All-league guard Searcey to join Seawolves second semester

Anchorage (Nov. 4) - The UAA women's basketball team will get a major reinforcement for the second portion of the 2025-26 season as head coach Matt Thune announced Tuesday that transfer Taylor Searcey will join the Seawolves at the semester break.

A 5-8 guard, Searcey was a two-time All-Gulf South Conference performer at fellow NCAA Div. II program Valdosta State, where she played from 2020-24. She helped the Lady Blazers to the program's first Elite Eight appearance in 37 years as a second-year freshman, before leading the team in scoring (12.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg) as a sophomore. Searcey showed her versatility as a junior, leading VSU in assists (4.1 apg).

The Lincoln, Neb., native transferred to Div. I program Chattanooga for the 2024-25 season, where she was forced to redshirt due to injury.

"Taylor is a fierce competitor who brings valuable championship experience to our program," said Thune, whose team opens the season Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (3:15 p.m.) against Northwest University at the Alaska Airlines Center. "She is a student of the game and has a desire to get into collegiate coaching once she graduates. I think it says a lot for our program that she chose to finish her career at UAA, and we can't wait for her to join us on the court."

Searcey was a two-time All-City selection at Lincoln East High School, leading her team to a 2020 state runner-up finish and earning multiple individual state titles in cross country, and track and field.

She is the second player to commit to the Seawolf program for the second semester, joining fellow D-II transfer Jaela Reid (5-11, G/F, Davis and Elkins).