Anderson County star Amiya Jenkins commits to Kentucky women’s basketball

While the 2021-22 college basketball season is just around the corner, Kyra Elzy and the Kentucky women’s basketball program are already prepping for the future.

That future planning took a big step in the right direction Monday night, when the Wildcats received a commitment from class of 2022 in-state recruit Amiya Jenkins, who revealed her commitment to UK on social media with an announcement video.

Jenkins is rated as a four-star guard by ESPN.

Jenkins also plays AAU basketball for the Kentucky Premier program, which has several alumnae on the current UK roster in Blair Green and Emma King.

Jenkins, who is listed at 5-foot-11 and is considered a top-100 player in the 2022 class according to ESPN, committed to Kentucky despite scholarship offers from Penn State, Rutgers and Tennessee, among others. Eastern Kentucky was also in Jenkins’ final eight schools.

Jenkins is the fourth player in the class of 2022 to commit to Kentucky, along with another in-state recruit in guard Cassidy Jo Rowe from Shelby Valley High School in Pike County, post player Tionna Herron from Texas and guard Saniah Tyler from Missouri.

From this group, Jenkins, Herron and Tyler have all committed to UK with Elzy as the official, full-time head coach.

Rowe committed to UK under former head coach Matthew Mitchell in August 2018.

Jenkins will arrive in Lexington following a distinguished high school career, regardless of what happens during her senior season.

As a junior at Anderson County last season, Jenkins averaged 17.2 points per game on better than 54% shooting from the field, as the Bearcats went 28-3, won the 8th Region championship for the second straight season and reached the state semifinals in Rupp Arena.

“Amiya showed she’s the best defensive player in the state of Kentucky,” Anderson County head coach Clay Birdwhistell said in January after Jenkins led a defensive shutdown of then-No. 1 Franklin County.

Jenkins was voted to the Herald-Leader’s All-State girls’ basketball team as a First Team selection in 2021.

Jenkins is also expected to be a contender for Kentucky Miss Basketball this season.

The Wildcats haven’t signed a Kentucky Miss Basketball since Maci Morris from Bell County High School in 2015.