Alabama Women’s Basketball Signs Georgia Transfer Sarah Ashlee Barker, North Dakota State Transfer Ryan Cobbins
3/28/2022 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Both student-athletes will have immediate eligibility
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama women's basketball program inked a pair of transfers to its incoming class, head coach Kristy Curry announced Monday. Sarah Ashlee Barker, a 6-foot guard from Georgia, and Ryan Cobbins, a 6-foot guard/forward from North Dakota State, will have immediate eligibility to compete for the Crimson Tide in the fall of 2022.
The pair will join two-time Miss Tennessee Basketball and soon freshman, Karly Weathers, and 2019-20 Miss South Carolina Basketball and Georgia Tech transfer, Loyal McQueen, to form the Crimson Tide's incoming class.
Sarah Ashlee Barker
6-0 | Guard | Birmingham, Ala. | Spain Park High School | Georgia
Barker, a 6-0 guard from Birmingham, Ala., started in all 31 games for Georgia as a sophomore in 2021-22. She averaged 25.3 minutes per game for the Lady Bulldogs, turning in 7.7 points per game as the third leading scorer on the team and 4.0 rebounds per game. Barker knocked down a team-high 35 three-point field goals on the season, while she also dished out 74 assists and forced 40 steals in 2021-22.
A season ago, as a freshman, Barker was named to the 2020-21 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team and was twice named the league's freshman of the week after playing in 24 games, contributing 5.1 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Barker returns to her home state of Alabama with two years of eligibility, where she scored more than 2,000 points and totaled more than 1,000 rebounds at Spain Park High School under the direction of Mike Chase. The Crimson Tide legacy was named the state of Alabama's 2019-20 Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Sports Writers Association Miss Basketball, AL.com Player of the Year and Max Preps State Player of the Year.
Curry on Barker:
"We are so proud and excited to welcome Sarah Ashlee Barker home to Alabama! She has the two most important qualities that we look for in a player, that you can't coach, and that is heart and hustle. Those attributes truly make her special as a competitor and a teammate. She will bring such valuable SEC experience to our program, which will translate to her making an immediate impact within every aspect of our program. Our Alabama women's basketball family just gained a truly special person. Welcome home, SA!"
Ryan Cobbins
6-0 | Guard/Forward | Kansas City, Kan. | Piper High School | North Dakota State
Cobbins, a 6-0 guard/forward from Kansas City, Kan., has been a three-year starter at North Dakota State 2019-22. She is coming off her junior year for the Bisons, where she averaged 31.6 minutes per game, recording 11.4 points per game for 330 total points and 4.7 rebounds per game for 136 total rebounds. Cobbins scored in double digits on 18 occasions this season, logging a couple of double-double games.
The versatile guard can score from all three levels, and she will be utilized in a variety of ways on the court for the Crimson Tide. Cobbins, who is wrapping up her junior year at NDSU, will have two years of eligibility at the Capstone.
During her 2020-21 season, the then-sophomore contributed 10.7 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game, earning All-Summit League Honorable Mention, while in the 2019-20 season, the then-freshman averaged 9.6 points per game and 3.4 rebounds per game, inking her name to the league's All-Newcomer Team. As a rookie at North Dakota State, she became the first player in school history to begin her career with five straight double-digit scoring games.
Cobbins was a four-year letterwinner at Piper High School, where she scored more than 1,200 points and won four conference titles en route to being named a four-time selection on the state of Kansas' Class 4A All-State Team and a finalist for the 2019 Sports in Kansas Finalists for Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Curry on Cobbins:
"We are really excited to welcome Ryan into our family! She is a person of high character that will impact our program on and off the court. As a player, she has a very versatile skill set being able to score the basketball at all three levels and will fit into our system right away. Off the court, Ryan is involved in several on- and off-campus community initiatives, including being named to the Summit League's Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion. We are extremely excited and cannot wait for her to get to Tuscaloosa!"
