BOSTON – The Boston University women’s basketball program has added transfer student-athlete Bella McLaughlin as well as incoming freshman Brooke Baisley ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, Head Coach Melissa Graves formally announced on Thursday afternoon.
 
McLaughlin, who originally hails from Hampden, Maine, will have three seasons of eligibility remaining after spending her freshman year at Providence.
 
Baisley joins Inez Gallegos, Hildur Gunnsteinsdóttir, Allison Schwertner, Channing Warren, and Taylor Williams as part of the six-member class of 2028 that was previously announced last November.
 
In her first season with the Friars, McLaughlin appeared in 18 games off the bench. She scored her first collegiate points on Nov. 29 at Columbia, then posted three points on a trio of foul shots with a team-high three assists against No. 10/11 Baylor on Dec. 20. Her first-career field goal came on a three-pointer against Xavier on Feb. 18.
 
A two-year captain at Hampden Academy, McLaughlin averaged 11.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.9 steals per game in her high school career. She capped her senior year as a Miss Maine Basketball finalist while picking up All-State, All-Conference, and All-Defensive honors. She helped Hampden reach the State Championship in 2020. At the AAU level, she suited up for the Maine Firecrackers.
 
The daughter of Kelley and Nathan McLaughlin, she has two siblings, Zachary and Amelia.
 
Baisley was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at Gill St. Bernard’s, and verbally committed to the Terriers last October. Having surpassed 1,000 career points as a senior, she is a two-time First Team All-Conference selection. She guided the Knights to two Skyland Delaware Division championships in 2021 and 2022.
 
In 2022, Baisley was a HSGL AAU champion as part of the United NJ club. A year later, she was the most valuable player at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase. Outside of basketball, she also competed in softball.
 
BU is coming off its second-consecutive 20-win season, which featured its third trip to the Patriot League Championship in four seasons. The Terriers were victorious in a program-record 15 games at Case Gym, and recorded their most non-conference wins since joining the Patriot League ahead of the 2013-14 slate.