GILLETTE, WY, May 10, 2023 – Gillette College women's basketball coach Liz Lewis is pleased to announce the signing of 6'2" Qaizden Stephano for the 2023-24 season. The Auckland, New Zealand native averaged 19.6 points, 16.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 4.6 blocks per game during her high school career. Stephano played for Coaches Katelin and Karl Noyer at Takapuna Grammar School.

"Q is our first commitment for the 2023-2024 season. We are so thrilled she has chosen to attend Gillette College. She will be an asset on the basketball court, in the classroom, and in the community. She is a versatile player and has the ability to score offensively and disrupt shots defensively. She comes from a very high level of competition and experience. Qaizden is exactly the high level character athlete we want to build our program around"

Qaizden's Samoan U18 National women's team placed 4th in Division B of the FIBA U19 Asia Championship tournament held in Bengaluru, India last year. Q's high school team won the Senior A grade with a 13-1 record in her senior season where she led the team to qualify for the NZ secondary school nationals for the first time in 18 years. Stephano has accumulated many high school accolades including Female Basketball Player of the Year and the Takapuna Grammar School Pride Award. Q has also played for Harbour Rep, one of the largest and most successful basketball Associations in New Zealand. During the 2021 season she was awarded Most Improved Player Award.

Stephano plans to study Science while attending Gillette College and will pursue a career in the Health field.

Qaizden on Gillette College: "I chose Gillette College because of the (coaches') vision of where they want to take Gillette Basketball but more importantly their love and knowledge of the sport and culture of getting to know the person behind the athlete and how they contribute to the team as a whole.  The College offers everything I am looking for both academically and in basketball to be able to grow as a student and a team player.  This is the perfect place for me to begin my journey under the academic and coaching guidance provided by Gillette."