FSU Womens Basketball Lands Pania Davis from New Mexico Junior College

Florida State Women’s basketball strikes again with another recruit. While the team is preparing for the upcoming 2024-25 campaign, the coaching staff is recruiting for the future as well. The Seminoles grabbed another steal as they landed transfer forward Pania Davis from New Mexico Junior College. 

Recruiting for a center was something Brooke Wyckoff and the coaching staff put their focus on. In a strong ACC conference, establishing a stronger interior presence is always important. The Noles got a steal with Australian native Pania Davis. As she stands at 6’6", Davis brings a presence to the Noles that can elevate them to the next level. 

Davis is the real deal. She became a star player from Australia and carried her momentum into her college career at NMJC. There were high expectations for Davis to produce at a high level entering her freshman season. Sure, there’s always an adjustment from high school to college for players to become accustomed to. Luckily, Davis was exposed to high-level competition at a young age, which played a role in her early emergence in college. 

Standing at 6’6", Pania Davis can be a jack of all trades on the floor. Defensively, she has great instincts as a rim protector. Davis scans the floor well and is aware of the opposing team looking to execute their half-court offense. Her communication is very important to a team and she does a great job allowing her teammates to be aware of things on defense as well. New Mexico’s goal was to limit easy opportunities inside. Thanks to the defensive presence of Davis, the team imposed their will on that end of the floor. 

Davis is also a gifted player on the offensive end. She’s not a center that’s going to beat defenders with athleticism but with timing and precision. Davis is a player who always searches for high-percentage shots. She can impose her will under the basket while also showing to step out and knock down mid-range jumpers. The underrated part of Davis’ game is her footwork. It allows her to have good positioning and to have an advantage against the defense when looking to score. That’s where the timing and precision comes in. When Davis gets a first step against a defender, she’s more likely to score on an offensive possession. 

Through two seasons with New Mexico, Davis has been very impactful for the Thunder Birds. The team displayed an exceptional 2023-24 campaign, finishing with a 27-7 record, and dominated the WJCAC with a 13-1 record. As a freshman, Davis shined with averages of 13.6 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. She recorded six 20+ point games while also having 10 games where she recorded 13 or more rebounds. The stat sheet showed that Davis was one of the biggest X-Factors for New Mexico during the 2023-24 season. It also plays a role in why she received multiple accolades like WJCAC Freshman of the Year, NJCAA All-Tournament Team, and more. 

When prospects begin their college career at the JUCO level, the goal is to gain recognition from top schools. They have to prove that they can compete at a high level to get recruited at the Division I level. Davis immediately drew attention from multiple schools including UConn, Virginia Tech, and others. Luckily, Florida State was the school that drew her best interest. The Seminoles have had a winning program for several decades and Davis trusted that coach Wyckoff could help her excel as a basketball player. 

Unfortunately, Florida State fans will have to wait another season before Pania Davis makes her Seminoles debut. Despite the wait, fans will get a better product from Davis after one more season at New Mexico. The goal is to continue to grow as an overall talent. She can continue to polish her game offensively while continuing to make her presence known on the defensive end. By the 2025-26 season, Davis will be prepared to play a big role in the Florida State Seminoles’ success.