2024 Offseason

The transfer portal with NIL money, either or both, are once again transforming, creating havoc if you will, in the college basketball landscape. In our conference there are already serious announced defections from Pepperdine, LMU, San Diego and St Mary's. Pepperdine so far stands to lose 3 or 4 players depending on your count, including Jane Nwabe, the athletic guard who impressed in the Waves game at Chiles. LMU is slated to lose 5 players including Alexis Mark and Nicole Rodriguez, who has already committed to the NIL paradise that is SMU. San Diego is at 4 players publicly listed as in the portal, including their 6'4" center from India, Harismran Kaur, apparently the only D1 wbb player from India. St. Mary's is losing 5 graduate transfers. No players from Portland have entered the portal of whom we are aware.

The Big Sky conference is suffering some major defections. PSU is apparently losing their best player, guard Esmeralda Morales, who was 1st team all Big Sky. Sacramento State is currently losing at least 6, including Summah Hanson, Big Sky FOY, a 6'2" Australian from Brisbane. Idaho loses their leading scorer, Weber State is turning over its rosters with 7 in the portal. Montana loses its top recruit from a year ago, Macey Huard.

To what extent program cultures affect the number of transfers, hard to say, but obviously some.

The college landscape is evolving into the haves and the have nots. It no doubt will be increasingly difficult to compete with well funded programs.

Great update, thanks.

Last I heard, there are already 650 transfers in the portal, 227 of whom are grad-transfers.

wrv wrote:St. Mary's is losing 5 graduate transfers.

One of the grad transfers is Hanna Rapp.  Rapp is the sister of inbound Australian UP MBB player, Austin Rapp.

Notable that Tess Heal, star Santa Clara guard, has apparently entered the transfer portal. Big big loss for the Broncos. NIL money?
In addition, Yvonne Ejim, WCC POY, Gonzaga star, is returning next year to pursue her 5th collegiate year available as a result of the pandemic. What role NIL money plays in her return unknown publicly.

https://twitter.com/EJayArrow/status/1772473109628522681

wrv wrote:Notable that Tess Heal, star Santa Clara guard, has apparently entered the transfer portal. Big big loss for the Broncos. NIL money?
In addition, Yvonne Ejim, WCC POY, Gonzaga star, is returning next year to pursue her 5th collegiate year available as a result of the pandemic. What role NIL money plays in her return unknown publicly.

https://twitter.com/EJayArrow/status/1772473109628522681

Wow. That's a devastating loss for the Broncos. I thought SCU was a lock for the top half of the conference over the next couple of years, but she was the engine that made that whole team go.

Speaking of devastating, OSU has had 4 more players enter the trransfer portal, including notably Reagan Beers and Donovyn Hunter. Meaning 4 starters from OSU's elite eight team are in the portal. The cost of entry into the WCC for OSU is enormous.

WSU has not escaped the trend, with their best player Charlisse Leger-Walker, a 5'10" guard from New Zealand  likewise in the portal. Though out with  a knee injury by year end her services will be highly sought in power 5 conferences. An all Pac 12 quality player.

Three weeks after elimination, the Pilots have had no one enter the portal. Good news.

Is OSU keeping its coach though they are down to 6 players, 4 if no one uses their Covid year?

The wild west has arrived in the WCC.

A few days ago I was listening to a radio discussion about how OSU WBB was going to dominate the WCC. Life comes at you fast.

wrv wrote:WSU has not escaped the trend, with their best player Charlisse Leger-Walker, a 5'10" guard from New Zealand  likewise in the portal. Though out with  a knee injury by year end her services will be highly sought in power 5 conferences. An all Pac 12 quality player.

What is it with Kiwi knees?

UP New Zealanders redshirt freshman Flo Dallow went down in the last regular season game this year at LMU, and this past summer sophomore Melika Samia blew out her knee during practice.

Melika tells me her rehab is "going well," but she is still not cleared for full activity although is able to participate in shoot-arounds with the team.  

Flo only recently had surgery, and although her return is doubtful for next season, she tells me she still wants to play, even if it's "at the tail-end of the season."

After watching the relatively slow return to action of others (Chris Austin being a recent example), it's difficult to say if either Kiwi will find their expected success right away but it's my opinion that before her injury, Melika had the potential to be one of the best guards in the WCC.

up7587 wrote:A few days ago I was listening to a radio discussion about how OSU WBB was going to dominate the WCC.  Life comes at you fast.

The latest hemoraging of the roster includes Beers, Hunter, Pietsch and Hansford, guards Talia von Oelhoffen and Adlee Blacklock, and forward Timea Gardiner

Geezaldinho wrote:

up7587 wrote:A few days ago I was listening to a radio discussion about how OSU WBB was going to dominate the WCC.  Life comes at you fast.

The latest hemoraging of the roster includes  Beers, Hunter, Pietsch and Hansford, guards Talia von Oelhoffen and Adlee Blacklock, and forward Timea Gardiner

Add Dominika Paurova to that list.

As the Oregonian's OSU beat reporter Nick Daschel tweeted this afternoon, the Beavers are down to five WBB scholarship players and six MBB scholarship players.

https://justwomenssports.com/reads/raegan-beers-oregon-state-transfer-portal-basketball/

Commentary on how the portal has affected OSU this year and in particular, the trransfer of Raegan Beers.
Maintaining a publicly declared family atmosphere has done little to allay the rush to the exits where NIL money and higher rated conferences apparently are waiting. It will be interesting to see who Rueck can bring in or get to return.

wrv wrote: It will be interesting to see who Rueck can bring in or get to return.

Yes, it will be interesting.

Although I have no idea the terms of Scott Rueck's contract at OSU nor how much he and his family love the OSU/Corvallis community, and I don't know if any Power 5 coaching positions are open, but one would think that Rueck could also be thinking about his own transfer portal if the terms were right.

DoubleDipper wrote:

wrv wrote: It will be interesting to see who Rueck can bring in or get to return.

Yes, it will be interesting.

Although I have no idea the terms of Scott Rueck's contract at OSU nor how much he and his family love the OSU/Corvallis community, and I don't know if any Power 5 coaching positions are open, but one would think that Rueck could also be thinking about his own transfer portal if the terms were right.

https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/womens-basketball/coach/3266

The good news is that  according to the table in the article Rueck's buyout remains high at just under $7 million. The Oregonian suggests it is only $1 million. Not sure how to resolve this issue but I assume, with hope, that the higher figure is accurate. If so, unlikely Rueck is leaving.

My concern is not so much that Rueck may leave, my concern is that coach Meek becomes an OSU target if he does.

It bears mentioning that Rueck is an OSU alum, but so was Jonathan Smith.

Oh my!

Financially, Scott is doing just fine.  

I had no idea just how fine...

DoubleDipper wrote:Although I have no idea the terms of Scott Rueck's contract at OSU nor how much he and his family love the OSU/Corvallis community, and I don't know if any Power 5 coaching positions are open, but one would think that Rueck could also be thinking about his own transfer portal if the terms were right.

Um, isn't the Stanford job still vacant?

Kate Paye, 17 year Stanford assistant,  is already in, according to Stanford, negotiations on her contract for the head coaching position. It is not vacant  really.

For the nine returning WCC schools, eight of them have 1 or more WBB players in the portal. Only UP has none. 32 total WCC players are in the portal. GU, UOP and USF have one each. LMU has seven, SMC and SCU have six each, USD and PU have five each. Only three players are reported to have new schools.

Info from thenexthoops.com.

https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18bwomen/2023/player/Tiffany-Barbosa
Can't say she resembles Caitlin Clark, but Tiffany Barbosa has committed to Portland.  At 5'10" she is also not likely a low post scorer. And, she is Swedish.

Welcome Tiffany.

A little surprised  Pilots did not prioritize the portal.

This post is about recruiting.

https://www.fiba.basketball/en/player/321191/Tiffany-Barbosa#tab=photos

Tiffany played for Sweden in her age group.

Oops, didn't see your post, wrv...I was posting about Tiffany Barbosa in the 2024 Recruiting thread.

up7587 wrote:For the nine returning WCC schools, eight of them have 1 or more WBB players in the portal.  Only UP has none.  32 total WCC players are in the portal.  GU, UOP and USF have one each.  LMU has seven, SMC and SCU have six each, USD and PU have five each.  Only three players are reported to have new schools.

Info from thenexthoops.com.

Interesting, thenexthoops.com lists Hannah Rapp (Austin's sister) as transferring from LMU...she attends St. Mary's.  All six SMC transfers are graduating this year and looking for a graduate year elsewhere.

Of all the WCC transfers, the one player that stands out as a big loss is Tess Heal leaving Santa Clara. SCU was very successful this past season due the play of the sophomore point guard from Melbourne teamed up with fellow Melbournian wing Lara Edmonson, who is also transferring.  

DoubleDipper wrote:
Of all the WCC transfers, the one player that stands out as a big loss is Tess Heal leaving Santa Clara. SCU was very successful this past season due the play of the sophomore point guard from Melbourne teamed up with fellow Melbournian wing Lara Edmonson, who is also transferring.  

Wouldn’t be surprised to see her in a Zag uniform next year.

wrv wrote:The Big Sky conference is suffering some major defections. PSU is apparently losing their best player, guard Esmeralda Morales, who was 1st team all Big Sky.

Morales, who is so fun to watch, stays in the Big Sky and transfers to Montana St. Ouch!

wrv wrote:Kate Paye, 17 year Stanford assistant,  is already in, according to Stanford, negotiations on her contract for the head coaching position. It is not vacant  really.

Done!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/stanford-women-s-basketball-names-kate-paye-new-coach/ar-BB1lK3xB?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=LCTS&cvid=a6091a20cc5d40f4b1e94e8858310c9d&ei=13

A palate cleanser article after other news today.

https://www.upbeacon.com/article/2024/04/dyani-ananiev-up-womens-basketballs-newest-first-year-star

via @sleykam

With her MBA almost in hand (May 5) former UP guard Kianna Hamiliton is the new UP DOBO now that Haylee has gone off to play professionally in Australia.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/portland-pilots-basketball-player-accepts-position-with-team/ar-AA1nvwlz

IMO, she'll be a good one. The players, whom she'll be able to work with on the court, have great respect for her, and it will be a good beginning to a career in coaching.