WU Athletics
Joy Smith
TOPEKA – Washburn women’s basketball head coach Ron McHenry has announced the signing of two transfer players as Emma Chapman and Mya Johnson will join the Ichabods’ squad for the 2021-22 season.
A 6-1 senior from St. Louis, Mo., Johnson is transferring from Northwestern Oklahoma State where she played in 19 games with 10 starts in the 2020-21 seasons and averaged 10.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, and 18.4 mpg while recording a 59.3 field goal percentage. Johnson started her collegiate career at Collin County Community College in Plano, Texas, where she played in 25 games and started 24 of them. She averaged 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds on her way to earning First Team All-American honors. At Parkway North High School in St. Louis, she earned First Team All-American accolades her senior year in 2016.
“Mya is a very talented post player,” McHenry said. “She can score, defend well, and is a very skilled inside player. With her ability to score, rebound, and just play the game she gives us a big threat inside.”
Chapman, a 6-3 forward originally from Columbia, Mo., comes to Topeka after spending the past two years on Kansas State’s roster. In the 2019-20 season, she appeared in 22 games with 125 minutes of action (5.7 mpg). She totaled 15 points (0.7 ppg), 22 rebounds (1.0 rpg), six assists and three steals. She made her career debut against Omaha (11/8/19) and notched two points, one rebound and one steal. Off the court, she was recognized for her hard work in the classroom as she was named to the 2019-20 Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team and was a two-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Prior to joining the Wildcats, Chapman was a four-year varsity member of the Hickman High School basketball team. As a senior, she averaged 16.0 ppg (shot 54% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc), 9.0 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 1.7 apg, and 1.3 spg and was also a McDonald’s All-American nominee.
“Emma shoots the ball well, she can put the ball on the floor, and is very athletic,” McHenry said. “She gives the ability for us to put bigger guards on the floor. We’re excited to get the length from the perimeter and skill level she will add. She can shoot the ball well from three, she adds in length, and she adds in skill. She will be another kid that will come in right away and be an impact player.”
In its conference-only schedule last season, Washburn went 12-12 (11-11 MIAA) and advanced to the MIAA Tournament semifinal game.