COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M women’s basketball player Taniqua Hollis (pronounced Ton-EE-kwah HALL-us) has decided to forgo her freshman year with the nationally-ranked Aggies and transfer to Division I Houston Baptist, head coach Gary Blair announced Friday.

“I’m a competitor and Coach Blair gave me a chance to compete at the highest level,” said Hollis, a 5-foot-6 freshman point guard from Anton, Texas. “Everyday was a war in practice. I know I helped make my teammates better, but now I want to fulfill another desire and that’s to compete at game time. It was a difficult decision as the Aggie Family has embraced me. However, as my teammates have said, once an Aggie, always an Aggie.”

Hollis appeared in four out of 13 overall games this season for the Aggies, while serving as the chief quarterback of the scout team.

“We signed Taniqua late in the recruiting process when we still had some unanswered questions at the point guard position,” Blair said. “While I still believe Taniqua is a valuable asset to our program, I do understand and respect her urgency to play. She is a special young lady and a delight to coach. I know she will be successful in her future endeavors. I wish her nothing but the best.”

A West Texas standout at Anton High School, Hollis averaged 26 points, eight rebounds, eight steals, six assists and three blocks per game and led the team to the regional finals as a senior in 2008. She previously played two years at Sudan High School, before playing her final two seasons at Anton under head coach Shelli Crow.

A two-time district offensive MVP selection, Hollis was tabbed TABC and TGCA All-State as a sophomore and TABC All-Region as a senior. She was an AAU All-American and also lettered in cross country and track and field.