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Tarleton State University Athletics

LeslinePengeSigned

Women's Basketball Grant Cohen

Tarleton State Women’s Basketball adds 6-foot-5-inch center Lesline Penge

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Women's Basketball added presence in the post to its 2026-27 roster, signing 6-foot-5-inch center Lesline Penge from Cochise College. 

Penge produced 12 double-doubles in 2025-26, leading Cochise College in blocks with 118 (3.7 blocks per game). The Johannesburg, South Africa, native finished second in all NJCAA Division I in blocked shots this past year. 

"The addition of Lesline to our team provides an immediate post presence in the paint with her 6-foot-5-inch frame," head coach Bill Brock said. "She brings experience from a good junior college league and has been coached by a quality staff at Cochise. Her ability to defend and rebound will help protect the basket and provide a solid second line of defense for our team. Welcome to the Texan Family, Lesline!" 

Opening the season with 23 rebounds in the season opener on Nov. 6, Penge began the 2025-26 campaign with four 20-rebound games. In addition to having six double-doubles during the first month of the season, Penge completed the season with 20 double-digit rebound games. Penge averaged 11.3 rebounds per game to go with 8.6 points per game to close her junior college career. 

Penge was named the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Dec. 10 after dominant performances against nationally ranked competition. She averaged 16.5 points per game, 12.5 rebounds per game, and collected 17 blocks over a three-game span at the Texans Classic. Penge shot over 60% from the field and averaged double-digit rebounds for the sixth consecutive game during that stretch. 

Her improvement from her freshman to sophomore year skyrocketed, scoring 222 more points in her second year at Cochise College. She also grabbed 255 more rebounds as a sophomore and blocked 91 more shots. In addition to ranking second nationally in blocked shots, Penge was 16th in NJCAA Division I in rebounds per game. 

Before Cochise College, Penge competed on the Phoenix Mercury Club Team (2017-2019) and BLOH Club (2021-2023). She was also a 3-on-3 back-to-back champion and participated in the Jr. NBA global championship. Penge was also awarded Most Improved Player at Athlone Girls High School. 

Tarleton State has picked up over 1,000 wins as a senior college, with the Texans obtaining the program's 1,000th win on Jan. 31 earlier this year. The Texans made their second straight WAC Semifinal after an upset win over Utah Valley. Tarleton State returns four letterwinners from the previous season, including starting guard Caroline Lyles. 

Penge is the Texans' second signee from the transfer portal for the 2026-27 season, joining former Eastern Arizona guard Stephany Gonçalves. They join Tarleton State's four returning letterwinners as well as high school signees Kendall Ford and Alayna Yates.
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Players Mentioned

Caroline Lyles

#30 Caroline Lyles

G
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Caroline Lyles

#30 Caroline Lyles

6' 0"
Junior
G