By Trevor Wenners
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Success starts at the top.
With that being said, the LaGrange College women's basketball team is in great hands for the 2020-21 season. The Panthers are led by three battle-tested captains in seniors Megan English and Jahpera McEachin and junior Jada Brown.
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"These three student-athletes are going to be crucial in laying the foundation for success inside our program this season and into the future," said first-year LaGrange College women's basketball head coach Jasen Jonus. "They represent our college in tremendous ways on and off the court. We are lucky to have them and they will serve as exceptional role models for our younger players."
English is in her fourth year on the Panthers' roster, while Brown and McEachin joined the program in 2018-19. Last season, the trio was a driving force behind LC winning 15 games, the most since the 2016-17 campaign.
English, who hails from Oakwood, Georgia, buried two 3-point shots in an exhibition game on Monday evening at Troy. During the 2018-19 season, she shot 43.5% from the 3-point line, the second-best mark on the team.
"To be chosen as a captain was an honor because my teammates trust me to help lead us in the right direction," said English. "As captains, our hope is to push our teammates every day and hold each other accountable toward our goal of winning a conference championship."
English poured in a career-high 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field and a 2-for-2 effort from downtown during an 89-14 win over Wesleyan in Mariotti Gym on Jan. 16, 2019. The 5-foot-9 forward reached double figures with 11 points, shooting 3-for-4 on 3-pointers, in a 95-20 triumph at Wesleyan on Feb. 6, 2019.
English also gets after it on the defensive end. She draws a substantial number of charges with her instincts and footwork. She has appeared in 72 regular-season games and made two starts, scoring a total of 165 points.
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McEachin brings versatility and explosiveness to the lineup. She can hit the three-ball, break down defenses with dribble penetration, find open teammates in tight windows and force steals with relentless on-ball pressure. The Federal Way, Washington, native was named to the USA South West Division second team at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
She has scored in double figures during 30 of 52 games in a Panther uniform, while shooting 78.8% from the free-throw line. In the exhibition game at Troy on Monday, she scored 12 points and recorded team highs of five assists and four steals.
"It is a huge honor to be named a team captain," said McEachin. "I hope to lead my team by example and do whatever it takes for us to be successful, whether it be defensively, offensively or simply being positive and vocal."
During her sophomore season in 2018-19, McEachin shot 41.9% from 3-point range. The 5-foot-5 guard dropped a season-high 19 points and buried a career-high five treys during a 71-59 victory over Maryville on Feb. 3, 2019.
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As a junior, she led the Panthers in points (10.6), steals (1.2) and minutes (24.5) per game, to go along with 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists. McEachin scored a career-high 25 points, going 11-for-11 from the charity stripe, at Oglethorpe on Nov. 9, 2019. She nailed the game-winning runner on the left side of the lane with four seconds remaining in a 67-65 win over Berry on Nov. 10, 2019.
Brown provided instant production and energy off the Panthers' bench during 44 games in 2018-19 and 2019-20. She averaged 3.6 points and 3.0 rebounds last season, while tying a career-high three steals in three games.
Brown, who is originally from Macon, Georgia, recorded career highs of seven points and eight rebounds at Berea on Jan. 4, 2020. The 5-foot-7 guard shot 46.3% from the field during her sophomore campaign and scored in 22 games.
In a Panther uniform, she has tallied 119 points, 92 rebounds and 30 steals.
"Hearing that I was voted a captain was shocking because I have never been a vocal leader," said Brown. "I lead more by my actions. This season, I hope that the captains can help our players build confidence in themselves and play to the best of their abilities. We will challenge them each day defensively. I believe that if we bring intensity on the defensive end, it will lead to offensive production."
Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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