Washington-native Beyonce Bea, who leaves University of Idaho as the Vandal’s second all-time leading scorer (1,938 points) announced on Twitter on Tuesday she was transferring to WSU.

Bea was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Sky Conference First Team each of the last three seasons and was named to the All-Conference team in each of her four college seasons.

In 2022–23, she led the Big Sky Conference and was sixth in the nation in scoring at 22.8 points per game.

Bea is used to setting records as she owns Washougal High School’s all-time leading scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking records.

The state standout was selected for the All-Greater St. Helens League first team all four years of high school.

She led the Washougal Panthers to the 2A WIAA girls’ basketball state title during her senior year in 2019.

While at Idaho over the next four years, Bea averaged 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.03 blocks per game and shot over 44% with 73 3-pointers through 116 games, according to the Spokesman-Review.

In two games against Pac-12 opponents Utah and Cal last season, Bea scored 25 points against the Pac-12 regular season champion Utes and 19 against Cal. She shot a combined 48% (16-of-33) against Pac-12 opponents in the 2022–23 season, according to CougFan.com.

Bea joins Isaac Jones as the second former Vandal to commit to a WSU basketball program this month.

Jones announced his transfer from Idaho to WSU May 12 following his first and lone season as a Vandal. He earned an All-Big Sky second-team nod through highlight worthy-plays such as the ones shared by WSU men’s basketball Twitter below. 

Women’s head coach Kamie Ethridge has relied on the transfer portal less than men’s head coach Kyle Smith, but that is mainly because of her remarkable roster stability

The Cougs have only lost one starter in each of the last two seasons.

The Cougs best transfer portal edition was Krystal Leger-Walker, the New Zealand guard who followed Ethridge from her former job at Northern Colorado in 2020. The trust and respect the Leger-Walker family had in Ethridge led Krystal’s sister, Charlisse Leger-Walker, to commit to WSU for her true freshman year in 2020.

Krystal played for WSU for two seasons and helped the program qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly 30 years. She left WSU with over 1,000 career points between her two colleges.

Charlisse surpassed 1,000 career points in just about two and a half seasons and scored a Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament-record 76 points at the 2023 Tournament in Las Vegas to lead the Cougs’ to their first Conference Championship in program history.

Bea figures to replace five year Coug Ula Motuga, who left WSU a Pac-12 Champion and the program record holder in starts with 132.

Motuga was a tenacious defender and had a knack for the 3-point shot and rebounding. Ethridge credited her as being a catalyst to the culture change her program represented at WSU as a hard-working and cheerful teammate. 

Bea brings unique skills to Beasley Coliseum, but the Cougs look to next season with a true scoring threat to distract Pac-12 defenses.

If Bea can thrive at Wazzu, she can provide further opportunity for the trio of All-Pac-12 players in Charlisse, center Bella Murekatete and guard Astera Tuhina and the Cougars’ other scoring threats while also snagging her fair share of baskets, rebounds and blocks.

Bea fits right into the Cougars’ plans to strengthen their roster and not only qualify for the NCAA Tournament for what would be a fourth straight year, but make a run.