Portland’s Ashley Bower to continue Basketball Career at Wayne State University

Portland High School senior Ashley Bower signed this week to continue her basketball career at Wayne State University.

Ashley has played varsity basketball at Portland High School for four years. She has also played soccer and golf for the Raiders.

Portland coach Jason Haid told the Beacon, “We are extremely excited for Ashley on her commitment to Wayne State University. Ashley is a special kid who is an amazing talent, and will make an immediate impact at Wayne State next year.”

When asked about her choice in schools, Ashley said, “I chose to go to Wayne State because of the coaches, players, and academics. The coaches have been and continue to be very supportive of me since the beginning of the recruiting process and they have continued to make me feel wanted at Wayne. When I went on a visit, I was able to meet a lot of the players who were all very welcoming and kind. Another big part of my decision was academics. Wayne State is a strong academic school and because I am still unsure of what I want to study, its good knowing that I can go into anything.”

Ashley was also appreciative of her support system at PHS to get her to this point. She said, “I want to thank my family, coaches, and friends for all they have done for me and the endless support they have shown. I have been able to grow as a person and a player because of the people I have been surrounded with and all of the support I have received. This would not have been possible without everyone and it means so much to me.”

Ashley added, “I can't wait to be a Warrior for the next four years!”

Ashley’s mother Christie Bower told us, “Jeff and I just want to say how proud we are of Ashley and all of her accomplishments. She has worked extremely hard to get to this moment. We are so excited for her that she gets to continue to do what she loves which is play basketball. We are thrilled to see her play at the next level. Although we look forward to her playing at Wayne State, we are truly cherishing every minute that she gets to play as a Portland Raider.”

Christie added, “She is also very thankful for all the special people in her life that get to share this moment with her including her family, friends, and coaches.”

Located in Midtown Detroit, Wayne State University’s 200-acre campus hosts nearly 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The Warrior athletic programs are part of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference and are an NCAA Division II institution.

Photos courtesy of PHS Athletic Department.