2025-26 New school commitments by Transfers

[JellyBean]

Tenn is getting players, but if you look closely they are not "high NIL"/high ranking type recruits. Much more eager kids, who want a chance to play against strong competition.

Sure they are getting some pay, but they will have to work hard to be 8-8 in SEC.

That is the beauty of it all. Tennessee not getting high ranking type players. Those players that are eager to play against top competition. Iron sharpen iron. Plus I like the fact that they still got Mingus and she hasn't abandoned the program.

It is going to be fun watching this team, at least for me, put it all together and compete. Where they end up? Nobody knows. Skills are one thing. The heart "the will" of these players is going to be a huge factor for how far the Lady Vols can reach. These next 4-5 months are going to be huge for the Lady Vols.

 

[GamecockFam]

That is the beauty of it all. Tennessee not getting high ranking type players. Those players that are eager to play against top competition. Iron sharpen iron. Plus I like the fact that they still got Mingus and she hasn't abandoned the program.

It is going to be fun watching this team, at least for me, put it all together and compete. Where they end up? Nobody knows. Skills are one thing. The heart "the will" of these players is going to be a huge factor for how far the Lady Vols can reach. These next 4-5 months are going to be huge for the Lady Vols.

Heart and the will to compete can only get you so far if you don't have the athleticism to keep up.

 

[Urshurak]

Heart and the will to compete can only get you so far if you don't have the athleticism to keep up.

+1, and KC seems to know how to stomp on hearts, so....yeah.

This team will be lucky to win 3-4 games in the SEC. I'm having a hard time even calling it a team.....

I'm still beyond baffled how KC still has a job at TN. Really bonkers. Talk about #FAIL. Almost more bonkers how any player would want to go there with her as the coach.

 

[Dillon77]

She was the last player in the portal that I thought UConn might be interested in.........

I understand why the Huskies liked her, which is probably the reasons why a lot of folks on The Bench liked her for the Irish: Versatile forward who had improved year to year in virtually all aspects of her game. The Irish lost Cass Prosper to the draft and a lot of folks thought a player like Forbes could help.

In any case, also like UConn, I think Coach Ivey is going to depend a lot on her internal talent; notably, her first-year forwards to get going and get better by the end of the season.

Good luck to Forbes at West Virginia.

 

[bschwartz]

Is it possible Geno doesn't appear to be going after tall, athletic bigs in the portal because he thinks Gandy is going to be really good?

 

[Charliebball]

Is it possible Geno doesn't appear to be going after tall, athletic bigs in the portal because he thinks Gandy is going to be really good?

She's a mystery........I think she has a chance to be a helpful player, but doubt she will be a breakout star......

 

[oldude]

Is it possible Geno doesn't appear to be going after tall, athletic bigs in the portal because he thinks Gandy is going to be really good?

Which big in the portal would be a clear upgrade over the combination of Jana, Gandy & the Big O? Olivia in particular has future star written all over her. The only possible portal addition that Geno might have considered was Somfai, and she pretty much agreed to her deal with TCU before the portal even opened.

 

[Huskee11]

Which big in the portal would be a clear upgrade over the combination of Jana, Gandy & the Big O? Olivia in particular has future star written all over her. The only possible portal addition that Geno might have considered was Somfai, and she pretty much agreed to her deal with TCU before the portal even opened.

No clear upgrade, at least at this point. O'Neal is interesting, probably as a four, but no indication that UConn is in the picture there. I think Forbes would have been a nice addition.

Part of the problem is that we don't really know what we have so it is hard to know what an upgrade is.

Jana is surprisingly still somewhat of a question mark. On the upside, she has shown an ability to rebound and to defend against true centers. On the downside, she has a propensity to pick up careless fouls and struggles to finish at the rim.

Gandy is even more of a question mark. The way in which she was handled this past season is very perplexing.

And of course Olivia is coming in as a first year.

The other thing is that I don't see a great option on the current roster to back Sarah up at the four. Blanca will probably start at the three. Cheli is probably the backup at both forward positions but she is coming off of a serious injury and is more of a two/three than a four.

The remaining concern is depth to protect against injury. The roster is down to twelve now. 13 or 14 would be preferable. We know how quickly injuries can mount and how difficult it is to compete with a short bench.

 

[YoDore]

Coach Hoyt is feeling it.

 

[oldude]

No clear upgrade, at least at this point. O'Neal is interesting, probably as a four, but no indication that UConn is in the picture there. I think Forbes would have been a nice addition.

Part of the problem is that we don't really know what we have so it is hard to know what an upgrade is.

Jana is surprisingly still somewhat of a question mark. On the upside, she has shown an ability to rebound and to defend against true centers. On the downside, she has a propensity to pick up careless fouls and struggles to finish at the rim.

Gandy is even more of a question mark. The way in which she was handled this past season is very perplexing.

And of course Olivia is coming in as a first year.

The other thing is that I don't see a great option on the current roster to back Sarah up at the four. Blanca will probably start at the three. Cheli is probably the backup at both forward positions but she is coming off of a serious injury and is more of a two/three than a four.

The remaining concern is depth to protect against injury. The roster is down to twelve now. 13 or 14 would be preferable. We know how quickly injuries can mount and how difficult it is to compete with a short bench.

Just my opinion, I think Blanca will be a breakout star next season. But setting that aside for a second, let’s say UConn was interested in O’Neal, Forbes or somebody else in the modern world of college basketball in the NIL era. Neither player is assured a starting spot with the Huskies. On a team with Sarah, Blanca, Jana, Olivia, Gandy and hopefully a healthy Morgan, how much PT do they get and what type of financial incentive is available for a “role player.”

While O’Neal has yet to pick a new school, with many assuming it will be dad’s Alma Mater, Forbes landed at WV, a school where she will start, play 30+ mpg and will surely command an NIL package commensurate with her role. So while there is some appeal to build depth to a 13, 14 or 15 player roster. I would argue that the players capable of cracking UConn’s regular rotation are not going to be interested in playing less than 20 mpg for the privilege of coming to the Basketball Capital of the World.

 

[triaddukefan]

A little too much northeastern dog talk on this page, let's post about some southeastern cats

 

[YoDore]

Good player.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I'm not really buying that one.

I can't say that. It isn't impossible, even if not likely. There is a lot of money at OK State, just as Texas Tech gave a million to a softball player. Unlikely we will ever know exactly what her take is. I am sure it isn't small.

 

[DemonDeac22]

If you are trolling UConn fans, do so on the main UConn board - not this General Board. Plenty of UConn discussion over there. Furthermore this a thread for news and discussion about commitments - not for griping about no commitments.

Quit wasting everyone else’s time with your complaints about Geno IN THIS THREAD

Trolling UConn fans? Really??? I can guarantee that I attend more than enough UConn men’s and women’s games every single year than a lot of people. Possible commitments and no possible commitments are all part of one discussion.

 

[oldude]

I can't say that. It isn't impossible, even if not likely. There is a lot of money at OK State, just as Texas Tech gave a million to a softball player. Unlikely we will ever know exactly what her take is. I am sure it isn't small.

I’m reminded of T. Boone Pickens, an OK St alum and TX oilman who dropped $1 billion on the school, primarily for the Athletic Dept. Pickens died in 2019, but he was far from the only wealthy oilman connected to OK St athletics.

 

[cancontent]

Trolling UConn fans? Really??? I can guarantee that I attend more than enough UConn men’s and women’s games every single year than a lot of people. Possible commitments and no possible commitments are all part of one discussion.

Yes - but there's a 26-27 season thread that tackles the UConn related transfer chatter on the UConn board which would serve you better than the General board.

 

[Centerstream]

Trolling UConn fans? Really??? I can guarantee that I attend more than enough UConn men’s and women’s games every single year than a lot of people. Possible commitments and no possible commitments are all part of one discussion.

Maybe, but not in a thread that, I believe, is intended as information about players that have committed to their new school. Aren't possible commitments/destinations discussed in the portal entry threads?

 

[BRS24]