West Virginia University women’s basketball head coach Mark Kellogg announced on April 10 the addition of Zahirah “ZaZa” Walton to the team for the 2026-27 academic year.
The announcement is significant as it brings an experienced and accomplished player into the program, with expectations that Walton’s skills will contribute to both ends of the court in Big 12 competition.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zahirah ‘ZaZa’ Walton to our program. Zahirah is a dynamic guard who brings toughness, versatility, and a competitive edge to our program,” Kellogg said. “She has demonstrated the ability to produce at a high level on both ends of the court, and we believe her skill set will translate seamlessly into the physicality and pace of the Big 12. Beyond her talent, she is a tremendous fit for our culture and the way we play. We are looking forward to what she’ll bring to our team and our fans.”
Walton comes from Seattle, Washington, standing six feet tall and able to play both guard and forward positions. She played three seasons at George Mason University before sitting out one season; she joins West Virginia as a redshirt senior with one year of eligibility remaining. Over her college career so far, Walton has scored 1,410 points—averaging nearly 15 points per game—along with more than five rebounds per contest. Her statistics also include over 150 assists, steals, and nearly 100 blocks.
Her accolades include being named three times as an Atlantic 10 All-Conference selection along with honors such as Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year (2024), Most Outstanding Player in the conference championship (2025), multiple all-defensive team selections, several player-of-the-week awards throughout her collegiate career, and recognition on national watch lists during last season.
In high school in Kentlake (Kent) and East Catholic (Washington), Walton was named Most Valuable Player as well as First Team All-League while also playing AAU basketball for Northwest Greyhounds. She plans to major in criminology at West Virginia University.
