by TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State head women’s basketball coach Marc Mitchell announced the addition of Zalissa Finley to the program Tuesday morning.
Finley, a 6-2 forward from Inchelium, Washington, joins the Sycamores with three years of eligibility after transferring from Whitworth.
“Zalissa is an extremely talented young player,” Mitchell said. “Her versatility allos her to play multiple positions. Zalissa is a tenacious rebounder and defender. Her athleticism will give us the luxury of switching defenses, as she can guard positions 3 through 5. I believe Indiana State fans will experience some high-level play from this young lady for years to come. #ASONE”
Finley nearly averaged a double-double in her freshman season at Whitworth with 9.9 points and a team-leading 10.8 rebounds per game on her way to being named the Northwest Conference Rookie of the Year. Her 10.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game were both tops in the Northwest Conference, and she ranked 11th in Division III with 73 blocks. Finley averaged a double-double against conference foes with 11.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game against Northwest Conference opponents.
Finley’s 9.9 points ranked second on the team, and she scored in double-figures 14 times with a season-high 22 against Lewis & Clark. She shot better than 46 percent from the field and showcased an ability to connect from distance, hitting on nearly 38 percent of her 3-point attempts. Finley’s numbers steadily improved as the season progressed, as she scored in double-figures in 11 of the last 14 games.
She pulled down double-digit rebounds on 15 occasions, including three-plus games with 20 or more rebounds and a program-record 21 boards against George Fox. Finley finished the season with 10 double-doubles, including double-doubles in each of her 20-point or 20-rebound games, and was named an Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference selection.
Finley was an all-state selection in her senior season at Inchelium (Wash.) HS after earning all-region honors as a junior. She was a part of Inchelium’s Washington Class 1B State Championship team in 2020 and scored more than 1,000 points in her high school career.
