COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Since the arrival of Tennessee Tech head coach Kim Rosamond and staff in 2016, strong perimeter play has been a staple of Rosamond's Golden Eagle teams. Tech's future backcourt gained size, versatility and skill on Monday with the signing of Cayla Cowart, a 5-9 playmaker from West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga.
Cowart will have one final season prepping under head coach Mallory Ranfos at WFHS before she brings her talents to Cookeville, but she has already put up remarkable numbers. With 1,134 points scored in her career, Cowart averaged 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals per game as a junior as she shot 45 percent from the field.
"Cayla is one of those unique players who can affect the game in so many ways," Rosamond said. "Whether it's scoring, rebounding, creating or defending, Cayla does whatever she needs to do to help her team win. She is ultra-competitive, and she takes losing personally. I love how hard she competes and never takes a play off."
The 2020-21 Forsyth County News Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Cowart put together an impressive list of honors, raking in the Region Player of the Year, a second-team all-state selection, three straight first-team all-regions nods, county player of the year, as well as Most Improved in the State honor.
A multi-sport athlete, Cowart is also a standout volleyball player and helped lead WFHS to the final four in the Georgia state tournament.
"It doesn't matter if it's the basketball court, volleyball court or classroom, Cayla just stands out," Rosamond said. "She is a fierce leader, and she doesn't back down from a challenge. She spent the summer competing against some of the top talent across the country, and the moment was never too big for her. The bigger the game, the bigger she plays."
Cowart garnered national attention on the travel circuit this past July playing for Coach Johnny Gray and FBC (Finest Basketball Club) Black JG.
"Cayla's energy and love for the game are contagious," Rosamond added. "She brings a tough, hard-nosed mentality to the guard position. Her versatility and playmaking ability are what caught our eye on the recruiting trail, and her high motor, elite work ethic, and outstanding character made it a perfect fit."
Not only has Cowart been highly successful on the floor, she has garnered several scholar athlete awards to go along with her 4.0 GPA.
Cowart is the daughter of Chris and Natalie Cowart, and she follows in the collegiate footsteps of her cousins Stephanie Ransom, who played soccer at Georgia, and Jerome Ransom, who played soccer at Presbyterian.
COWART ON CHOOSING TN TECH:
"I have always wanted to go to a college that no one from my hometown would attend so it would be a completely different world than back home. Tech felt the perfect place to build those new relationships. My visit to Cookeville was very different from my others. It was such a welcoming town and you could tell everyone there loved the school and the people. TTU has a good amount of people, but it still felt like home. The coaches and team are what really sealed the deal for me. They made it feel almost impossible to not want to be part of what they have and I can see myself being life-long friends with a lot of them."
