Touted recruit Achiri Ade will not attend JMU

Achiri Ade

James Madison will be without a key member of its talented recruiting class as ESPN Top 100 performer Achiri Ade has been declared ineligible.

"Achiri Ade is currently a non-qualifier," a school spokesperson said. "Due to (Colonial Athletic Association) rules, she is unable to attend JMU this year."

Per the CAA Constitution, the conference's non-qualifier rule as it pertains to recruits directly from high school reads as follows:

Since the median of each institution's freshman class academic profile far exceeds the NCAA minimum standards for freshman eligibility, if a recruited non-qualifier enrolls at a member institution directly from high school, the individual will not be eligible to represent the institution in a CAA sport.


Ade's AAU coach, Robert Hildreth of the Maryland Lady Terps, told Matthew Stoss of the Daily News-Record that Ade will enroll at Midland College, a junior college, and still plans to attend JMU in two years.

Ade, a 6-1 forward from Seton Keough School in Baltimore, was ranked No. 92 among all 2011 recruits by ESPN and was the only Top 100 player to sign with any CAA school. She was also the centerpiece of a five-player recruiting class ranked 39th nationally by ESPN, higher than any school in the conference or the state.

The Dukes still boast an impressive cast of newcomers as 6-2 guard Jazmon Gwalthmey, 6-0 forward Toia Giggetts, 6-2 foward/center Briana Jones and 6-3 forward/center Crystal Ross all have stellar high school credentials. JMU will also have the services of Tanica Anderson, a 5-5 point guard from Midland College in Texas.

As for Ade, many college stars have had to overcome initial academic concerns before finding success on the court. We certainly hope her career follows that path.