KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan women's basketball head coach Shane Clipfell announced the addition of two signees on Tuesday, November 19. Joining the Broncos in the fall of 2025 are incoming freshmen Olivia Flynn and Emma Di Barboure.
Olivia Flynn | Harbor Springs, MI
"We are thrilled to welcome Olivia Flynn to the Western Michigan Broncos family. Olivia stands out as a dynamic guard with her intensity, passion for the game, and exceptional outside shooting, all of which will significantly enhance our team. We love getting Michigan student-athletes to stay home in our great state." said coach Clipfell.
The Broncos are gaining a dynamic scorer, play maker, and competitor who has proven she can excel on the biggest stages. The Harbor Springs standout earned three consecutive all-state honors, and is one of the most accomplished players in Michigan high school basketball history.
Flynn's dominance has been consistent throughout her high school career. As a sophomore, she posted 25.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, numbers that she elevated during her junior season
During the 2023-24 season as a junior, she averaged a remarkable 26.2 points per game, becoming Harbor Springs' all-time leading scorer. Her all-around game also included 8.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists per contest, as she led the Rams to a stellar 22-3 record and a District Championship. Entering the 2024-25 athletic year, Flynn sat at 1,758 career points and is on pace to become just the 34th girls basketball player in MHSAA history to cross the 2,000 point mark. Flynn broke Harbor Springs' scoring record in her junior year, surpassing the 1,641 career points set by Christa Shibata in 2000. She accomplished it in dominant fashion on February 29, scoring 27 points to claim the record that had stood for 24 years.
Basketball excellence runs in Flynn's family. Her mother, Amy Flynn, was a standout at Grand Valley State University, where she still ranks among the program's all-time leaders in three-point field goals made, steals, and assists.
"Olivia has all the qualities we look for in recruiting, she is a very complete player that can put points on the board. She was raised in a very competitive basketball family with both parents excelling at the same sport at Grand Valley State. Her Father John, graduated as the all-time leading scorer in GLIAC basketball history. Please join us in giving Olivia a warm welcome to the Broncos family!"
Emma Di Barboure | Madrid, Spain
"We are excited to welcome Emma to the Western Michigan Broncos family!" said coach Clipfell. "Emma brings exceptional versatility to both ends of the court with her impressive wingspan and vision that she uses on both ends of the floor. Her ability to impact the game in multiple facets makes her an immediate asset to our team. We continue to pride ourselves on fostering the growth of international talent, and Emma's arrival underscores our commitment to building a diverse and dynamic team."
Di Barboure has played at the highest levels of basketball by representing Spain on the national stage at the U14, U15, and U16 levels. Notably, she led the Madrid All-Star Team to a Gold medal at the U14 National Championship in 2021 and a Silver medal at the U16 National Championship in 2023.
Basketball excellence runs in Emma's family. Her mother, Covadonga Rodriguez, was a professional player, and her grandfather, Emiliano Rodriguez, is a European basketball legend. Emiliano earned the title of MVP of EuroBasket in 1963 and was one of FIBA's 50 greatest players in 1991. Later he was inducted into both the FIBA Hall of Fame (2007) and the Spanish Basketball Hall of Fame (2008). Over his career, he won four EuroLeague titles and 12 Spanish League championships.
This past June at the Spanish U18 Championship with her club, Baloncesto Torrelodones, Di Barboure averaged 5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block per game throughout the entire championship. Her team finished third in during the qualifying rounds and 14th out of 32 teams nationally. Her squad lost to the eventual champion in the round of 16.
"We are confident that her experience and dedication to her sport as well as academics will make her a great addition to our campus community. Please join us in giving Emma a warm welcome to the Bronco family!"
