UND women's basketball adds second ESPN 4-star recruit of 2022 class
Oct. 8—When Rakiyah Beal of Detroit committed to the UND women's basketball program in July, her verbal was noteworthy because she was a rare ESPN four-star recruit with scholarship offers from big-time programs she shed for the Fighting Hawks.
Earlier this week, it happened again.
The Hawks received a second commitment to the 2022 recruiting class from an ESPN four-star recruit with major offers in Milwaukee's Nakiyah Hurst.
"It was the most comfortable fit for me," Hurst said. "I like how comfortable it was and how they made us family during the visit last week. They took us in as family and gave us a luxury stay and treated us as family and did everything to make us feel welcome."
Hurst, who plays AAU with Playground Elite, started to be recruited to UND as a sophomore in high school.
"They gave me an offer, and we've been talking since then," she said.
Hurst, who said she was recruited heavily by UND assistant coach Nkwane Young, said her strength is in versatility.
"As big as I am, I can play everything," the 6-foot Hurst said. "I can be a point guard one day if you need. I can guard a big or a little. Most of my points come off the dribble and 3-point shooting."
Hurst has been a four-year varsity player at Milwaukee Academy of Science. She held scholarship offers from DePaul, Vanderbilt and Seton Hall.
"Athletic perimeter threat with versatility," her ESPN scouting report said. "Manufactures shots with mid-range pull up game that moves to the arc. A sleeper prospect in the class of 2022."
Her AAU coach, Jeff Smith, said Hurst is a three-level scorer.
"She's only going to get better," Smith said. "She's a big guard who can post up."
Hurst, who scored 14.7 points per game as a junior in high school, is the fourth member of UND's 2022 recruiting class, one of the first classes UND's new coaching staff has been able to assemble with full-time status.
Head coach Mallory Bernhard was named full-time coach after a year with the interim label in March of 2021.
The 2022 class includes Hurst, Beal, Michigan point guard Amanda Roach and Cambridge-Isanti (Minn.) shooting guard Mikayla Aumer.
