MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech women's basketball and head coach Ashley Raley-Ross signed five scholar-athletes to its program. The signing class includes four transfers and represents four different countries.

The five Panthers, Amanda Ogbonna, Elif Bayrak, Michaela Medico, Nandinkhusel Nyamjav, and Rea Ukaj, are set to join the program next season.

Ogbonna joins Florida Tech from Columbus State, where she played for two seasons. A center standing at 6'1'' from Marietta, Georgia, compiled 35 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks, and nine steals in 25 games played for the Cougars.

At Wheeler High School from 2019 to 2023, Ogbonna was a two-time All-Region Team member in her junior and senior seasons. She averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks per game, and tallied 20 double-doubles during her senior season.

"We are excited to announce the signing of Amanda Ogbonna," Coach Ashley said. "Her athleticism and versatility add something special to our roster. Amanda's passion for the game aligns with our program's goals."

Bayrak is a wing hailing from Ankara, Turkey. She was a member of the Turkish national team pool and Turkish Super League side Cankaya University, averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 29 games. Bayrak helped her teams reach the final four of Turkey's developmental leagues, the national high school tournament, the Super League Final Four, and the development league finals from 2020 to 2021.

Over the last three seasons, she has played for Fresno State, appearing in 13 games and accumulating 23 points and 13 rebounds.

"Elif is a high-character scholar-athlete who plays with poise and aggressiveness," Coach Ashley said. "She brings length and energy on the wing. Her previous playing experience has prepared her to make an impact in our system."

From Taylorsville, Utah, Medico makes her way to Melbourne from Lower Columbia College. The six-foot forward tallied 118 points, 125 rebounds, 10 assists, 13 steals, and five blocks in 23 games during the 2024-25 season. At Taylorsville High School, Medico earned 188 points, 201 rebounds, 31 steals, and eight blocks during her senior year.

"Michaela is the kind of person every coach wants in their program," Coach Ashley said. "She's strong and brings relentless energy to both ends of the floor."

Nyamjav is a versatile point guard who showcase her talent on the national stage with the Mongolian national team. In the 2022 FIBA U18 Women;s Asia Championship (Division B), she averaged 16.8 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game across five games, leading her team in all three categories. The following year in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup Division B, Nyamjav played four games, compiling nine points, three rebounds, and three assists per game.

Recently, Nyamjav helped the 5x5 team qualify for the 2025 Asia Cup, registering 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in two games. On the 3x3 team, she led them to history, earning the silver medal in the FIBA World Cup, where they defeated the United States in the quarterfinals. Individually, Nyamjav recorded 23 points and 13 rebounds in seven games. The President of Mongolia awarded her the "Honored Athlete of Mongolia" for her performance.

"She's a floor general, who plays with heart and high IQ, exactly the kind of player who fits our culture here at Florida Tech," said Coach Ashley. "Nandinkhusel's global experience will elevate our team on and off the court."

Ukaj, a 6'1'' forward transferring from Central Wyoming, compiled 95 points, 104 rebounds, 13 assists, seven steals, and nine blocks in two seasons. The Peja, Kosovo native, also played for her youth national teams. She played 18 games, scoring 29 points, 17 rebounds, and two assists.

"Rea's work ethic and competitive spirit will be invaluable to our program," said Coach Ashley. "We believe she will make a significant impact on and off the court as we continue to build a championship-caliber team."

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