LBW adds Alabama guard Erika Torres to 2026 recruiting class

Lurleen B. Wallace Community College added Geneva, Alabama prospect Erika Torres to its 2026 women’s basketball class, giving the Lady Saints another in-state name to work with as Connor Williams continues shaping his first roster in Andalusia. The commitment, posted July 8, keeps Torres in Alabama and gives LBW a local addition at a time when junior-college programs are trying to lock in depth before the long season begins.

Torres is listed by MaxPreps as a Geneva High School senior in the class of 2026 and a center, and her high school line has already shown production that translates to the next level. In a Feb. 24 game against Rehobeth, Torres finished with 15 points, 17 rebounds and two assists, numbers that point to a frontcourt player who can impact both ends of the floor. FieldLevel also identifies her with Dothan Hoops Vipers, another Alabama connection that keeps her recruiting profile rooted in the region.

For LBW, the fit is about more than one name on a commitment board. Williams was hired as the Saints’ head women’s basketball coach on June 12, 2025, after previous stops at Crestview High School and Morehead State University, and the program is still in the middle of a reset. LBW marked the retirement of longtime coach Ricky Knight after 40 years leading the men’s and women’s basketball teams, with recognition tied to the final home game of the 2024-25 season on Feb. 17, 2025.

That turnover makes nearby recruiting especially valuable. LBW’s 2025-26 roster already includes players such as J’Mya Albertie, Persia Sanders, Jaz’Myne Williams, Alexis Reed, TaNasha Daniel, Alyssa Carson, Nasiyah Jernigan, Alana Gordon, Jordyn Cobb and Nyeashia Thomas, with the roster drawing from Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Bringing in a Geneva product adds another familiar Alabama piece to a group that is still taking shape.

The Saints went 5-16 overall and 3-9 in Alabama Community College Conference play in 2024-25, a record that underscores why steady roster building matters. LBW competes in the NJCAA framework, and a commitment like Torres’ gives the program another in-state player who can arrive with less transition risk and more local familiarity as Williams tries to stabilize the Lady Saints for the fall.