Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Basketball Inks Two New Additions For 2020-21 Class
4/15/2020 9:28:00 AM | Women's Basketball
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University Head Women's Basketball Coach Fred Castro announced the addition of Makailah Griggs-Zeigler (Detroit, Mich.-Wayne Memorial) and Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu (London, England-City of London Academy (Robert Morris)) to the program for the 2020-2021 academic year.
"We are extremely excited to get a student-athlete of Makailah's caliber," said Castro. "She has been one of the top talents in the state of Michigan since she was a freshman at Wayne Memorial High School. Her combination of skill and size is very unique, one which we look forward to implementing within our system. Mak is about winning and doing it in front of friends and family so we are happy she chose EMU!"
A four-time letterwinner and three-time captain as a member of Jarvis Mitchell's Wayne Memorial squad, Griggs-Ziegler is considered one of the best recruits out of the State of Michigan. Although she missed her senior season due to injury, the 5-foot-11 guard earned multiple all-conference honors and was named a First Team All-Kensington Lakes Athletic League (KLAA) selection during her prep years. Listed as one of the top-100 players in the Mitten State, by StateChampsNetwork.com, she helped Wayne memorial to its first-ever regional championship and a Class A semifinals appearance. The Detroit native averaged 11.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and 3.2 steals per game along the way. She also shot 76-percent from the free-throw line.
"I chose EMU because as soon as I stepped foot on campus, it felt like home," said Griggs-Zeigler. "The environment that I walked into made me feel like Eastern was the choice for me. The school offers what I am looking for academically, and the team has welcomed me from the very beginning of the recruitment process. Eastern gives me hope. I feel like I have a second chance."
Joining Griggs-Zeigler by way of transfer is Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu (pronounced EE-ray ozz-ee MOM-uh-doo).
"We look forward to having Ozzy join our family this summer," offered Castro. "She is a bright young lady that knows exactly what she wants to accomplish these next two years as a student-athlete. Ozzy has the unique ability to impact the game immediately on both ends of the court. She is a rebounding force and can score in the paint in a variety of ways. Our fans will enjoy watching Ozzy compete in the Convocation Center in the years ahead."
A three-year member of the Northeast Conference's Robert Morris Colonials, Ozzy-Momodu blossomed into an incredible asset off the bench in her time with the team. After average 0.9 and 6.5 points per game, respectively, during her first two years with RMU, she appeared in 26 games and averaged 9.3 points per contest during the 2019-20 campaign. Dominant on the boards, she added 8.6 rebounds per game in her most recent season as well. Her efforts earned her Second Team All-NEC honors. The London, England native registered seven double-doubles and reached double-digit rebounds on 10 occasions despite playing just 16.0 minutes per contest. She was even better in NEC play with per-game averages of 11.0 points and 9.7 caroms, and a 59.5-percent field goal mark. Ozzy-Momodu poured in a career-high 23 points to go with 15 rebounds and three steals, and earned NEC Player of the Week accolades following an impressive performance against Wagner, Feb. 10. Before arriving at Robert Morris, she was named the team MVP and was an all-conference first-team selection under coach Jackson Gibbons at the City of London Academy.
"EMU feels like the right fit for me," said Ozzy-Momodu. "The coaches fit my style, and I also have a familiar face that has reassured me of how good the situation would be for me. Choosing EMU just felt like the right decision to make and a great place to finish my basketball career."
The newcomers joins an Eastern Michigan squad that is coming off a 16-15 season and what would have been an appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinal round.
"We are extremely excited to get a student-athlete of Makailah's caliber," said Castro. "She has been one of the top talents in the state of Michigan since she was a freshman at Wayne Memorial High School. Her combination of skill and size is very unique, one which we look forward to implementing within our system. Mak is about winning and doing it in front of friends and family so we are happy she chose EMU!"
A four-time letterwinner and three-time captain as a member of Jarvis Mitchell's Wayne Memorial squad, Griggs-Ziegler is considered one of the best recruits out of the State of Michigan. Although she missed her senior season due to injury, the 5-foot-11 guard earned multiple all-conference honors and was named a First Team All-Kensington Lakes Athletic League (KLAA) selection during her prep years. Listed as one of the top-100 players in the Mitten State, by StateChampsNetwork.com, she helped Wayne memorial to its first-ever regional championship and a Class A semifinals appearance. The Detroit native averaged 11.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and 3.2 steals per game along the way. She also shot 76-percent from the free-throw line.
"I chose EMU because as soon as I stepped foot on campus, it felt like home," said Griggs-Zeigler. "The environment that I walked into made me feel like Eastern was the choice for me. The school offers what I am looking for academically, and the team has welcomed me from the very beginning of the recruitment process. Eastern gives me hope. I feel like I have a second chance."
Joining Griggs-Zeigler by way of transfer is Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu (pronounced EE-ray ozz-ee MOM-uh-doo).
"We look forward to having Ozzy join our family this summer," offered Castro. "She is a bright young lady that knows exactly what she wants to accomplish these next two years as a student-athlete. Ozzy has the unique ability to impact the game immediately on both ends of the court. She is a rebounding force and can score in the paint in a variety of ways. Our fans will enjoy watching Ozzy compete in the Convocation Center in the years ahead."
A three-year member of the Northeast Conference's Robert Morris Colonials, Ozzy-Momodu blossomed into an incredible asset off the bench in her time with the team. After average 0.9 and 6.5 points per game, respectively, during her first two years with RMU, she appeared in 26 games and averaged 9.3 points per contest during the 2019-20 campaign. Dominant on the boards, she added 8.6 rebounds per game in her most recent season as well. Her efforts earned her Second Team All-NEC honors. The London, England native registered seven double-doubles and reached double-digit rebounds on 10 occasions despite playing just 16.0 minutes per contest. She was even better in NEC play with per-game averages of 11.0 points and 9.7 caroms, and a 59.5-percent field goal mark. Ozzy-Momodu poured in a career-high 23 points to go with 15 rebounds and three steals, and earned NEC Player of the Week accolades following an impressive performance against Wagner, Feb. 10. Before arriving at Robert Morris, she was named the team MVP and was an all-conference first-team selection under coach Jackson Gibbons at the City of London Academy.
"EMU feels like the right fit for me," said Ozzy-Momodu. "The coaches fit my style, and I also have a familiar face that has reassured me of how good the situation would be for me. Choosing EMU just felt like the right decision to make and a great place to finish my basketball career."
The newcomers joins an Eastern Michigan squad that is coming off a 16-15 season and what would have been an appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinal round.
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