Women's Basketball | May 1

DALLAS (SMU) – Head coach Travis Mays added Makenzie and Savannah Ellis to the 2017 signing class. Sisters from Tulsa, Okla., Makenzie is a junior transfer from Colorado, while Savannah is a 2017 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School.

Makenzie started all 33 games as a sophomore at Colorado, scoring at least 10 points eight times, including a career-high 18 points against then-No. 10 Washington. She averaged 6.4 points, shooting 35.7 percent from the field, and made 33-of-89 attempts from 3-point range (37.1 percent). A 6-2 forward, Makenzie tied for second on the team with 4.2 rebounds per game, including a season-high nine rebounds in a win over Washington State. She was an Academic All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection.
"Makenzie adds so much to our program. What she has accomplished already on the court speaks for itself. We are just as excited for what she brings to our team off the court," Mays exclaimed. "Makenzie has proven herself in the Pac-12. We expect her offensive and defensive skill set to continue to shine in the AAC. Makenzie will serve a vital role with our team next year. As she sits out her transfer year, she will be a valuable part of the continual growth of our team in practice next season. Makenzie will be a key piece of the championship foundation we are building at SMU next year and in the future."

In high school, Makenzie helped Booker T. Washington win the 2013 State Championship as the lone sophomore in the starting lineup, earning All-State Tournament First-Team honors. She was a 2015 McDonald's All-America nominee. Ellis was also an Elite 8 in Oklahoma and Vype Top 100 honoree. She averaged 12.2 points and 6.6 rebounds as a junior in 2013-14, guiding Booker T. Washington to a 22-5 record. She was a Tulsa World All-State team honorable mention selection.

Savannah, a 5-10 shooting guard who was a three-year starter at Booker T. Washington, led the Hornets to the state quarterfinals as a senior. She averaged 11.8 points per game with 3.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds during her final season, while serving as a team captain. Savannah also excelled in the classroom, earning induction into the National Honor Society, and was a 2017 Academic All-State honoree. She served as a Student Ambassador, helped found the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and was involved in Spanish Club, Key Club, RISE Girl Up.

"Savannah is a leader who continuously strives to pursue excellence on the court and in the classroom. She had an outstanding high school career, and we expect her to be a three-point shooting specialist at the collegiate level," Mays stated. "The freshman class coming in this summer will add talent, enthusiasm and energy to our program. I am very excited about our freshman class and Savannah's signing only fuels that excitement!"

The duo joins Johnasia Cash, a 6-2 forward from McKeesport, Pa., Ariana Whitfield, a 5-6 guard from Houston, and Morgan Smith, a 5-6 guard from Dallas, in the 2017 signing class.