-successful program during his 25 years as head coach at his alma mater.
This past season, Paynter averaged 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals per game. She led her team to 20 wins and a district championship en route to earning All-Area Player of the Year as well as being named to the Lexington Herald All-State third team.
Paynter helped lead Boyd County to the Kentucky State Tournament during her sophomore (16 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and freshman (14.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg) campaigns. Her freshman season resulted in a Final Four appearance and 29 wins. Countless all-tournament, all-district, and all-region teams have been added to her list of accolades over the years.
"Harley is a playmaker who puts points on the board in a variety of ways," Tech head coach Kim Rosamond said. "She is a lefty who can bury the three, create for her teammates and rebound the basketball. Harley loves to compete and you don't have to look any farther than her rebounding numbers to know she is relentless in everything she does. I love her energy, her positive attitude and the way she embraces every challenge."
"The state of Kentucky has been good to us the past few years, and we are excited to keep that recruiting connection going with the addition of Harley. She fits our program, not only with her style of play, but her commitment to excellence on the court and in the classroom. She is an outstanding student, and she takes great pride to be her best in all she does."
Paynter spent this past summer improving her skills as she played club basketball for Coach Dante Harlan with the Cincinnati Angels AAU program.
The daughter of Roger and Brooke Paynter, Harley follows in the footsteps of her dad who played college basketball at Kentucky Christian University.
With the addition of Paynter, the Golden Eagles expect to have more announcements throughout the day.
Tech will tip off the season by traveling to the Music City on Nov. 25 to face the Vanderbilt Commodores. Season tickets for the 2020-21 campaign are on sale. Seating will be limited in accordance with NCAA and Ohio Valley Conference guidelines. Order your tickets by calling (931) 372-3940, visiting TTUsports.com or visiting the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office.
