By: Ryan Henry
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Head coach
Octavia Blue has signed Coco Rudolph and Nyjae Malikali-El to the Kennesaw State women's basketball team, she announced Thursday.
Coco Rudolph | Guard | Pensacola, Fla. | Grayson HS
"Coco is a perfect fit for our program. Her competitiveness, leadership, and ability to make her teammates better align perfectly with the way we want to play. Just as importantly, she embodies the values we emphasize off the court — character, work ethic, and a commitment to excellence in everything she does." – Head coach Blue
Rudolph enters her senior season as the top-ranked point guard in the state of Georgia for the Class of 2026. She received 2025 First-Team all-region honors and was selected to the prestigious "Top 160" list. Rudolph has already scored over 1,000 career points.
Nyjae Malikali-El | Guard | Baltimore, Md. | Pikesville HS
"Nyjae is what I call a diamond in the rough — an under-recruited talent out of Maryland with tremendous speed, quickness, and toughness on the defensive end. She can stretch the floor with her three-point shooting and brings an edge that fits our style of play." – Head coach Blue
Last year, Malikali-El was named first-team 1A all-state, first-team all-county and second-team all-metro as she helped Pikesville to a state title. She finished fourth in the state of Maryland with 6.1 steals per game. For the season, she averaged 14.0 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game and 6.1 steals. She was honored as the team's Defensive Player of the Year. Malikali-El was also a multi-sport athlete, winning the 2024 track and field state championship in the 4 x 100m and being named the team's MVP.
Up Next
The Black and Gold return to VyStar Arena on Saturday to host Tennessee Tech. The game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+
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Season and single-game tickets are available for the 2025-26 Kennesaw State women's basketball campaign. Click
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