Arizona continued to add to its front court on Friday with multiple reports that 6'2 New Orleans center Nora Francois committed to the Wildcats. Francois played the last three collegiate seasons with New after beginning her career at Northern Iowa Community College.
Francois earned second-team All-Southland Conference, leading New Orleans, averaging 15.0 points per game, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while also posting 1.8 steals and 1.2 assists. In 24 games in 2024-25, Francois shot 37.5 percent from the field, 24.8 percent on three-point attempts and 82.6 percent from the free throw line.
Francois joins 6'2 Kansas transfer Freddie Wallace, who committed to Arizona on Friday and the lone scholarship holdover from 2024-25, 6'2 Montaya Dew, in the Arizona frontcourt. Expect head coach Becky Burke and her staff to continue prioritizing adding players up front, with four transfer guards previously committing to Arizona.
Francois improved her numbers each season with New Orleans. Arizona assistant coach James Ewing, who was announced earlier on Friday, worked with frontcourt players at Buffalo under Burke. Dew, Francois and Wallace help Arizona set a foundation on the frontline before more transfers commit to the Wildcats.
Becky Burke and Arizona women’s basketball has picked up a commitment from Nora Francois out of the University of New Orleans.
— Erika Day (@erikaleaday) April 18, 2025
The 6’2” center averaged 15 & 8 in her senior season.
Another building block in the Becky Blueprint! pic.twitter.com/PMAZRjlh2b
Francois had 19 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals and three blocks in a 78-52 New Orleans win over Texas A&M-Commerce this season. That made her the only college, NBA or WNBA player with that stat line in the last 25 years. Francois has played five games versus Big XII opponents with New Orleans.
Francois has averaged 10.0 PPG and 5.4 RPG while shooting 36.7 percent from the field, 33.3 percent on three-point attempts and 72.7 percent from the free throw line versus Big XII opponents. The second-highest scoring game of Francois' career was 26 with two rebounds an assist, a steal and two blocks versus Baylor in November.
Francois made 10 of her 20 shots from the field, four of five three-point attempts and two out of three from the free throw line versus Baylor in an 84-58 loss. Francois averaged 21.0 minutes per game in her five games versus Big XII opponents.