CARBONDALE, Ill. – Kelly Bond-White and the Southern Illinois University women’s basketball team has signed Alayna Kraus, a transfer guard originally from Okawville, Ill.
Kraus is a 5-foot-9 point guard who will be an incoming sophomore, transferring from WBIT tourney participant and Summit League Runner-Up Oral Roberts University.
“Alayna is a young lady we targeted in high school; however, timing is everything. We were waiting to see if our four-year starter would be able to be in the hospital taking nursing clinicals and return to the hardwood. By the time it worked itself out, Alayna was headed out West,” head coach Kelly Bond-White said. “When her name popped up in the portal, I knew she was a winner, a competitor, and a flat-out scorer in a position we were depleted in this year.”
On the court, Kraus has strong vision and a solid change of speed game. The guard can also knock down the deep three, while having the size to finish in the lane.
“She’s a kid that loves to compete and has a high IQ,” Bond-White said. “While she played in a system dominated by upperclassmen, she took full advantage of the minutes she received, and her efficiency rating was through the roof. The praise from several of her former coaches that wanted to retain her spoke volumes.”
During ORU’s championship run, Kraus appeared in 15 games as a freshman, shooting 42.4% from the field and 38.5% from three. The point guard scored a career-high 16 points on 5-of-8 (62.5%) shooting from the field and 5-of-5 shooting from the charity stripe.
“This is a young lady whose portal phone rang off the hook,” Bond-White said. “However, she was intentional about coming home to Southern Illinois and being a spark to help us get this thing turned around. Our usually reserved players hit it off with her in a short period of time. Her energy is contagious. I know that drive down Hwy 127 and surrounding areas will increase our season ticket family.”
Kraus came off back-to-back championship seasons for Okawville. First in 2022-23 and then in 2023-24 where she was a Class 1A State Champion. In 2023-24, she made AP All-State First Team, IBCA All-State First Team, and 2023-24 STL All-Metro First Team selection.
The sophomore plans to continue studying Sports Administration at SIU.
