University of Massachusets Athletics
Women’s Basketball Adds Three Newcomers
June 01, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Jones, Rose and Taulelei sign NLIs for 2023-24 season.
AMHERST, Mass. – Head coach Mike Leflar of the University of Massachusetts women's basketball team announced the addition of Mikenzie Jones, Alexsia Rose and Lilly Taulelei for the 2023-24 season after signing their respective National Letters of Intent.
"I am thrilled about our recent commitments, Mikenzie, Alexsia and Lilly, and their families," Leflar said. "All three bring unique skill sets to our program and all three make us better. I want to thank our staff who worked quickly to identify student-athletes who fit our style and emerging team-first culture."
Jones, a 6-foot-1 forward from Aurora, Colorado, comes to Massachusetts after spending one season at Denver. In her freshman campaign, she competed in 28 games and averaged 3.4 points per game, 2.2 rebounds per game and 11.1 minutes per game. Jones totaled a career-best 20 points against South Dakota State (Jan. 21, 2023), while pulling down a career-high nine rebounds. She also had a personal best two assists versus Northern Colorado (Nov. 11, 2022) and a career-high four blocks at St. Thomas (Minn.) (Feb. 4, 2023).
Rose, a 5-foot-7 guard from Bloomfield, Connecticut, joins the Minutewomen after spending three years at East Carolina. During her time at ECU, she played in 81 games with 22 starts and she averaged 3.1 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game and 1.5 assists per game. She put up a career-best 18 points against Liberty (Nov. 26, 2022), while coming down with a career-high nine rebounds vs. High Point (Nov. 16, 2022). She provided a spark off the bench for the Pirates in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship with nine points and three assists, aiding the team to the title in the 2022-23 season. Rose also landed on the Dean's List in both the Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023.
Taulelei, a 6-foot-3 forward who hails from Wellington, New Zealand, arrives at UMass as a freshman for the 2023-24 season. She was a contracted player with the Tokomanawa Queens in 2022, while also making the Wellington U19 Basketball representative Team. She competed for the New Zealand U14, U15 and U16 Basketball Teams from 2019 through 2021. With the U14 Team, she helped the team to a gold medal in Melbourne, Australia. As a captain of the U15 Team, she guided the team to a National U15 Championships, gaining selection to the Tournament Team and being named the Tournament MVP. During her time with the U16 Team, she aided the team to a fourth-place finish at the Asia Cup Championships in 2021, qualifying for the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, where the team placed 12th overall. Taulelei was the first female in New Zealand Basketball history to be selected to the Jr. NBA Global Championship, being named the team captain of the Jr. NBA Asia Pacific Team. She also played with the New Zealand Tall Ferns. In 2020, she was the captain of her high school varsity team, earning Team MVP and ranking fourth in points scored in the high school competition. She also was named High School Female Basketball Player of the Year, while garnering College Sport Sportsperson Basketballer of the Year and College Sport Sportsperson Sportsperson of the Year accolades.
Mikenzie Jones • Forward • 6-1 • Aurora, Colo. • Vista Peak Prep • Denver
Leflar on Jones: "Mikenzie's athleticism caught our attention right away. Her game experience at Denver is a huge plus and I was impressed with her impact on the court. She has an inside-out skill set that will also compliment the additions to our front court. Mikenzie wants to become the best player she can be and we can help her achieve that at UMass."
Alexsia Rose • Guard • 5-7 • Bloomfield, Conn. • Bloomfield • East Carolina
Leflar on Rose: "We recruited Alexsia coming out of high school and I have always loved her ability and competitiveness. We want to play fast and she will help us be that team. Alexsia can score, get her teammates involved and impact the game defensively. Alexsia has big game experience that will help our team. She is a proven winner and I expect her to make an impact right away."
Lilly Taulelei • Center/Forward • 6-3 • Wellington, New Zealand. • Queen Margaret College
Leflar on Taulelei: "Lilly and her family's relationship with UMass and our staff advanced quickly. Initially, I was impressed with what I watched on film. Lilly brings a true post presence to our program. Then getting to know Lilly more and understanding her playing experiences in New Zealand made her even more impressive."
"I am thrilled about our recent commitments, Mikenzie, Alexsia and Lilly, and their families," Leflar said. "All three bring unique skill sets to our program and all three make us better. I want to thank our staff who worked quickly to identify student-athletes who fit our style and emerging team-first culture."
Jones, a 6-foot-1 forward from Aurora, Colorado, comes to Massachusetts after spending one season at Denver. In her freshman campaign, she competed in 28 games and averaged 3.4 points per game, 2.2 rebounds per game and 11.1 minutes per game. Jones totaled a career-best 20 points against South Dakota State (Jan. 21, 2023), while pulling down a career-high nine rebounds. She also had a personal best two assists versus Northern Colorado (Nov. 11, 2022) and a career-high four blocks at St. Thomas (Minn.) (Feb. 4, 2023).
Rose, a 5-foot-7 guard from Bloomfield, Connecticut, joins the Minutewomen after spending three years at East Carolina. During her time at ECU, she played in 81 games with 22 starts and she averaged 3.1 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game and 1.5 assists per game. She put up a career-best 18 points against Liberty (Nov. 26, 2022), while coming down with a career-high nine rebounds vs. High Point (Nov. 16, 2022). She provided a spark off the bench for the Pirates in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship with nine points and three assists, aiding the team to the title in the 2022-23 season. Rose also landed on the Dean's List in both the Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023.
Taulelei, a 6-foot-3 forward who hails from Wellington, New Zealand, arrives at UMass as a freshman for the 2023-24 season. She was a contracted player with the Tokomanawa Queens in 2022, while also making the Wellington U19 Basketball representative Team. She competed for the New Zealand U14, U15 and U16 Basketball Teams from 2019 through 2021. With the U14 Team, she helped the team to a gold medal in Melbourne, Australia. As a captain of the U15 Team, she guided the team to a National U15 Championships, gaining selection to the Tournament Team and being named the Tournament MVP. During her time with the U16 Team, she aided the team to a fourth-place finish at the Asia Cup Championships in 2021, qualifying for the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, where the team placed 12th overall. Taulelei was the first female in New Zealand Basketball history to be selected to the Jr. NBA Global Championship, being named the team captain of the Jr. NBA Asia Pacific Team. She also played with the New Zealand Tall Ferns. In 2020, she was the captain of her high school varsity team, earning Team MVP and ranking fourth in points scored in the high school competition. She also was named High School Female Basketball Player of the Year, while garnering College Sport Sportsperson Basketballer of the Year and College Sport Sportsperson Sportsperson of the Year accolades.
Mikenzie Jones • Forward • 6-1 • Aurora, Colo. • Vista Peak Prep • Denver
- Spent her freshman campaign at Denver
- Averaged 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 11.1 minutes played per game
- Appeared in all 28 games
- Put up a career-best 20 points vs. South Dakota State
- Came down with a career-high nine rebounds against South Dakota State
- Attended Vista Peak Prep
- All-Colorado Honorable Mention selection
- Three-time All-Conference First Team honoree
- Holds school record for the most blocks in a game and in a season
- Reached the 500 Rebound Club
- Four-year Dean's List member
- Member of the National Honor Society
Leflar on Jones: "Mikenzie's athleticism caught our attention right away. Her game experience at Denver is a huge plus and I was impressed with her impact on the court. She has an inside-out skill set that will also compliment the additions to our front court. Mikenzie wants to become the best player she can be and we can help her achieve that at UMass."
Alexsia Rose • Guard • 5-7 • Bloomfield, Conn. • Bloomfield • East Carolina
- Spent three seasons at East Carolina
- Averaged 3.1 points/game, 1.5 rebounds/game and 1.5 assists/game
- Played in 81 games, starting in 22 for the Pirates
- Helped the team to an AAC Championship title in 2023
- Landed on the 2022 Fall Dean's List and 2023 Spring Dean's List
- Attended Bloomfield High School
- Aided the team to the CIAC Girls Basketball State Championship Semifinals
- Averaged 20 points, six assists and six steals
- Was named to the First-Team All-State and All-Conference teams
- Member of the Hartford Courant Fab 15 and Stamford Advocate Top 25
- Prior to Bloomfield, she competed at Watkinson School in Hartford, Conn.
- Four-time NEPSAC All-Star
- Four-time MVP
- Scored 1,000 points in three seasons, averaging at least 16 points in each year
- Named Watkinson Female Athlete of the Year as a sophomore
- Earned Academic High Honors
- Lauded the Marines Distinguished Athlete Award
Leflar on Rose: "We recruited Alexsia coming out of high school and I have always loved her ability and competitiveness. We want to play fast and she will help us be that team. Alexsia can score, get her teammates involved and impact the game defensively. Alexsia has big game experience that will help our team. She is a proven winner and I expect her to make an impact right away."
Lilly Taulelei • Center/Forward • 6-3 • Wellington, New Zealand. • Queen Margaret College
- Contracted player with the Tokomanawa Queens in 2022
- Member of the Wellington U19 Basketball Representative Team
- Played for the New Zealand U14, U15 and U16 Girls Basketball Teams
- Aided the U14 team to a gold medal in Melbourne, Australia
- Captain of the U15 team that won the National U15 Championship title
- Gained selection to the Tournament team and was named Tournament MVP
- Helped the U16 team place fourth at the Asia Cup Championships and 12th in the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup
- Played with the New Zealand Tall Ferns
- Was the first female in New Zealand Basketball history to be selected to the Jr. NBA Global Championship
- Was the team captain for the Jr. NBA Asia Pacific Team
- Named the College Sport Sportsperson Basketballer of the Year
- Garnered the overall College Sport Sportsperson Sportsperson of the Year award
- In 2020, captained her High School Varsity team
- Earned High School Female Basketball Player of the Year award in 2020
- Lauded Team MVP and ranked fourth in the points scored in the high school competition
- Selected to compete in the Women's National Basketball League, a professional/amateur competition for elite female basketball players, as the youngest ever to compete at the level
- Played in all six games, averaging 20 minutes/game, 4.5 points/game and 5.5 rebounds/game
Leflar on Taulelei: "Lilly and her family's relationship with UMass and our staff advanced quickly. Initially, I was impressed with what I watched on film. Lilly brings a true post presence to our program. Then getting to know Lilly more and understanding her playing experiences in New Zealand made her even more impressive."
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