Western Michigan Women’s Basketball Welcomes New Recruits for 2026-27 Season
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – On National Signing Day, Head Coach Kate Achter announced the addition of three promising guards to the Western Michigan University (WMU) women’s basketball program, enhancing the Broncos’ roster for the upcoming 2026-27 season. This dynamic class features two homegrown talent from Michigan and one from the suburban Chicago area.
Ava Rodriguez
Position: Guard
Height: 5’4″
Hometown: Dexter, Mich.
High School: Father Gabriel Richard HS
Ava Rodriguez, along with her twin sister Vanessa, joins WMU after a standout career at Father Gabriel Richard High School. Over the past three seasons, Ava has played a vital role in leading her team to three consecutive Catholic High School League titles. In her junior year, she recorded averages of 11.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. Notably, Ava helped propel her team to the Division 2 Regional finals and contributed to their historic journey to the state championship game.
Recognized for her on-court performance, she earned spots on the MLive Dream Team’s Second Team and the CHSL All-Catholic Team. Ava also distinguished herself academically, being named an Academic All-State by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM). She intends to pursue a nursing degree at WMU.
Vanessa Rodriguez
Position: Guard
Height: 5’5″
Hometown: Dexter, Mich.
High School: Father Gabriel Richard HS
Joining her sister, Vanessa Rodriguez has made an impressive mark in high school basketball, averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 steals per game during her junior season. Vanessa not only contributed to her team’s progress to the Regional finals but also etched her name in history as the second player in her school’s history to score 1,000 career points.
Her accolades include being named the 2025 Prep Hoops Junior Player of the Year and the Ann Arbor MLive Player of the Year for two consecutive years. She has received multiple accolades such as selections to the CHSL All-Catholic First Team and all-state teams by the Associated Press, Detroit News, and Detroit Free Press, while also being honored as a BCAM Academic All-State recipient. Like her sister, Vanessa plans to study nursing at WMU. This exceptional pair will mark the return of siblings to the Broncos’ roster since the Walker sisters in the 2018-19 season and they are the first set of twins to join since the Giden twins from 2008-2012.
Casey Vyverman
Position: Guard
Height: 5’10”
Hometown: Mundelein, Ill.
High School: Mundelein HS
Casey Vyverman brings her talents from Mundelein, Illinois, where she has been a key contributor for the Mustangs as a three-year varsity player. In her junior season, she averaged 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, helping her team reach the 4A Huntley Regional Semifinals. Her performance has been a pivotal part of the program’s turnaround, contributing to their first winning season in over a decade.
Vyverman has earned multiple recognitions, including an IBCA All-State Honorable Mention and spots on the North Suburban All-Conference First Team and Daily Herald All-Area Team. Academically, she was also a member of the North Suburban All-Conference Academic Team. Casey, who has an older brother named Nicolas, follows in her mother’s footsteps, who competed in collegiate track at Illinois State. She plans to major in exercise science at Western Michigan.
