TCU Stocks Frontcourt with Signing of Georgia State Transfer Merrill
5/20/2024 2:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
6-1 forward started 63 games over four seasons with Panthers
FORT WORTH – TCU added immediate depth to its frontcourt, signing Georgia State transfer Deasia Merrill to its roster ahead of the 2024-25 season.
A 6-1 forward, Merrill appeared in 100 games and earned 63 starts across four seasons with the Panthers. She averaged a career-high 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the 2022-23 campaign.
Hailing from Villa Rica, Georgia, Merrill was tabbed the No. 66 overall prospect in the class of 2019 in the ESPN HoopGurlz recruiting rankings. She was graded a consensus four-star talent by ESPN.com, ProspectsNation.com and All-Star Girls Report.
Merrill signed with Kentucky over offers from more than 10 Power Five conference programs, including Duke, Miami, NC State and Ole Miss. Merrill missed the entire 2019-20 season due to injury before transferring to Georgia State.
She will enroll at TCU as a graduate student and have one year to play one season.
The addition of Merrill augments a Horned Frog frontcourt boasting Lisa Leslie Award finalist Sedona Prince, junior Aaliyah Roberson (7.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and fourth-year veteran DaiJa Turner, who earned multiple starts at the five in 2023-24.
Merrill tallied 901 points, 556 rebounds, 88 blocks and 10 double-doubles in her four-year run in Atlanta. She connected at a 50 percent clip from the field (261-518) over the last two seasons.
As a fifth-year senior, Merrill suited up in 28 games for the Panthers, getting the starting nod in 13. She led the team in blocks (30) and offensive boards (2.3) while averaging eight points and 6.5 rebounds per outing.
She enjoyed her most productive season in 2022-23, topping Georgia State's cumulative stats sheet in rebounding, blocks (28) and double-doubles (six) while ranking second on the squad in points per game. Merrill ranked sixth and 10th, respectively, in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage (.506) and rebounding average. She started 30 of 33 games played and averaged a career-high 26.4 minutes per night. Merrill turned in four 20-plus point performances, highlighted by a career-best 23-point effort in a victory over Appalachian State on Jan. 26, 2023.
Merrill earned 20 starts in her second season with Georgia State, averaging 7.2 points over 16 minutes per game. She saw action in 17 games in 2020-21.
Prior to signing with Kentucky, Merrill starred at Villa Rica High School. Merrill was a three-time Atlanta Journal Constitution First-Team All-State selection and garnered Georgia Class 5A Regional Player of the Year all three years from 2017-19. She received Class 5A Player of the Year honors as a senior after averaging 25.6 points, 15.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 5.2 steals and 4.2 blocks per game.
Merrill guided Villa Rica to the GHSA Girls State Final Four in 2018 and 2019 and helped the squad notch state tournament berths her freshman and sophomore seasons.
She tallied more than 2,000 career points throughout her prep career. Merrill reached the 1,000-point plateau midway through her sophomore season.
Merrill is the fifth transfer player TCU has signed this offseason, joining guards Taylor Bigby, Donovyn Hunter, Maddie Scherr and Hailey Van Lith.
A 6-1 forward, Merrill appeared in 100 games and earned 63 starts across four seasons with the Panthers. She averaged a career-high 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the 2022-23 campaign.
Hailing from Villa Rica, Georgia, Merrill was tabbed the No. 66 overall prospect in the class of 2019 in the ESPN HoopGurlz recruiting rankings. She was graded a consensus four-star talent by ESPN.com, ProspectsNation.com and All-Star Girls Report.
Merrill signed with Kentucky over offers from more than 10 Power Five conference programs, including Duke, Miami, NC State and Ole Miss. Merrill missed the entire 2019-20 season due to injury before transferring to Georgia State.
She will enroll at TCU as a graduate student and have one year to play one season.
The addition of Merrill augments a Horned Frog frontcourt boasting Lisa Leslie Award finalist Sedona Prince, junior Aaliyah Roberson (7.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and fourth-year veteran DaiJa Turner, who earned multiple starts at the five in 2023-24.
Merrill tallied 901 points, 556 rebounds, 88 blocks and 10 double-doubles in her four-year run in Atlanta. She connected at a 50 percent clip from the field (261-518) over the last two seasons.
As a fifth-year senior, Merrill suited up in 28 games for the Panthers, getting the starting nod in 13. She led the team in blocks (30) and offensive boards (2.3) while averaging eight points and 6.5 rebounds per outing.
She enjoyed her most productive season in 2022-23, topping Georgia State's cumulative stats sheet in rebounding, blocks (28) and double-doubles (six) while ranking second on the squad in points per game. Merrill ranked sixth and 10th, respectively, in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage (.506) and rebounding average. She started 30 of 33 games played and averaged a career-high 26.4 minutes per night. Merrill turned in four 20-plus point performances, highlighted by a career-best 23-point effort in a victory over Appalachian State on Jan. 26, 2023.
Merrill earned 20 starts in her second season with Georgia State, averaging 7.2 points over 16 minutes per game. She saw action in 17 games in 2020-21.
Prior to signing with Kentucky, Merrill starred at Villa Rica High School. Merrill was a three-time Atlanta Journal Constitution First-Team All-State selection and garnered Georgia Class 5A Regional Player of the Year all three years from 2017-19. She received Class 5A Player of the Year honors as a senior after averaging 25.6 points, 15.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 5.2 steals and 4.2 blocks per game.
Merrill guided Villa Rica to the GHSA Girls State Final Four in 2018 and 2019 and helped the squad notch state tournament berths her freshman and sophomore seasons.
She tallied more than 2,000 career points throughout her prep career. Merrill reached the 1,000-point plateau midway through her sophomore season.
Merrill is the fifth transfer player TCU has signed this offseason, joining guards Taylor Bigby, Donovyn Hunter, Maddie Scherr and Hailey Van Lith.
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