2021 Recruiting Class Revisited | The Boneyard

2021 Recruiting Class Revisited

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In the normal course of things, the 2021 class would be facing their senior seasons and would be the backbones of their teams. That class was thought to have been dominated by UConn and SCar who together had the five highest ranked players plus two top 15s and one top 30 prospects. Both classes have had injury redshirts and portal transfers.

#1 Azzi Fudd. Plagued by injury here entire career including one full redshirt year. Has never been healthy and entire season. Has never lived up to her billing except for a part of her sophomore season when briefly healthy she displayed her awesome shooting touch. Has two remaining years of eligibility.

#2 Raven Johnson: Blew out her knee in the second game of her career and redshirted the rest of the season. In her next season, she won the starting role at midseason. Was mocked by Caitlin Clark in the '23 Semi-championship game for her seeming inability to score from 3. Came back the next year and redeemed herself by shutting Clark down defensively in the critical 4th quarter of the championship. Improved her 3 pt percentage to a more respectable 35% and ended up 2nd in the nation in assist/turnover ratio. Has two years of eligibility
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#3 Saniya Rivers. As a freshman at SCar, she showed excellent athleticism and got meaningful minutes including the championship game. However, the national high school leading scorer just flat couldn't shoot that year. Transferred to NC state and was the ACC's Sixth woman of the year as a sophmore, As a junior, led the Wolfpack to its upset of UConn and its first final four appearance against her former team.

#4 Sania Feagin: Saw little meaningful PT in her first two years playing behind Boston and company. Emerged as a member of the undefeated rotation in her junior year and was an important contributor in the tournament. Expected to be the backup center and strong forward again as a senior. Has one year of eligibility. Can she be an Amihere-like first rounder who has had very few starts as a collegian? A better shooter but less athleticism.

#5, Carolyn Ducharme: Brilliant player when injuries haven't kept her off the court. I really don't know her status at this point. I thought her career had ended but looks like there may be a future . Y'all tell me. Please. I assume she has two years of eligibility. I wish her well.

# 14 Bree Hall. From day one, Dawn called her the best defensive player in the Gamecock's recruiting class. Got few, but often meaningful, minutes in her first two years. Started as a junior and was a clutch shooter in big games, hitting 39% from 3. 1 year of eligibility remains.

#30 Saylor Poffenbarger. Why oh why did she transfer out after a half season? Went to Arkansas where she became one of the SEC's leading rebounders. Has now transferred again to Maryland for her senior season.

SO: Who had the better class? I guess its still as arguable as it was on National Signing day (Okay, early signing period)

Best wishes to all the young women of that class. Let's pray for good health for all of them and success in this upcoming season - yes, even Rivers and Poffenbarger.




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packwrap

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Oops. My apologies to #15 Amari DeBerry: I wish you well in your new home too.
Nice post. An awful lot about health, so I'd say Gamecocks in hindsight have had better class.

Poffenberger? Funny thing was she even enrolled early to get a head start at UConn, playing in games as a 'high school senior' with Paige yelling at her to shoot from 3pt land.

Her move was the usual reason - playing time, she thought she was not going to play with all the talent around and her slow feet on defense. Had she stayed, of course, with team decimated by injuries, she would have played plenty. She's most likely an Arkansas grad now. I wish her and Amari both a good year of the turtle.
 

Centerstream

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It's Caroline Ducharme. She will be back next season.

I do realize that some text is subject to auto correct actions, so...
 
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#30 Saylor Poffenbarger. Why oh why did she transfer out after a half season? Went to Arkansas where she became one of the SEC's leading rebounders. Has now transferred again to Maryland for her senior season.


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I think Saylor's mother said she wants a better social life and UConn academic is not good.

Poffenbarger’s mother told the Frederick (Md.) News-Post that her decision to transfer from UConn was due to the school as a whole not being a good fit.

“It’s been a conversation, and it’s not all basketball,” Amy Poffenbarger told the News-Post. “The academic [side] wasn’t super-engaging, there wasn’t much to the campus life, and there wasn’t the ability to get out and meet a lot of people. Unfortunately that part of college life ... that part wasn’t happening for her.”

 
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I think Saylor's mother said she wants a better social life and UConn academic is not good.

Poffenbarger’s mother told the Frederick (Md.) News-Post that her decision to transfer from UConn was due to the school as a whole not being a good fit.

“It’s been a conversation, and it’s not all basketball,” Amy Poffenbarger told the News-Post. “The academic [side] wasn’t super-engaging, there wasn’t much to the campus life, and there wasn’t the ability to get out and meet a lot of people. Unfortunately that part of college life ... that part wasn’t happening for her.”


And so the natural move for better academics was Arkansas?
 
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To be fair Saylor to my knowledge has never commented on her reasons for leaving. The only source I have seen quoted is her mother.

Saylor reported in January 2021. She did not have the benefit of the summer or fall training periods and thus was way behind on offensive and defensive teamwork.

The mother says studies were not "engaging" ... and there was no social life. Understand it was the Covid year. The campus was shut down. All learning was online, and there were no students on campus. I take her mother comments with a grain of salt.

I believe Saylor was battling a nagging injury thru the summer and into the fall 2021.

I might conjecture that the reason she is transferring again is because she has graduated and she is looking for an attractive graduate program and she will be closer to home. I have no inside information on this. It is logical to assume she has graduated (half year at UConn, three full academic years UConn/Arkansas, and probably three summer sessions as well). With two more years of eligibility it would be smart of her to pursue a masters.
 
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To be fair Saylor to my knowledge has never commented on her reasons for leaving. The only source I have seen quoted is her mother.
With a mom likes this Saylor doesn't need to say anything.
 

Bald Husky

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I think Saylor's mother said she wants a better social life and UConn academic is not good.

Poffenbarger’s mother told the Frederick (Md.) News-Post that her decision to transfer from UConn was due to the school as a whole not being a good fit.

“It’s been a conversation, and it’s not all basketball,” Amy Poffenbarger told the News-Post. “The academic [side] wasn’t super-engaging, there wasn’t much to the campus life, and there wasn’t the ability to get out and meet a lot of people. Unfortunately that part of college life ... that part wasn’t happening for her.”

Of course there was no social life, wasn't that the covid year when the entire campus was shut down?
 

Bald Husky

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With a mom likes this Saylor doesn't need to say anything.
I don't think Saylor would have been a good fit as she said, but the reason is we don't need parents interfering with the program. These girls are becoming adults and should be able to speak for themselves or just leave. She chose to leave. Missed out on a great opportunity.
 
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I think Saylor's mother said she wants a better social life and UConn academic is not good.

Poffenbarger’s mother told the Frederick (Md.) News-Post that her decision to transfer from UConn was due to the school as a whole not being a good fit.

“It’s been a conversation, and it’s not all basketball,” Amy Poffenbarger told the News-Post. “The academic [side] wasn’t super-engaging, there wasn’t much to the campus life, and there wasn’t the ability to get out and meet a lot of people. Unfortunately that part of college life ... that part wasn’t happening for her.”

Wasn’t she a mortuary (I don’t even know what it’s called) sciences(?) major? Doesn’t seem like that would be the most fun degree for a college social life. :rolleyes: Anyway, I too wish her all the best at Maryland. We certainly could have used her rebounding the past two seasons!
 
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Wasn’t she a mortuary (I don’t even know what it’s called) sciences(?) major?
Goodwin University in Connecticut offers an Associate of Applied Science in Mortuary Science that can be completed in 24 months full-time. The program prepares students for a range of funeral service processes, from the initial pronouncement of death to the final disposition of the deceased. Goodwin University also offers part-time and evening class options.
 
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I don’t mean this in a snarky sense but I have noticed that Gamecock fans just cannot seem to move on from the now infamous ”waveoff” by Clark to Raven Johnson.:rolleyes: To her credit Raven improved her shot for the following year, but at that time, it was a smart move by Clark. Why guard her if she’s not effective from there? The point being; it wasn't personal, just business!
 

packwrap

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To be fair Saylor to my knowledge has never commented on her reasons for leaving. The only source I have seen quoted is her mother.

Saylor reported in January 2021. She did not have the benefit of the summer or fall training periods and thus was way behind on offensive and defensive teamwork.
She actually came to UConn early, so had the benefit of a semester at UConn and summer before joining up with her freshman classmates in the fall. The idea is to get an advantage.

If enrolling early is seen as a negative, then the player should choose to just enroll on regular schedule.
 
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In the normal course of things, the 2021 class would be facing their senior seasons and would be the backbones of their teams. That class was thought to have been dominated by UConn and SCar who together had the five highest ranked players plus two top 15s and one top 30 prospects. Both classes have had injury redshirts and portal transfers. . . .


#5, Carolyn Ducharme: Brilliant player when injuries haven't kept her off the court. I really don't know her status at this point. I thought her career had ended but looks like there may be a future . Y'all tell me. Please. I assume she has two years of eligibility. I wish her well.

.

Yes, Caroline has two years of eligibility left. One example of how good she was when not hampered by all of the concussions is that as a freshman, she made second team All Big East.
 

meyers7

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Wasn’t she a mortuary (I don’t even know what it’s called) sciences(?) major? Doesn’t seem like that would be the most fun degree for a college social life. :rolleyes: Anyway, I too wish her all the best at Maryland. We certainly could have used her rebounding the past two seasons!
IDK, I've heard people are just dying to get into it. :cool:
 
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She actually came to UConn early, so had the benefit of a semester at UConn and summer before joining up with her freshman classmates in the fall. The idea is to get an advantage.

If enrolling early is seen as a negative, then the player should choose to just enroll on regular schedule.
who saw it as a negative? I didn't see it as a negative..... but you have to admit she was at a disadvantage for playing time joining the team halfway into the season.
 
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I think Azzi doesn't get enough credit for her freshman year. It's ashame how the championship game went but I don't think UConn beats UCF, or NC State without her. Not only that but she had to carry a bit when Paige was out like in early February. I vividly remember a game vs Marquette Superbowl weekend where she had like 24. Obviously Caroline was unreal that year as well. I've become a bit of a Raven Johnson fan. She was steady all season and kinda does whatever the team needs. I think as fandom goes you can make an argument for either class really. I'm a UConn fan so I side with Azzi and Carol Bird but I still think there's another level for Raven and Saniya to go though.
 
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I don’t mean this in a snarky sense but I have noticed that Gamecock fans just cannot seem to move on from the now infamous ”waveoff” by Clark to Raven Johnson.:rolleyes: To her credit Raven improved her shot for the following year, but at that time, it was a smart move by Clark. Why guard her if she’s not effective from there? The point being; it wasn't personal, just business!
I’m sorry but I’m an old guy. That would never have been done “ back in the day.” In fact, it would have drawn a hard foul if a technical wasn’t called. I don’t see how flagrant personal taunting is not called.

There is a thread on the General about whether Caitlyn Clark has changed the game . In the sense of taunting, she and Angel HAVE changed it. For the worse!

Smart move by Caitlyn ? Okay, it’s smart to back off her. Not okay to taunt. Did Raven taunt when she picked Caitlin’s pockets and scored in the final minutes? Celebrate? Yes. taunt ? No.

Get off my lawn!
 
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I think Saylor's mother said she wants a better social life and UConn academic is not good.

Poffenbarger’s mother told the Frederick (Md.) News-Post that her decision to transfer from UConn was due to the school as a whole not being a good fit.

“It’s been a conversation, and it’s not all basketball,” Amy Poffenbarger told the News-Post. “The academic [side] wasn’t super-engaging, there wasn’t much to the campus life, and there wasn’t the ability to get out and meet a lot of people. Unfortunately that part of college life ... that part wasn’t happening for her.”

Sounds like , are we really supposed to believe Arkansas’ academics are superior to UConn’s? Saylor thought she wasn’t going to get playing time, so she left, no need for the mom to fictionalize it.
 
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I don’t mean this in a snarky sense but I have noticed that Gamecock fans just cannot seem to move on from the now infamous ”waveoff” by Clark to Raven Johnson.:rolleyes: To her credit Raven improved her shot for the following year, but at that time, it was a smart move by Clark. Why guard her if she’s not effective from there? The point being; it wasn't personal, just business!

You, like everyone else, seem to forget that Raven Johnson hit 4 three pointers in that game. The wave off was disrespectful but that's ok because Raven got the last laugh and she has 2 National Championship rings and a chance for even more.
 

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