Andra Espinoza-Hunter to Seton Hall [merged thread]

[triaddukefan]

Geno moves surprisingly well for a 66 year old man, but I don’t think he would be able to match up with AEH one on one......

That would be elder abuse

 

[Carnac]

Could it be that many want to see a GENO vs. AEH Match Up on the court, which now can be a reality, given that she is now at Seton Hall (with everyone kind of knowing the 'history' between the 2)?

I would question just how “many” folks would be interested in some kind meeting or confrontation. They have both moved on, as have we. When and if they meet, Geno will keep it low key and professional.

If her name is brought up, it will be from a news media member trying to stoke the ashes, perhaps trying to get a rise out of Geno who is much too smart for that.

 

[TRest]

I would question just how “many” folks would be interested in some kind meeting or confrontation. They have both moved on, as have we. When and if they meet, Geno will keep it low key and professional.

If her name is brought up, it will be from a news media member trying to stoke the ashes, perhaps trying to get a rise out of Geno who is much too smart for that.

She’s not exactly “the one who got away”

 

[cbraarj]

She played for 2 different High Schools transferring twice. Edwards played for 2 or 3 different High Schools. Why wouldn't it continue through college. IMO it's more about players not getting there way.

 

[oldhusky]

Isn't it interesting how different two classes can be? Megan's class was a huge disappointment. I may not remember all of the details, but Geno had trouble with conditioning (Lexi), confidence (Combs), and attitude (AEH), and Megan was not nearly as good as most #1's, and while she still had significant success, she had to be prodded regarding conditioning as well, and probably didn't share the ball as well as I had hoped.

Now this year's class might have problems too, time will tell, but forgetting for a moment their natural abilities, this year's class seems different in so many other ways from Megan's class. From the few comments we do hear, it appears that Geno doesn't have to install, encourage or develop positive traits in this group, most of them were already there.

Most seem to have a great work ethic, are very competitive, share the ball, keep themselves in shape, put out effort on defense without being pushed, have character, are willing to learn, and abandoned a me first attitude from the moment they arrived on campus.

Maybe I am reading too much into this, but Geno seems to be very very happy coaching this group. It appears they are low maintenance, and more likely to reach their potential than some other classes that may have had significant talent, but came up short in other important ways. Geno knows and has seen the difference over his career. Geno has also commented on next year's class, not just about their talent, but what exceptional people they were.

Sometimes you get talent without character, or character without talent, when you get both you really should be happy.

 

[oldude]

Isn't it interesting how different two classes can be? Megan's class was a huge disappointment. I may not remember all of the details, but Geno had trouble with conditioning (Lexi), confidence (Combs), and attitude (AEH), and Megan was not nearly as good as most #1's, and while she still had significant success, she had to be prodded regarding conditioning as well, and probably didn't share the ball as well as I had hoped.

Now this year's class might have problems too, time will tell, but forgetting for a moment their natural abilities, this year's class seems different in so many other ways from Megan's class. From the few comments we do hear, it appears that Geno doesn't have to install, encourage or develop positive traits in this group, most of them were already there.

Most seem to have a great work ethic, are very competitive, share the ball, keep themselves in shape, put out effort on defense without being pushed, have character, are willing to learn, and abandoned a me first attitude from the moment they arrived on campus.

Maybe I am reading too much into this, but Geno seems to be very very happy coaching this group. It appears they are low maintenance, and more likely to reach their potential than some other classes that may have had significant talent, but came up short in other important ways. Geno knows and has seen the difference over his career. Geno has also commented on next year's class, not just about their talent, but what exceptional people they were.

Sometimes you get talent without character, or character without talent, when you get both you really should be happy.

I would respectfully suggest that one difference between this year’s freshmen class and Megan’s class is leadership. Paige is obviously a leader, but I think Nika, Aaliyah and others will also emerge as leaders. As for Megan’s class, they all could play, and Megan had an AA season this past year, but it’s not clear to me that anyone in that group embraced a leadership role.

So this year’s freshmen are an extremely tight knit group, while Megan’s class basically all went their own way. Ironically, the best “leader” in Megan’s class is Evina, a transfer who’s yet to play a game at UConn.

 

[oldhusky]

I would respectfully suggest that one difference between this year’s freshmen class and Megan’s class is leadership. Paige is obviously a leader, but I think Nika, Aaliyah and others will also emerge as leaders. As for Megan’s class, they all could play, and Megan had an AA season this past year, but it’s not clear to me that anyone in that group embraced a leadership role.

So this year’s freshmen are an extremely tight knit group, while Megan’s class basically all went their own way. Ironically, the best “leader” in Megan’s class is Evina, a transfer who’s yet to play a game at UConn.

Agree completely that leadership is important and that this class is leading by example as well, even as freshmen.

 

[HopJim]

I would respectfully suggest that one difference between this year’s freshmen class and Megan’s class is leadership. Paige is obviously a leader, but I think Nika, Aaliyah and others will also emerge as leaders. As for Megan’s class, they all could play, and Megan had an AA season this past year, but it’s not clear to me that anyone in that group embraced a leadership role.

So this year’s freshmen are an extremely tight knit group, while Megan’s class basically all went their own way. Ironically, the best “leader” in Megan’s class is Evina, a transfer who’s yet to play a game at UConn.

Agree and would add that all of this year's frosh appear to have been leaders of their past teams. Suspect each is demonstrating the right skills AND behavior since its not new to them.

 

[eebmg]

Isn't it interesting how different two classes can be? Megan's class was a huge disappointment. I may not remember all of the details, but Geno had trouble with conditioning (Lexi), confidence (Combs), and attitude (AEH), and Megan was not nearly as good as most #1's, and while she still had significant success, she had to be prodded regarding conditioning as well, and probably didn't share the ball as well as I had hoped.

Now this year's class might have problems too, time will tell, but forgetting for a moment their natural abilities, this year's class seems different in so many other ways from Megan's class. From the few comments we do hear, it appears that Geno doesn't have to install, encourage or develop positive traits in this group, most of them were already there.

Most seem to have a great work ethic, are very competitive, share the ball, keep themselves in shape, put out effort on defense without being pushed, have character, are willing to learn, and abandoned a me first attitude from the moment they arrived on campus.

Maybe I am reading too much into this, but Geno seems to be very very happy coaching this group. It appears they are low maintenance, and more likely to reach their potential than some other classes that may have had significant talent, but came up short in other important ways. Geno knows and has seen the difference over his career. Geno has also commented on next year's class, not just about their talent, but what exceptional people they were.

Sometimes you get talent without character, or character without talent, when you get both you really should be happy.

I think we underestimate how daunting it can be for top HS players to come into a program and then see up close and personal some of the most talented College Basketball players anywhere. Katie Lou, Pheesa, Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams , Azure. You have to have a special mental toughness and understand it will take alot of time and effort and incremental improvement to get into the lineup. Meg was able to deal with it (with alot of bumps) but I think the others were overwhelmed by it.

I think this Freshman class has the advantage of not being overwhelmed by the upperclassmen. They are very good players to be sure but you are not competing with AA's and DPOY players all over the court. The Freshman know and feel they are critical and they will rise to the challenge.

 

[Zinethar]

I agree that it is often hard to go from being the big fish in a small pond to becoming the little fish in a big pond. That takes a special type person to achieve success in.

 

[Ozimoto]

Not just in athletics. A lot of kids run into similar challenges on the academic side of things too.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

If I remember right Combs had some defensive chops but was something of a shooting nightmare. I have always felt that she was a recruiting mistake or Geno believed there were ready fixes for her offensive weakness. Lost track of her. Where'd she go and how'd she do?

 

[oldude]

If I remember right Combs had some defensive chops but was something of a shooting nightmare. I have always felt that she was a recruiting mistake or Geno believed there were ready fixes for her offensive weakness. Lost track of her. Where'd she go and how'd she do?

Coombs is now playing closer to home at UGA. She is a redshirt JR. The Bulldogs are 2-0, with Coombs getting just under 30 mpg as the 1st sub off the bench. Notably, while she hasn’t attempted a 3-pt shot yet, she is 6-9 from the field.

 

[Carnac]

Amazing!!! After 4 days, and 10,000+ views, and 88 comments, this thread is still going strong. I had no idea this thread would attract the amount of interest it has. I guess with our program being in "suspended animation" for 2.5 weeks, it's easy for a thread of this nature to attract more attention than it would if we were playing games. She's been gone for over two years, but not forgotten.

 

[cbraarj]

If I remember right Combs had some defensive chops but was something of a shooting nightmare. I have always felt that she was a recruiting mistake or Geno believed there were ready fixes for her offensive weakness. Lost track of her. Where'd she go and how'd she do?

She shot the ball like grammar school kids do before they're taught proper mechanics.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I would respectfully suggest that one difference between this year’s freshmen class and Megan’s class is leadership. Paige is obviously a leader, but I think Nika, Aaliyah and others will also emerge as leaders. As for Megan’s class, they all could play, and Megan had an AA season this past year, but it’s not clear to me that anyone in that group embraced a leadership role.

So this year’s freshmen are an extremely tight knit group, while Megan’s class basically all went their own way. Ironically, the best “leader” in Megan’s class is Evina, a transfer who’s yet to play a game at UConn.

I was shocked that Megan made AA at all this past season .... she had herself a solid season but not one, in my mind, that was worthy of AA status .... obviously JMHO

 

[Steelerone]

I don't. I wish her well but she is quite the vagabond.
She departed Ossining for Blair Academy and then returned to Ossining for her senior year.
Upon her departure from UCONN she expressed regret at not taking her time to visit some other schools in the recruiting process and was to enroll in community college to further her education. She did neither.
Upon her departure from Mississippi State her stated reason was "due to COVID-19 concerns" and she said that she would be "cheering for Mississippi State". 3 Colleges and 2 HS in case anyone is keep track.

Coco, I believe she had committed to Uconn prior to her Jr. year in high school saying at the time that Uconn was her dream school. I'm not sure just why she has become something of a rolling stone but I did feel that she would have been happier at a mid-major school where she would have been one of the bigger fish in the pond.

 

[donalddoowop]

I was shocked that Megan made AA at all this past season .... she had herself a solid season but not one, in my mind, that was worthy of AA status .... obviously JMHO

She played for UConn.

 

[Stoli]

Espinoza-Hunter Transferring to Pirates - Seton Hall University Athletics

Seton Hall women's basketball head coach Anthony Bozzella announced today the addition of graduate transfer Andra Espinoza-Hunter (Ossining, N.Y.) to the pro...

shupirates.com

article say 21-22 season

 

[Biff]

Espinoza-Hunter Transferring to Pirates - Seton Hall University Athletics

Seton Hall women's basketball head coach Anthony Bozzella announced today the addition of graduate transfer Andra Espinoza-Hunter (Ossining, N.Y.) to the pro...

shupirates.com

article say 21-22 season

I believe the article is correct in that aspect but that's not telling the complete story.
I think she was enrolled at Miss State this year so normally would have to sit out a year. But she is a grad transfer so she is eligible to play next semester (but not this semester since she was enrolled at MS) And, if she plays next semester, she can play next season under the NCAA special COVID rule granting an additional year of eligibility.

So I believe she can play next semester and next season (21-22) And I believe to play in 21-22 she must play next semester to be granted the extra year of eligibility.

 

[CocoHusky]

I believe the article is correct in that aspect but that's not telling the complete story.
I think she was enrolled at Miss State this year so normally would have to sit out a year. But she is a grad transfer so she is eligible to play next semester (but not this semester since she was enrolled at MS) And, if she plays next semester, she can play next season under the NCAA special COVID rule granting an additional year of eligibility.

So I believe she can play next semester and next season (21-22) And I believe to play in 21-22 she must play next semester to be granted the extra year of eligibility.

The NCAA opt out guidelines issued in August covered fall (1 semester) sports and there have been a number football players who originally opted out and opted back in and were allowed to play . AEH originally opted out due to COVID. What remains unclear is if the NCAA will allow her to opt back in for a "semester" especially considering that the players and tier 1 staff that opted in have been under COVID-19 monitoring and protocols since the minute they returned to campus. It's even murkier because the NCAA might just leave it up to Seton Hall to decide if they want to take this risk.

What is clear as you have stated is AEH must play next semester to be granted the extra year of eligibility (Total of 5 years) under the NCAA special COVID rule.

Even if AEH does not play next semester, she is still eligible to play the 21-22 season at Seton Hall because she has only used up 3 years (1 UCONN +2 at MSU) of her original 4 years of eligibility and she has completed her undergraduate degree.

After she has used up all 4 years of her original eligibility (1@UCONN, 2 @MSU, 1@Seton Hall) she can still petition the NCAA for a 5 year of eligibility because she only played in 7 games while at UCONN.