Cierra Toomey deciding 4/11

[Fossil]

I know that the Connecticut basketball program is the premier program in college basketball but all that’s ever spoken about is how hard the practices are and how Gino can break you down and build you back up. It seems like all that’s ever spoken about is the basketball culture. The social aspect of the school is never spoken about is that because it’s isolated with nothing really to do socially. Is there a school shuttle into Boston or to Hartford. What do these young people have at Connecticut that can compare to a UNC or a duke. Maybe a positive thread on the social culture of the University of Connecticut. Unless it’s that bland that we don’t want to highlight it. So if the student athlete isn’t sports centric there’s not much to offer? I think the perception of Connecticut basketball is that it is all encompassing and hard as hell. And most young people are not looking for that type of atmosphere Even the coach has noted players today want different things. Does the University of Connecticut offer those things or would it be smart for the basketball program to create a social program for their players.

 

[UConnCat]

And I hope future recruits will realize that UCONN got to the Finals while UNC didn't.

You’re too positive for this place.

 

[HuskyNan]

And I hope future recruits will realize that UCONN got to the Finals while UNC didn't.

It’s not always about basketball. These young women are choosing their college, not which pro team to play for

 

[meyers7]

All this chapel hill love in this thread is nauseating to say the least. It's was bad enough to get harassed at the park last afternoon by fans of that light shade of blue, then I log onto the BY and have to read all the nice stuff about that school,

If it will make you feel any better, I don't like them.

 

[oldude]

I don’t know if someone has already made this point. If so, I will make it again. Obviously, there are many reasons why a recruit chooses a school. Chief among them, imo, is usually playing time.

We don’t know if Rice may have selected UConn if Paige, Nika, Azzi & Caroline weren’t already on the roster. But it certainly had to be a consideration in her decision.

Toomey will be a very talented W/F in college. She’s not a G or a C. Toomey had to look at UConn’s potential Roster in 2023-24 to see the prospect of competing with Ice and Ayanna for PT at the W/F spot for 3 years.

Anyone who’s ever been on a team knows that winning beats losing any day. But that is a distant second to playing vs sitting on the bench, particularly with the demands of balancing academics with intense practice and conditioning sessions.

 

[Centerstream]

I know that the Connecticut basketball program is the premier program in college basketball but all that’s ever spoken about is how hard the practices are and how Gino can break you down and build you back up. It seems like all that’s ever spoken about is the basketball culture. The social aspect of the school is never spoken about is that because it’s isolated with nothing really to do socially. Is there a school shuttle into Boston or to Hartford. What do these young people have at Connecticut that can compare to a UNC or a duke. Maybe a positive thread on the social culture of the University of Connecticut. Unless it’s that bland that we don’t want to highlight it. So if the student athlete isn’t sports centric there’s not much to offer? I think the perception of Connecticut basketball is that it is all encompassing and hard as hell. And most young people are not looking for that type of atmosphere Even the coach has noted players today want different things. Does the University of Connecticut offer those things or would it be smart for the basketball program to create a social program for their players.

You do realize that you/we are posting on the Women's Basketball forum, right? I am guessing that UConn does have a website that gives social information.

 

[Fossil]

You do realize that you/we are posting on the Women's Basketball forum, right? I am guessing that UConn does have a website that gives social information.

I do realize that and what I was getting at is did we lose CT because of the school and it’s lack of intangibles or did we lose CT because North Carolina in general just appeale to this particular kid. Connecticut has lost a lot of kids to the West Coast maybe just not enough school Extra curricular activities. Or maybe it’s just cold as hell in the winter time in Connecticut. ???

 

[Charliebball]

I know that the Connecticut basketball program is the premier program in college basketball but all that’s ever spoken about is how hard the practices are and how Gino can break you down and build you back up. It seems like all that’s ever spoken about is the basketball culture. The social aspect of the school is never spoken about is that because it’s isolated with nothing really to do socially. Is there a school shuttle into Boston or to Hartford. What do these young people have at Connecticut that can compare to a UNC or a duke. Maybe a positive thread on the social culture of the University of Connecticut. Unless it’s that bland that we don’t want to highlight it. So if the student athlete isn’t sports centric there’s not much to offer? I think the perception of Connecticut basketball is that it is all encompassing and hard as hell. And most young people are not looking for that type of atmosphere Even the coach has noted players today want different things. Does the University of Connecticut offer those things or would it be smart for the basketball program to create a social program for their players.

clearly UConn is not for everybody......luckily it was for two top recruits for this coming season and at least two in the following year........that's not too bad.........

 

[Centerstream]

I do realize that and what I was getting at is did we lose CT because of the school and it’s lack of intangibles or did we lose CT because North Carolina in general just appeale to this particular kid. Connecticut has lost a lot of kids to the West Coast maybe just not enough school Extra curricular activities. Or maybe it’s just cold as hell in the winter time in Connecticut. ???

What does it matter? Especially if no one knows her reason. You are posting your opinions without any specific examples.

 

[HHH]

Well that seems uncomfortable…

I’ve heard there’s some risk of hibernation blindness afterwards.

Maybe that's why they use lucite instead of carbonite? I dunno. But you could sure tell those National Championship game refs had just come out of carbonite hibernation, amirite?

 

[Zanzman]

I do realize that and what I was getting at is did we lose CT because of the school and it’s lack of intangibles or did we lose CT because North Carolina in general just appeale to this particular kid. Connecticut has lost a lot of kids to the West Coast maybe just not enough school Extra curricular activities. Or maybe it’s just cold as hell in the winter time in Connecticut. ???

Can you imagine how much depth we would have if we got all the ones we missed there would be s need to build a longer bench

 

[HuskyNan]

I do realize that and what I was getting at is did we lose CT because of the school and it’s lack of intangibles or did we lose CT because North Carolina in general just appeale to this particular kid. Connecticut has lost a lot of kids to the West Coast maybe just not enough school Extra curricular activities. Or maybe it’s just cold as hell in the winter time in Connecticut. ???

She’s from Pennsylvania, not Hawaii. It’s clear Cierra was very interested in UConn but there was something that tipped the scales North Carolina’s way

 

[HuskyNan]

I don’t know if someone has already made this point. If so, I will make it again. Obviously, there are many reasons why a recruit chooses a school. Chief among them, imo, is usually playing time.

I disagree with this. The types of kids UConn recruits know they aren’t guaranteed playing time and they know who’s already on the roster or soon to be. They aren’t afraid of competition because they believe in themselves and their abilities.

Everyone is different of course, but I think that many are interested in the team chemistry, with potential teammates and coaches, the college itself, and finding their place among them. Having been a 17-18 year old girl, I know that it’s typical to be looking for a place that feels like “home” especially since many are leaving home for an extended period for the first time in their lives. If they aren’t comfortable there, it doesn’t matter if the college has the best coach, the best facilities, or the best academics.

I don’t think 17 year olds are the best at looking at the big picture which is why parents and coaches are so important to the process, even as some fans think they should stay out of the conversation. But while the girl may not be thinking of academic reputation, Mom and Dad may be and that may be extremely important to them. Don’t forget, if the girl is under 18 when she signs her LOI, it also needs to be signed by a parent. I’m not saying that has anything to do with Cierra, BTW, just making a general statement

 

[nomdoux]

Vandy is SEC.

Touché. Egregious gaffe on my behalf.

 

[cohenzone]

It’s actually pretty pointless to follow particular recruits. Threads on Toomey,Boston, Collier ad infinitem. Hardly anything extensive about Shade, the one we got. besides, with transfers so common now, who isn’t a recruit?

 

[Ozimoto]

I hope the young lady heals well and has a great college experience.

As the son of a math teacher and an engineer myself, I cringed when I read "110% committed." A prospective engineering student should know better.

The same way I cringe at people saying you have to give 110% to anything. You can't give more than 100% of what you are capable of.

 

[oldude]

I disagree with this. The types of kids UConn recruits know they aren’t guaranteed playing time and they know who’s already on the roster or soon to be. They aren’t afraid of competition because they believe in themselves and their abilities.

Everyone is different of course, but I think that many are interested in the team chemistry, with potential teammates and coaches, the college itself, and finding their place among them. Having been a 17-18 year old girl, I know that it’s typical to be looking for a place that feels like “home” especially since many are leaving home for an extended period for the first time in their lives. If they aren’t comfortable there, it doesn’t matter if the college has the best coach, the best facilities, or the best academics.

I don’t think 17 year olds are the best at looking at the big picture which is why parents and coaches are so important to the process, even as some fans think they should stay out of the conversation. But while the girl may not be thinking of academic reputation, Mom and Dad may be and that may be extremely important to them. Don’t forget, if the girl is under 18 when she signs her LOI, it also needs to be signed by a parent. I’m not saying that has anything to do with Cierra, BTW, just making a general statement

Yes, but unfortunately Toomey isn’t a kid that UConn successfully recruited. When I chose a college back in the dark ages, in a time when freshmen were ineligible for the varsity, I had little to no idea who I would be competing with for PT as a sophomore.

Nowadays, in the world of freshmen eligibility and social media, kids are infinitely more aware of what the roster will look like once they arrive on campus. I am not saying that was the deciding factor for Toomey. But it may well have been one factor in her decision.

 

[Fossil]

What does it matter? Especially if no one knows her reason. You are posting your opinions without any specific examples.

For starters I was not stating my opinion I was asking more of a question. Does Connecticut lose quality recruits due to a lack of social and cultural experiences on and around campus due to its more rural location. Does the college provide programs and events to make up for its location. It would seem that if a recruit were not singly focused on basketball they might enjoy the extra College experience provided hence more fun. Even coach has said kids today are different than they were 5-10 years ago and the treatment of them needs to be different. So no opinion given on my part and the reason I questioned it is for recruiting purposes in the future.

 

[cohenzone]

For starters I was not stating my opinion I was asking more of a question. Does Connecticut lose quality recruits due to a lack of social and cultural experiences on and around campus due to its more rural location. Does the college provide programs and events to make up for its location. It would seem that if a recruit were not singly focused on basketball they might enjoy the extra College experience provided hence more fun. Even coach has said kids today are different than they were 5-10 years ago and the treatment of them needs to be different. So no opinion given on my part and the reason I questioned it is for recruiting purposes in the future.

Maybe a few. But unlikely to affect that many. A lot of state Us aren’t very cosmopolitan, but often big enough to provide a lot of things to do. Jim Calhoun proved that Storrs is good enough for very good players kind of like Lawrence Kansas.

 

[Centerstream]

For starters I was not stating my opinion I was asking more of a question. Does Connecticut lose quality recruits due to a lack of social and cultural experiences on and around campus due to its more rural location. Does the college provide programs and events to make up for its location. It would seem that if a recruit were not singly focused on basketball they might enjoy the extra College experience provided hence more fun. Even coach has said kids today are different than they were 5-10 years ago and the treatment of them needs to be different. So no opinion given on my part and the reason I questioned it is for recruiting purposes in the future.

Ok. I am going to try and talk to Geno and see if he can do something about CT's winter weather which in your opinion is why someone from PA might have chosen NC over CT or if someone from the West Coast did the same thing.

I am guessing here but I believe that every player that Geno has recruited knows everything that they would need to know about UConn before Geno (or any other coach) shows up due to Google, The Weather Channel, Social Media and the internet in general.
And you are right, kids nowadays are not like kids from 5, 10 or 20 years ago, for whatever reason, but the same is true for any coach that has been around for a while.

 

[broooce]

For starters I was not stating my opinion I was asking more of a question. Does Connecticut lose quality recruits due to a lack of social and cultural experiences on and around campus due to its more rural location. Does the college provide programs and events to make up for its location. It would seem that if a recruit were not singly focused on basketball they might enjoy the extra College experience provided hence more fun. Even coach has said kids today are different than they were 5-10 years ago and the treatment of them needs to be different. So no opinion given on my part and the reason I questioned it is for recruiting purposes in the future.

Maybe but that's a decision for each individual student-athlete. Let's face it, most top colleges in any sport are in the middle of nowhere, other than UCLA/USC in LA. There's no TOP (meaning Powerhouse) Power 5 team in NYC, SF, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Washington, DC, Boston (other than BC in the burbs), Philly or Atlanta. Miami is 9th largest metro area - "the U" maybe but not lately a power, and Phoenix. And these are the top 11 metro areas in the USA. Each college has its traditions, eateries, reputation etc. and I don't think Storrs is barren or bereft of anything a college student would want or need. Boston is an hour and a half from Storrs, which is not much different than how long it takes me to see a Broadway show in Manhattan from my home. In all my years following UCONN basketball it takes special players who want the opportunity to be the very best to survive and thrive here and as another poster said, not be afraid of the competition for playing time. "To be the best you must beat the best" - starting with your own teammates!

 

[sun]

It seems more common to hear a recruit say that it came down to a choice between UConn and another school even though the other school was chosen.

That speaks volumes that there is a growing divide between what UConn and other schools have to offer.
Whether it's the coaching staff or the many other factors, I doubt that there have been any studies done about it.
Even though every individual is different we can only speculate.
There's everything from A to Z involved when a kid makes their final decision.
Publicity about the UConn BB program probably plays a big part of it, and maybe also the opinions of peers and family members.

 

[eyeroll]

I know that the Connecticut basketball program is the premier program in college basketball but all that’s ever spoken about is how hard the practices are and how Gino can break you down and build you back up. It seems like all that’s ever spoken about is the basketball culture. The social aspect of the school is never spoken about is that because it’s isolated with nothing really to do socially. Is there a school shuttle into Boston or to Hartford. What do these young people have at Connecticut that can compare to a UNC or a duke. Maybe a positive thread on the social culture of the University of Connecticut. Unless it’s that bland that we don’t want to highlight it. So if the student athlete isn’t sports centric there’s not much to offer? I think the perception of Connecticut basketball is that it is all encompassing and hard as hell. And most young people are not looking for that type of atmosphere Even the coach has noted players today want different things. Does the University of Connecticut offer those things or would it be smart for the basketball program to create a social program for their players.

People will ignore you because you spelled Geno wrong, but you are absolutely right in terms of the potential other things that students might look for that influences their decision.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Or she could be concerned about who is going to be coaching her by the time she is a senior in 2027.

 

[Mdoggie]

I know that the Connecticut basketball program is the premier program in college basketball but all that’s ever spoken about is how hard the practices are and how Gino can break you down and build you back up. It seems like all that’s ever spoken about is the basketball culture. The social aspect of the school is never spoken about is that because it’s isolated with nothing really to do socially. Is there a school shuttle into Boston or to Hartford. What do these young people have at Connecticut that can compare to a UNC or a duke. Maybe a positive thread on the social culture of the University of Connecticut. Unless it’s that bland that we don’t want to highlight it. So if the student athlete isn’t sports centric there’s not much to offer? I think the perception of Connecticut basketball is that it is all encompassing and hard as hell. And most young people are not looking for that type of atmosphere Even the coach has noted players today want different things. Does the University of Connecticut offer those things or would it be smart for the basketball program to create a social program for their players.

I stopped reading at “Gino”

 

[thatguyed]

Here's my opinion of Cierra's decision.

 

[TeamFirst!]

It's ok. We lost one top recruit. She looks like she made a reasonable decision among good options. Maybe she liked the golf program in North Carolina or who knows what but North Carolina is a solid school and it's a reasonable choice. It's not like we should expect every top recruit to choose Uconn. Those days are over. We have a lot to offer still and I for one love the culture of our current group of kids. Who wouldn't want to play basketball with this team of sisters! We have a team of excellence which just made yet another final 4 appearance. We have to work to earn things and not expect all the top players to just fall in our laps. And sometimes you lose out when you did nothing wrong at all.

 

[YoDore]

I hope the young lady heals well and has a great college experience.

As the son of a math teacher and an engineer myself, I cringed when I read "110% committed." A prospective engineering student should know better.

The same way I cringe at people saying you have to give 110% to anything. You can't give more than 100% of what you are capable of.

 

[Fossil]

Maybe but that's a decision for each individual student-athlete. Let's face it, most top colleges in any sport are in the middle of nowhere, other than UCLA/USC in LA. There's no TOP (meaning Powerhouse) Power 5 team in NYC, SF, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Washington, DC, Boston (other than BC in the burbs), Philly or Atlanta. Miami is 9th largest metro area - "the U" maybe but not lately a power, and Phoenix. And these are the top 11 metro areas in the USA. Each college has its traditions, eateries, reputation etc. and I don't think Storrs is barren or bereft of anything a college student would want or need. Boston is an hour and a half from Storrs, which is not much different than how long it takes me to see a Broadway show in Manhattan from my home. In all my years following UCONN basketball it takes special players who want the opportunity to be the very best to survive and thrive here and as another poster said, not be afraid of the competition for playing time. "To be the best you must beat the best" - starting with your own teammates!

Thank you for your meaningful and informative response I appreciate it unlike other posters who just want to respond in a sarcastic snippy manner to someone who is just asking a question and looking for information. So again thank you

 

[jchusky]

similar to how Uconn loses games and the opponent never wins them, did it ever occur maybe Courtney just is a great recruiter and she gels with Toomey. Crazy thought I know!