ARLINGTON, Texas – Ava Raymond, a two-time Louisiana state championship game MVP, has signed to play for UT Arlington, head women's basketball coach Shereka Wright has announced.
 
"Ava brings a proven winning pedigree and a versatile scoring punch to our team," Wright said. "Her state title experience and ability to impact the game from the wing align with our plans for depth, pace and competitiveness. We're excited to develop Ava and chase more championships together."
 
A 5-foot-10 combo guard, she helped Zachary High School to Louisiana state titles in 2024-25 and 2025-26. In the 2026 LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Championship, Raymond finished with a game-high 27 points, including the game-winning bucket with eight seconds left in a 53–52 victory. She added nine rebounds and five steals to earn the game's Most Outstanding Player honors for the second straight season.
 
As a senior, Raymond averaged 18.8 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game and was a nominee for Louisiana's Gatorade Player of the Year. She was named to the LSWA Class 5A All-State First Team and was tabbed as the Most Outstanding Player. Raymond also was a two-time Metro Player of the Year.
 
She scored more than 2,000 career points, was the only Louisiana senior on the McDonald's All-American list and played in the LHSCA All-Star Game. She was ranked one of the top five players in the state by Louisiana Girls Basketball Rankings.