Former Bainbridge High School Lady Cats basketball guard April Thomas, the 2010-2011 Bainbridge High School senior athlete of the year, has transferred to Valdosta State University following an outstanding two-year career at Albany State University.
Thomas, daughter of Sharlyn Smith and Lawrence Thomas, averaged 20.1 points a game for the Albany State Lady Rams during her 2012-2013-sophomore season.
As a senior at Bainbridge High School, the new Valdosta State Lady Blazer helped lead coach Latreisha Moon’s Lady Cats to a 21-7 record, a Region 1AAAA Sub-Region championship and a berth in the second round of the State Class AAAA Tournament.
A four-sport athlete at Bainbridge High School, Thomas also ran cross-country and participated in softball and track and field.
Thomas, who earned All Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors at Albany State, told Eric Jackson, sports editor of the Valdosta State University student newspaper “The Spectator”, that the chance for national exposure was one of the main reasons behind her decision to transfer to Valdosta State.
“I’m just happy to be a part of a team with so much talent,” she said.
As a freshman at Albany State, Thomas won conference freshman of the year honors and averaged 18.5 points a game.  She also was the only freshman to make the Daktronics All-South Region team.
Last season, the former Bainbridge Lady Cats star finished fifth in the nation in scoring with a 20.2 points per game average. She is also an outstanding playmaker and assist leader.
Lady Blazers head basketball coach Kiley Hill described Thomas as a player with the heart of a lion while talking with “The Spectator.”
“With a personality like that, it’s good for the culture,” she said. “That’s why we wanted to embrace her.”