NEW YORK — Columbia women's basketball will welcome four newcomers to this season's roster, as head coach
Megan Griffith '07CC officially announced the recruiting class on Monday. The Class of 2024 includes
Eden Gainer (Wheeling, W. Va.),
Paige Lauder (Malvern, Pa.),
Mary Lobon (Valencia, Spain) and
Nicole Stephens (Pickerington, Ohio).
"We are thrilled to welcome our newest Lions to the Columbia women's basketball family," said Griffith, who enters her fifth season and is coming off her most successful campaign yet. "The effects of COVID-19 have been challenging and constantly changing, but this foursome has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our program. The Class of 2024 is primed to start their next chapter here at Columbia and eager to get to work with our pride."
Columbia is coming off a historic 2019-20 season that saw it post a record of 17-10, along with an 8-6 mark in Ivy League play. Columbia's 17 wins and eight Ivy wins were each its most in a decade, second to only the 2009-10 team that went 18-10, 9-5 Ivy. The Lions won a program record six-straight Ivy League games along the way, including a road sweep of Harvard and Dartmouth to clinch a qualifying spot in the Ivy League Tournament – the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Information on the women's basketball program's incoming class can be found below.
Click here to access the complete 2020-21 roster.
#3 Eden Gainer – G – 5-9 – Columbia College – Wheeling, W.V. / Wheeling Central Catholic
Eden Gainer joins the Columbia roster out in Wheeling, West Virginia. A product of Wheeling Central Catholic High School, Gainer is a four-year letterwinner who helped lead the Maroon Knights to the state championship as a sophomore in 2018. The two-year captain is a two-time All-OVAC selection and three-time all-state honoree. She was also named to the West Virginia State Tournament All-Tournament Team as a junior. Despite suffering a season-ending injury at the beginning of her senior year, Gainer scored 1,129 points, including 515 (21.4 ppg) as a junior. She played AAU for the West Virginia Thunder. Outside of athletics, Gainer made her high school's Distinguished Honor Roll all four years, was a two-year member of the National Honor Society and was twice named to the OVAC All-Academic Team. She also volunteers at First Baptist Church Nursery and for the Drug Free Clubs of America.
Griffith on Gainer:
"Eden is a smart, tenacious sharpshooter. She has a great basketball IQ paired with a strong offensive skill set. She brings a competitive energy to our backcourt and helps us stretch the floor. We think Eden thrives in an up-tempo system, which will translate immediately to our brand of Columbia basketball."
#34 Paige Lauder – G/F – 6-1 – Columbia College – Malvern, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy
From the Philadelphia suburb of Malvern,
Paige Lauder joins the Columbia women's basketball team after a four-year career at Villa Maria Academy High School. Over that time, she helped the Hurricanes win the 2019 District 1 Championship after finishing runner-up in 2018. Lauder, a 6-1 tweener, reached 1,000 career points as a junior, was named First Team All-AACA twice, First Team Daily Local News twice, and was named AACA MVP as a sophomore after averaging 15.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. The two-sport high school athlete also played tennis, specializing in doubles as both a freshman and a senior. On the club circuit, Lauder competed for Philadelphia Comets AAU for six seasons. Outside of the basketball court, she is a member of the National Honors Society, Spanish Honors Society and Math Honors Society. Originally born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Lauder has also lived in London, England for three years (2002-2005) before eventually moving to Pennsylvania.
Griffith on Lauder:
"Paige is a versatile, athletic two-way player. She competes fiercely on both sides of the ball and is a nightmare to defend in transition. She adds depth to our guard-forward position and will be a great rebounder for our program. Paige will make an immediate impact defensively with her length and ability to alter shots."
#11 Mary Lobon – F – 6-1 – Barnard College – Valencia, Spain / Caxton College
One of two newcomers enrolling in Barnard College,
Mary Lobon will join the Lions from across the Atlantic in Valencia, Spain. Lobon brings club experience as a two-year member and captain of Valencia Basket Club. She helped lead her team to the league title in 2018-19, as well as a third-place finish at the National Championship. Prior to joining Valencia Basket, she competed for El Pilar in high school, where she helped win two league titles and finish fifth at nationals in 2017-18. Lobon was also named the Regional Championship Final Four MVP in both 2015-16 and 2017-18. Off the court, Lobon volunteered throughout 2018 and 2019 for the Ronald McDonald House, went to Cannes, France to help with environmental conservation at the beaches, and provided academic support for children in neighborhoods where they lacked parental figures or economic stability. Lobon is multilingual and can speak French, German, Spanish and English. She finished sixth in Spain in the Mathematics National Competition "Pangea" in 2019, and has also won other academic awards including the Gold Award in the Senior UK Maths Challenge "UKMT" 2020.
Griffith on Lobon:
"Mary is a tough-nosed forward that loves to compete and has a tremendous work ethic. She brings a deep passion for the game and will be a great source of energy for her teammates. Her passing abilities, quick thinking and mobility on the floor will add depth to our frontcourt as she grows in our system."
#21 Nicole Stephens – G – 5-7 – Barnard College – Pickerington, Ohio / Pickerington HS Central
Nicole Stephens makes for two Columbia newcomers enrolling in Barnard College, joining the Lions from Pickerington High School Central out in Pickerington, Ohio. Stephens was a four-year letterwinner in basketball and one-year letterwinner in softball for the Tigers. She helped Pickerington to a four-peat in both conference and district championships during her four years, as well as back-to-back regional titles in 2018 and 2019 and the state championship in 2018. The 2019-20 team captain is a two-time All-Ohio Capitol Conference selection and two-time All-District 11 honoree. As a senior, she was named First Team All-Central District, First Team All-OCC and Third Team All-State. One of her career highlights was scoring 30 points against No. 6 ranked Hamilton Heights (TN). Over the summers, she plays club ball in the West Virginia Under Armour League. Academically, Stephens was on the High Honor Roll in 2016-17 before earning Distinguished Honor Roll accolades the following two years. She volunteers in a pre-school room at her local church and volunteers with special needs children.
Griffith on Stephens:
"Nicole is a combo guard with elite playmaking capabilities. She has great instincts on both ends of the floor and does the little things to make her teammates better. Her basketball IQ, love of the game and relentless desire to win will be invaluable assets. Nicole will grow into a great leader for our program."
