Three Tyler Junior College Apache Lady basketball players signed with colleges during a ceremony on Wednesday in Wagstaff Gymnasium. Pictured (from left), Quatera Limbrick (Texas Southern University), TJC head coach Trenia Tillis Hoard, Trelynn Tyler (University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley), TJC assistant coach Bryant Porter, and Kennedy Burks (Sacramento State University). 

Three Apache Ladies who were instrumental in leading Tyler Junior College to the Region XIV basketball regular season title and a berth in the national tournament signed with colleges during a ceremony on Tuesday in the Jimmy Butler Lobby of Wagstaff Gymnasium.

Signing were Quatera Limbrick with Texas Southern University, Trelynn Tyler with The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and Kennedy Burks with Sacramento State University.

The trio inked their letters in front of coaches, classmates and teammates.

They helped the Apache Ladies to a 29-6 overall record and a 16-2 mark in conference. TJC finished runner-up in the Region XIV Tournament and 1-1 at the national tournament.

Limbrick, who attended St. Francis Episcopal School in Houston, said she wanted to return to her hometown to play. She originally signed with the University of Houston out of high school but then transferred to TJC for her sophomore season.

“TJC made me a better person on and off the court,” said Limbrick, who plans to major in criminal justice. “

The 5-6 point guard averaged 9.1 points, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals for the Apache Ladies.

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke will return as head coach of TSU. She was head coach of the Tigers in 2012-13 before taking the reins at Southern California, her alma mater. Cooper-Dyke led the Houston Comets to four consecutive WNBA championships and was named WNBA Finals MVP four times. Cooper-Dyke was voted the league’s MVP in 1997 and 1998 and was a four-time WNBA All-Star before retiring in 2000.

TSU competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Tyler, a 5-7 point guard from Grand Prairie who attended Mansfield Timberview, is excited about attending a University of Texas system school and plans to major in accounting. 

Tyler averaged 10.5 points, 6.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds for the Apache Ladies.

“I will be playing the two or three guard,” Tyler said. “I am grateful to Coach T and TJC for helping me learn all guards positions plus TJC helped me become a better person.”

UT-Rio Grande Valley is located in Edinburg and the Vaqueros compete in the Western Athletic Conference.

Burks, a sophomore guard who attended Mansfield Lake Ridge High School, decided to head out west to Sacramento State, which is located in Sacramento, California. The Hornets compete in the Big Sky Conference.

Burks, who first played at Florida A&M and then transferred to TJC from Houston Baptist, averaged 8.2 points and 7.1 rebounds for TJC.

“The campus was really nice and the environment was great. I thought it would be a good change for me,” said Burks, who plans to major in Kinesiology. “Coach T taught me discipline and how to push  through in hard times.”

Along with earning a berth in the national tournament in Lubbock, the Apache Ladies earned the Alberta Lee Cox Sportmanship Award.