At times last season, McNeese State’s women’s basketball team showed great promise.

At times the Cowgirls showed their inexperience.

Looking to improve on both, second-year head coach Lynn Kennedy announced on Thursday the final three signees in this year’s recruiting class.

Added to the Cowgirls roster were 6-foot-5 forward Alicia Falkowska from Sacramento State, 6-3 graduate transfer guard Stephanie Guihron of Rutgers and 6-3 shooting guard Gabrielle Wener from Monmouth.

“The two things we felt we needed after last year was experience and height,” Kennedy said. “We believe we addressed

both those this offseason.”

The trio join 6-2 freshman forward Marta Hermoso of La Pobla De Vallbono, Spain, a shooter. Kennedy said he has one scholarship open and hopes to add depth in the post.

“We are looking at some players in the (NCAA transfer) portal that can fill a need for us and give us some more inside players,” Kennedy said. “If not, we feel we are good to go, but you can never have enough good players.”

Falkowska spent one season at Sacramento State where she played 18 games and averaged 1.3 points and 1.6 rebounds a game.

“Ala will bring a vast amount of experience in the post for us,” Kennedy said. “She can score at the basket as well as step outside and knock down shots. She will be an intimidating factor at the rim on defense.”

The 5-6 Guihon is a true point guard who has played on the big stage playing in the Big Ten.

“We are excited with the addition of Stephanie to our team,” Kennedy said. “She is a natural leader and brings experience playing for a legendary coach and elite program. She is determined to win a championship and we can’t wait for her to bring that competitive attitude to our team.”

The coach called Wener one of the best shooters he has seen and says her skills will fit into his fast-paced style of offense right away.

Kennedy also will have Autumn Watts back this season. He said she is ahead of schedule after sitting out last season with a knee injury suffered during the preseason. Kennedy said he expected the 6-1 Watts to be a big part of last year’s team.

“She is ahead of schedule and will really give us a big boost inside,” he said. “The thing she will have to work on is getting confidence back in the knee. That will take time, but she is working hard and looks good.”

Also ahead of schedule, Kennedy said, is third-team all Southland Conference guard Desirae Hansen, who despite playing with a bad hip led McNeese in minutes played (832) and averaged 10.6 points a game last winter. She had surgery after the season and is expected to have a full recovery.

“I think people will see an entirely different player this year,” Kennedy said.

McNeese finished 13-15 in Kennedy’s first season at McNeese and was 8-6 in the Southland.

Men’s basketball

Cowboys head coach John Aiken filled the remaining spot on his coaching staff by hiring Brandon Shingles.

Shingles spent the past two seasons as associate head coach at Chipola Junior College in Florida where he served as recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator, and director of scouting, among many other duties.

In that season, Chipola was ranked as the nation’s top defense in the junior college ranks, won the National Junior College Athletic Association state championship and advanced to the NJCAA Final Four.

“Coach Shingles comes with tremendous accolades as both a coach and a former player,” Aiken said. “He is a tremendous teacher and connects well with players, staff, administration and community. He will help us in the areas of player development and implementing some defensive concepts. He sees the game as you would imagine a professional point guard would. I feel as though we got a rising star in this industry as his ascent begins.”