Radford University women’s basketball head coach Mike McGuire has announced another pair of additions to the roster for the 2022-23 season.
Ashley Panem, a 5’10 guard from Broomfield County will join the Highlanders as a junior transferring from Western Nebraska. Tatiana Beaumont, a 6’0 guard from Emu Heights, Australia, is also joining the Highlanders as a sophomore transfer from Eastern Florida State.
ASHLEY PANEM
Guard | 5-10 | Broomfield, Co. | Fairview High School
- Averaged nine points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season with Western Nebraska while shooting 36.3% from the field and 31.3% from three.
- Started her collegiate career at Florida Gulf Coast University before transferring to Western Nebraska.
- Before playing at the collegiate level, she averaged double-digit point totals her sophomore, junior, and senior years at Fairview High School.
- Her junior year in high school she was named BocoPreps Player of the Year.
ON WHY SHE CHOSE RADFORD: “I chose Radford because I was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to continue my basketball career at the next level. I wanted somewhere that felt like home, and after talking with Coach McGuire, I immediately had that feeling. I wanted to go back to the Division I level and compete, and Radford gave me that opportunity.”
COACH MCGUIRE ON PANEM: “Ashley is a high-level two-way player. She is a talented, versatile offensive player but will also have the ability to impact the game on the defensive end of the floor. She is a complete player in our eyes. She is excited to come here and make a difference for our program. I am really looking forward to working with her over the next two years.”
TATIANA BEAUMONT
Guard | 6-0 | Emu Heights, Australia | Eastern Florida State
- Averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 36.5% from the field and 31.8% from three last season at Eastern Florida State.
- Was a member of the 2014-15 under-15 state championship squad, the opens state champions in 2016-18, and the 2018 state and all schools national champions.
- In 2018 she was named CHS MVP while a part of that undefeated state championship squad.
- Her single-game high in points came earlier this year against Santa Fe College when she dropped 20 points with another season-high of five three-pointers.
BEAUMONT ON WHY SHE CHOSE RADFORD: “I chose Radford because I was drawn to how welcoming the coaching staff was, and I believed the style of play suited me. After my visit, it was evident to me that Radford was where I wanted to continue my college career. The campus was beautiful and reminded me a lot of home.”
COACH MCGUIRE ON BEAUMONT: “I am excited to welcome Tatiana to our program from Eastern Florida State College. She will bring a wealth of playing experience to our program. She is a versatile, intelligent basketball player who can play multiple positions. She has a winning mind set and helped lead her Eastern Florida State team to the national junior college tournament this season. Her combination of experience, mind set, and work ethic will help elevate our program immediately.”
The Radford women’s basketball program also announced Thursday morning that Amber Easter has joined the team as an assistant coach for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
Easter is returning to the commonwealth after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach with St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 conference. Easter had plenty of experience working in the A-10 as she spent her playing days with George Mason. After that, she was a graduate assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University before returning to her alma mater as a director of operations at George Mason where she was part of a staff that earned hosting rights in the Atlantic 10 Tournament for two years, including the no.-4 seed in the conference and a school-record 24 wins in 2018.
She helped manage all facets of George Mason’s women’s basketball program under head coach Nyla Milleson, working with the coaching staff on video operations, overseeing the team schedule and coordinating team travel and practices.
While with Virginia Commonwealth University, Easter worked in all aspects of the program under head coach Beth O’Boyle, including player development, recruiting, alumni relations, and scouting reports. In her two years on staff, the Rams finished 39-25 and earned a spot in the 2016 WNIT.
Before joining the college coaching ranks, Easter worked at Bethel (Va.) High School as an assistant girls’ basketball coach and the head junior varsity coach for two years. In 2014-15, Bethel finished 21-1 and was the 6A South State runners-up.
Easter was a star player while competing as a student-athlete at George Mason. She was a 1,000-point scorer, finishing her career in 2013 ranking 11th on the Patriots’ all-time scoring charts with 1,277 points. She also ranked ninth in career rebounds (753), ninth in blocks (65), 17th in assists (192) and 20th in steals (135) while averaging 10.6 points and 6.3 rebounds in 120 career games.
She also collected multiple conference awards, being named to the Second-Team All-Colonial Athletic Association as a senior, She was named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie Team with George Mason prior to their move to the A-10. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology at George Mason and an MBA from VCU.
