NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion women’s basketball head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones is welcoming 13 transfers to the Monarchs’ 2026-27 roster. The fourth incoming student-athlete is Shadasia Brackens, a 5-foot-11-inch Texas native is joining Old Dominion from Tarleton State.
“Shadasia is one of the most athletic players I have had the opportunity to recruit here at ODU,” said Jones. “She is a small forward that has the capability of being a big guard and will be looked up to play a key role on both ends of the floor next season. She can stretch the floor with her shooting ability but can finish at the rim with her athleticism. On the defensive end she is able to guard multiple positions from guard to post positions. She is a special player that has not reached full potential in her game. The summer is extremely important for her development as well as every player on this roster but Shadasia development is the difference between her being a good player and becoming a great player in her future.”
Shadasia Brackens | Forward | Senior | Fairfield, Texas | Fairfield High School (North Texas / Tartleton State)
Brackens appeared in 28 games and made 18 starts last season for the Texans and averaged 18.9 minutes of action per game. She finished the season with per-game averages of 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and shot 37% from behind the arc with 14 make three-pointers. She recorded seven double-doubles and had a pair of 20-point games against a familiar Sun Belt foe in Arkansas St. and Abilene Christian. She also started a four-game streak of double-doubles against Sun Belt opponent Texas St. with 16 points and 10 rebounds. She followed that performance with an 11-point, 11-rebound output against Mississippi Valley, a 19-point and 10-rebound game against TAMU-San Antonio, and a 10-point and 10-rebound showing against Buffalo. She earned WAC Newcomer of the Week on December 22, 2025 after following up her game against Buffalo with a 19-point, 8-rebound outing against Montana.
The Fairfield, Texas native spent two seasons at North Texas before transferring to Tarleton State and played in 51 games for the Mean Green. Her final season saw her play in 30-out-of-34 games and average 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. She scored a season high 17-points in North Texas’s win over Chicago State where she played 18 minutes. She scored 12 points and set a new career high of nine rebounds in a 78-67 win over UTA in the first round of the WNIT.
In her first season in Denton, Texas, Brackens appeared in 21 games and logged 109 minutes on the court. She averaged 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds and scored a season high nine points against North Texas-Dallas on November 6, 2023. She saw a season high 16 minutes of action against Florida Atlantic and grabbed a season high seven rebounds in a 86-52 win for the Mean Green.
Brackens attended Fairfield high school and helped lead the Eagles to two Texas high school state championships and four consecutive appearances in the 3A State title game. She earned two All-State selections and was the District 20-3A Defensive Player of the Year. Brackens was the #33 ranked on the Premier Basketball Report Top-100 players in the state of Texas in 2023. She also played track and field and won a Class 3A state title in the high jump during her junior season.
