A&T gave Bracone the green light to shoot upon arriving at North Carolina A&T because she is an outstanding shooter … She was one of four Division I transfers to come to Aggieland in June of 2022 … Played two seasons at Presbyterian College, a former Big South Conference opponent of the Aggies … She is a versatile combo guard who can score at an elite level … Not only has range from the outside but can also attack the basket off the dribble … Head coach Tarrell Robinson said when the Aggies played against Presbyterian in 2022, Bracone was a focus of their scout … Had an excellent first season as an Aggie, earning third-team All-CAA honors and a spot on the CAA’s all-defensive team … Including her time at Presbyterian, Bracone has played in 80 games with 68 starts and has posted 871 points, 337 rebounds, 205 assists and 161 steals on 39.3 percent shooting from the floor, 31.7 percent shooting from 3-point range and 65.8 percent shooting from the free throw line.
2022-23 Season: Played in 30 games with 29 starts … Averaged 13.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.6 steals per game … Shot 40.5 percent from the floor, 33.0 percent from 3-point range and 70.1 percent from the line … Earned third-team All-CAA honors and CAA all-defensive team accolades in her first season in an Aggies uniform … Scored in double figures 23 times during the season, including in her first eight games as an Aggie … Scored 20 or more points four times during the season … Made four or more 3-pointers four times … Posted three or more steals 18 times throughout the season … Dished out five more assists seven times … Ranked second in the CAA in steals, fifth in 3-point field goal percentage, ninth in assists, 13th in scoring and 14th in assist-to-turnover ration (0.99) … Her seven made three-pointers were tied for the second most in the conference during the season … She accomplished the feat twice … Had 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals on 8-for-12 shooting from the field and 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range in the Aggies 102-29 win over St. Andrews on Nov. 11 … Posted 25 points and seven rebounds on 7-for-12 shooting from 3-point range in the Aggies 110-40 win over Johnson & Wales on Dec. 10 … Had 23 points and a season-high five steals on 7-for-10 shooting from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line in an 86-79 win over archrival NCCU on Dec. 21 … Went 10-for-15 from the floor and 7-for-10 from 3-point range while scoring a career-high 29 points in a 75-70 win at Hampton on Jan. 29 … Had a career-high 10 assists at Monmouth on Jan. 6.
2021-2022 Season (Presbyterian): Played in 29 games with 28 starts … Averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game … Led the team in assists and steals … Scored in double figures 19 times, including a season-high 25 points against Gardner-Webb on Feb. 22 … Tied for the team lead in 3-pointers made with 51 and had a season-high four 3-pointers made on four different occasions during the season … Secured her second career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Campbell on Jan. 26.
2020-2021 Season (Presbyterian): Played in 21 games with one start … Averaged 8.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 23.8 minutes … Earned Big South freshman of the week honors once during the season … Scored in double figures 10 times, including a season-high 18 in a win over USC Upstate on Jan. 10 … Ranked eighth in the Big South in steals per game … Had a season-high four steals in her collegiate debut at Clemson on Nov. 27 … Led the team in 3-pointers made (23), including a season-best four at Winthrop on March 2 … Secured her first career double-double in the quarterfinals of the Big South tournament when she posted 13 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Gardner-Webb on March 8.
High School: Played high school basketball at T.L. Hanna under head coach Glenn Elrod … Earned All-State honors three times and All-Region honors four times … As a junior, she averaged 19.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 steals to earn Region 1 5A player of the year … Reached the 1,000 career points plateau as a junior … Had 18 games where she scored 20-plus points and two games where she scored 30-plus points … She is the all-time leading scorer in T.L. Hanna history … She was a member of the National Honors Society, Beta Club and she was the 2020 senior class president … Played for Team South Carolina on the club circuit under head coach RJ Booker.
Personal: Full name is Maleia Bracone … She is the daughter of Sonya and Michael Bracone … Has one sibling, Michaela Bracone … She was born on Aug. 21, 2002, and she majors in journalism … Plans to have a professional basketball career before entering the TV field as a sports reporter … Her favorite book is the Great Gatsby.
