Neighbors Inks Three On National Signing Day

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Women’s Basketball and Head Coach Mike Neighbors added three players in their 2020 class on Wednesday, as Destinee McGhee, Rylee Langerman and Elauna Eaton all signed their National Letters of Intent on National Signing Day.

“National Singing Day is a time for our future Razorbacks to be rewarded for all the sacrifices they have made to get them to this day,” Neighbors said. “It is a day for them to share thanks to those family, friends and coaches who have helped make this day a reality. Their accomplishments are amazing, and evaluator rankings will always be a part of every recruiting conversation, but the journey is so much more important than the statistics. We welcome three new Razorbacks to our Hoops family today. Three unique on-court players. Three unique off-court personalities. Three unique journeys to Fayetteville. Destinee, Rylee and Elauna, like the other 1,500 Division I signees at the other 350 Division I schools, are great players, great students and great people. But these three are drastically different in that they chose to be Razorbacks. It never truly felt like we recruited these kids.”

THE PLAYERS

Destinee McGhee | F | Madison, Ala. | #66 In Class (Prospect Nation)

Rylee Langerman | G | Del City, Okla. | #68 In Class (Prospect Nation)

Elauna Eaton | G | Helena, Ark. | #28 In Class (BlueStar)

THE STORIES

Destinee McGhee

“We first saw Destinee in Chicago. I was given a tip by a colleague who thought I might compare her talents to those of Chantel Osahor during her All-American playing days. It took exactly 39 seconds of clock time to realize that tip was 100 percent accurate. In those seconds, she had ripped down a defensive rebound from two opponents, threw a bullet outlet pass, trailed the play with precise timing, then threw a perfect pass to a back-cutting teammate. The teammate would miss the lay-in, so Destinee grabbed the offensive rebound, finished the basket, and drew a foul for good measure. Her free throw was nothing but net, and she back peddled to the other end of the floor like a gazelle. We knew then, after just under 40 seconds, that we wanted her to be a Razorback.

It was obvious from first phone calls that she was way more mature than your normal high school rising junior. A strong family upbringing had accelerated her decision timetable. After driving with her mother, Ms. Mabel, from Huntsville to Fayetteville for an official visit, Destinee committed on November 10, 2018 in the Jones Center, prompting a huge Hog Call.”

Rylee Langerman

“In a sweltering hot Texas gym in July of 2018, Coach Schaefer and Coach Love were watching a list of players we had developed to evaluate. One by one, they were crossing off potential targets from the list for one reason or another. However, their attention kept getting drawn to an Oklahoma prospect that made play after play on both ends of the court. Every loose ball was hers. Every rebound was hers. She would guard the opponents’ best player, and then go get herself a bucket. One phone call to me and one changed flight to see her play later, it was unanimous that we needed Rylee. Each phone call, each evaluation and each visit only magnified how important it was that the Langerman family join the Razorback family.

The entire Langerman family became regulars at our home games, and even attended our end of season team awards ceremony even though NCAA rules prohibited us from acting like we even knew them. On November 28, 2018, after one of those visits, Rylee committed to be a Razorback.”

Elauna Eaton

“Elauna Eaton’s name was first written on our “must be a Razorback” list when I was flying from Seattle to Fayetteville to accept the Arkansas job. Even though we were 2,000 miles away, Coach Todd Schaefer and I were closely following “E”. Todd had been an assistant at Ole Miss and had been one of her first offers. We were in her gym day one of every recruiting period, used our max NCAA evaluations, and never missed an opportunity to see her play. Her play on the court checked every box we have for our perimeter players.

Scores at the arc, at the rim and at the free throw line

Willing passer who makes others better

Guards multiple positions on defense

Loves the game and proves it with work ethic

Our staff built one of the coolest relationships with her and her family that any of us have ever been a part of. It never felt like recruiting. It felt like we were slowly building trust in each other. Conversations weren’t long, but they were honest and important. Correspondence wasn’t wasteful, but was beneficial in sharing information. After completing her official visits to us, LSU, Southern California, North Carolina State and Ole Miss, Elauna committed to us on October 30, 2019 via the best announcement video I have ever seen to date. Find it. It’ll give any Razorback fan chills.”

THE ACCOLADES

Destinee McGhee – ASWA 5A First-Team All-State (2019) | USA Today Second-Team Alabama (2019) | 4A State Tournament MVP (2017) | ASWA First-Team All-State (2017)

Rylee Langerman – Two-Time 2A State Champion (2016-17, 2017-18) | 2018-19 3A State Runner-up | LITTLEALLCITY (2016, 2017, 2018)

Elauna Eaton – Naismith High School Trophy Girls Watch List | USA Today First-Team Arkansas (2019) | AAA 5A All-State (2019) | AAA 6A All-State (2018)

THE COACHES

Destinee McGhee – Doug Bush, Head Coach, AL Southern Starz | Alissa Hargett, Head Coach, Madison Academy

Rylee Langerman – Jim Perinovic, Head Coach, OK Swarm | Lisa LittleJim, Head Coach, Christian Heritage Academy

Elauna Eaton – Zoderick Green, Head Coach, DFW ELITE EYBL | Jason Smith, Head Coach, Nettleton HS

“We hope all Razorback fans will join us in welcoming Destinee, Elauna and Rylee to HogNation. We wish them the best in their senior seasons and can’t wait to see them in the Red & White. Thanks to an amazing staff for years of hard work in making this class so special.”