It turns out Mi'Cole Cayton is going to stay a lot closer to home than she originally planned.
Cayton, a 5-foot-9 guard from St. Mary's (Stockton, California) and the No. 78 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100, has committed to California. Cayton had signed a national letter of intent with Nebraska last November but got her release following former coach Connie Yori's resignation in April.
It's been an emotional stretch for Cayton, who turns 18 on July 31 and graduated from St. Mary's last month. She said she was devastated when she learned of Yori's departure.
"I'm going to be real -- I cried," Cayton said in April. "Tears came out because I know I would have benefited in a huge way had I been coached by [Yori]."
Cayton averaged 12 points as a senior for the loaded Rams, who finished 28-1 and No. 2 in the espnW 25 Power Rankings. Her St. Mary's teammate, 6-foot guard Kat Tudor, is also headed to the Pac-12 after signing with Oregon State in November.
Cayton will join fellow Californians Jaelyn Brown, a wing ranked No. 60 in the class, and Celeste West, a three-star post player, in Lindsay Gottlieb's 2016 class. The Bears also have a signature from Australian guard Sara Anastasieska, who played her first season at the University of Texas at San Antonio and has three years of collegiate eligibility remaining.
Cayton's commitment means there's just one undeclared player in the Top 100 for the 2016 class. Sabrina Ionescu, the No. 4 national prospect and the MVP of the McDonald's All American Games, is reportedly still deciding between Oregon and Washington.
