Beyonce Bea is going to be a Vandal.
The decorated 2019 6-foot-1 forward from Washougal High School verbally committed to the Big Sky Conference school Tuesday night. She announced the decision Thursday morning on Twitter.
“It was definitely a hard decision,” Bea said. “When I went on my official visit, players and coaches, getting to meet and spend time with them was probably what sold me most. I feel like I can really fit into their program.”
Bea sported 12 offers and took five official visits: Montana, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington — all Big Sky schools — along with Fresno State. The most important qualities in a school for her were finding a team and coaching staff that she felt she could establish a relationship with and fit well into their program.
“(Idaho) definitely saw me as someone who could make a big impact,” Bea said. “My position is definitely needed. Their style of play fits what I like best, fits my strengths.”
She also liked a small-town feel, and didn’t want to go too far from home. Moscow, Idaho, which has a population of 25,322, is less than six hours from Washougal by car.
The Vandals went 19-14 overall and 13-5 in the Big Sky last season. They finished second in the conference and lost in the opening round of the WNIT tournament.
Bea called the Idaho coaching staff to give them her verbal commitment and also notified the other schools she was considering on Tuesday afternoon. She hopes to one day enter the field of medicine, and Idaho’s programs stood in that regard.
As a junior, Bea averaged 18.9 points per game and led Washougal to its third-straight state tournament berth, where the Panthers fell in the round of 12. She was voted to the 2A all-state first team and was the 2A GSHL player of the year for a second consecutive season.
In June she was named The Columbian’s 2017-18 Girls Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year for her accomplishments in basketball, volleyball and tennis.
Bea becomes the third Division I commit from Clark County in the class of 2019. Prairie forward Brooke Walling committed to Fresno State in late April — a school that was also looking at Bea. Prairie 2019 guard Cassidy Gardner committed to Portland State.
Check out Bea’s junior season highlights (via Hudl).
