THE COWGIRL WAY

“YONI” RELEFORD

The Connors State Cowgirls are the pre-season picks to win the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference title this year and one of the main reasons why is sophomore Haitiana “Yoni” Releford from Fort Smith. As a freshman last year, Yoni averaged a double-double for the Cowgirls with 21.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, set a new single game scoring record, was the National Player of the Week, made all-conference and All Region 2 teams and, as a freshman, was named to the All-American Honorable Mention team.

“In high school at Fort Smith Northside, Yoni played beside some Big 12 and SEC caliber players who carried a lot of the load for that team although she did hit the winning shot in the state championship game her junior year and was the reason they made it to state her senior year,” said Cowgirls head coach Jamie Fisher.

Fisher recruited Releford hard, attending every home game he could, and that persistence carried some weight with Releford when it came time to make a college decision.

“Loyalty is a big thing in my family, and I appreciated the effort and loyalty that coach Fisher showed me that senior year,” said Releford.

With a lot of talent surrounding her in high school Releford was never really called on to carry the offense but when she got to Connors, she really showed she could shoot the 3 and along with some other talented freshmen around her, the Cowgirls went to the Region 2 semifinals.

“I really feel like we came together last December when we had a couple of girls leave the team. It would have been pretty easy to be discouraged but the rest of us came together and decided that losing those players wasn’t going to keep us down,” said Yoni who admits that one her favorite pastimes is sleeping.

As a freshman her desire to win sometimes gave way to her emotions as she got ejected twice during the season, one of those being in that Region 2 semifinal. But Fisher says maturity has been one of her most improved areas over the past year.

“She’s really matured since last year and taken a leadership role on the team this year,” said Fisher. “Even though she’s been very successful, she’s also very humble. Last year when she broke the school single game scoring record (46 points) she was disappointed because we ended up losing the game. When I told her she made All American, her reaction was ‘that’s cool’ and she went on down the road. I think the thing that demonstrates the Cowgirl Way with Yoni is her competitive drive. She’s all about winning and never lets success go to her head.”

Right after Yoni made her decision last year to attend Connors, her older brother Tamaury transferred from Eastern State to play for the Cowboys which Yoni liked.

“For my first time to be away from home and in college, it was comforting to have him here as well,” said Releford. And the nickname Yoni?

“When I was born, I didn’t cry like most babies, I yawned and so the nickname stuck,” laughed Releford.

Which may also be a reason she likes to sleep so much.