Is there life after UConn

[DaddyChoc]

what michala and lauren did took a great deal of courage . transferring is never easy,and to transfer basketball programs is that much more difficult. i think more players(including players from uconn) would do it if the process wasn't so hard. the player has to have a whole lot of confidence in her game, and know that they want more than mop-up minutes, even at a program like uconn's. i've been very impressed by the determination of these two young women to find a way to really play the game they love.

and to "sit out" a whole season... watching from the bench

 

[JoePgh]

One major difference between Maria Conlon, the Valley sisters, and Heather Buck vs. Michala and Lauren is that the four who stayed were all New Englanders (two from Connecticut) whereas the two who left were from distant regions. (Jacquie Fernandes might also have been mentioned as fitting this pattern.) I'm not saying that homesickness was the reason for Michala's or Lauren's departure (obviously not the case with Lauren), but it does suggest that coming from a nearby location increases the probability that one will stay even without significant minutes.

Obviously UConn needs to recruit nationwide to get the Top 20 players that it needs as the core of Final Four teams. But for "role players" whose primary contribution will be in practice, you would think that it would be possible to find them within a 200-mile radius of campus. With more roots and more relatives in the area (and more future employers who will know their name in this region), they should be more likely to stay.

 

[DaddyChoc]

One major difference between Maria Conlon, the Valley sisters, and Heather Buck vs. Michala and Lauren is that the four who stayed were all New Englanders (two from Connecticut) whereas the two who left were from distant regions. (Jacquie Fernandes might also have been mentioned as fitting this pattern.) I'm not saying that homesickness was the reason for Michala's or Lauren's departure (obviously not the case with Lauren), but it does suggest that coming from a nearby location increases the probability that one will stay even without significant minutes.

Obviously UConn needs to recruit nationwide to get the Top 20 players that it needs as the core of Final Four teams. But for "role players" whose primary contribution will be in practice, you would think that it would be possible to find them within a 200-mile radius of campus. With more roots and more relatives in the area (and more future employers who will know their name in this region), they should be more likely to stay.

good point

 

[Jim]

One major difference between Maria Conlon, the Valley sisters, and Heather Buck vs. Michala and Lauren is that the four who stayed were all New Englanders (two from Connecticut) whereas the two who left were from distant regions. (Jacquie Fernandes might also have been mentioned as fitting this pattern.) I'm not saying that homesickness was the reason for Michala's or Lauren's departure (obviously not the case with Lauren), but it does suggest that coming from a nearby location increases the probability that one will stay even without significant minutes.

Obviously UConn needs to recruit nationwide to get the Top 20 players that it needs as the core of Final Four teams. But for "role players" whose primary contribution will be in practice, you would think that it would be possible to find them within a 200-mile radius of campus. With more roots and more relatives in the area (and more future employers who will know their name in this region), they should be more likely to stay.

Perhaps. But the counter example is Stacey Marron. She was from Arizona, got scholly offers from area schools, but came to UCONN without being recruited and knowing she would have to make the team as a walk-on. Some players need to be in the spot light; some need to be close to home if not in the spot light; and others are content with doing what they can, riding in the championship parade, and meeting the President (multiple times).

 

[UcMiami]

Joe - I decided to do a little research, so some of the non new england Uconn players that stuck around after getting very limited playing time as freshman:
Rose, Williams and Gardler - NJ/Philly
McClaren - DC
Banks - Georgia
Curl - Pittsburgh (and throw Swin Cash in there - she got under 10 minutes a game as a freshman)
Sauer - Nevada
Hansmeyer and Big Rig from Canada
and J. Moore from Alaska who was told not to bother suiting up her freshman year - Alaska
Obviously in the early days 99% of the team was New England and you are much less likely to get walk-ons out of state since the tuition is so high for non-CT kids. And less highly ranked kids are more likely to get scholarship offers locally and stay locally. But being part of the Uconn program is pretty special even without starter minutes - you travel the world in style, get treated very well, have your own cheering sections at home games, and the bond among the teammates is generally really strong. And from everything you hear, while Geno and the coaches can be brutal in practice (and games) in the down time they are pretty great to be around and if you commit to them for 4 years they commit to you for a lifetime.

 

[Geno-ista]

Agree

Sure it worked out okay for UConn but it was extremely difficult situation.

I guess okay is a relative term. We made the final four that year but lost to ND when Stef got into early foul trouble and we didn't have the size to compete with them on the boards. Samarie certainly could have made a difference in that game and regardless UConn would have been favored against Texas A&M. Potential loss of a National Championship in my book.[/quote]
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, that when Steph got the 2nd foul early, I think she was blocking the baseline, and was a questionable call, the ND was over at that 3 or 4 minute mark I think it was. Samarie could have stopped the bleeding underneath, like she had against Griner early in the year. I think Lauren Dixon was our next option- we had no options to try to match up.Georgetown almost picked us off, at Temple the prior week.

 

[psconn]

Joe - I decided to do a little research, so some of the non new england Uconn players that stuck around after getting very limited playing time as freshman:
Rose, Williams and Gardler - NJ/Philly
McClaren - DC
Banks - Georgia
Curl - Pittsburgh (and throw Swin Cash in there - she got under 10 minutes a game as a freshman)
Sauer - Nevada
Hansmeyer and Big Rig from Canada
and J. Moore from Alaska who was told not to bother suiting up her freshman year - Alaska
Obviously in the early days 99% of the team was New England and you are much less likely to get walk-ons out of state since the tuition is so high for non-CT kids. And less highly ranked kids are more likely to get scholarship offers locally and stay locally. But being part of the Uconn program is pretty special even without starter minutes - you travel the world in style, get treated very well, have your own cheering sections at home games, and the bond among the teammates is generally really strong. And from everything you hear, while Geno and the coaches can be brutal in practice (and games) in the down time they are pretty great to be around and if you commit to them for 4 years they commit to you for a lifetime.

Stacy is from Norman, Oklahoma

 

[pinotbear]

Joe - I decided to do a little research, so some of the non new england Uconn players that stuck around after getting very limited playing time as freshman:
Rose, Williams and Gardler - NJ/Philly
McClaren - DC
Banks - Georgia
Curl - Pittsburgh (and throw Swin Cash in there - she got under 10 minutes a game as a freshman)
Sauer - Nevada
Hansmeyer and Big Rig from Canada
and J. Moore from Alaska who was told not to bother suiting up her freshman year - Alaska
Obviously in the early days 99% of the team was New England and you are much less likely to get walk-ons out of state since the tuition is so high for non-CT kids. And less highly ranked kids are more likely to get scholarship offers locally and stay locally. But being part of the Uconn program is pretty special even without starter minutes - you travel the world in style, get treated very well, have your own cheering sections at home games, and the bond among the teammates is generally really strong. And from everything you hear, while Geno and the coaches can be brutal in practice (and games) in the down time they are pretty great to be around and if you commit to them for 4 years they commit to you for a lifetime.

If memory serves - and, that's a big "if" - Swin was dealing with some health/injury issues her freshman year, which limited her playing time. What might be interesting - and, I'm too lazy to do it - would be to look at kids who also had limited time their sophomore year, particularly since Geno is on record as placing great importance on a player's development from their first year to their second. Certainly, a few of "the guys" on your list played a lot more their sophomore year - Banks (pre-injury), Swin, Paige, Stacy, Jess. I guess what I'm saying is, some kids may not play much as frosh, but, if they can see their opportunity (strong senior class, perhaps an incoming frosh class behind 'em that doesn't intimidate them, self-confidence) then they really don't regard themselves as "role players". Their freshman year doesn't foretell their UConn future. But, if after your sophomore year, you don't see a big role for yourself for the next two years, well then, you might start weighing other options.

 

[UcMiami]

If memory serves - and, that's a big "if" - Swin was dealing with some health/injury issues her freshman year, which limited her playing time. What might be interesting - and, I'm too lazy to do it - would be to look at kids who also had limited time their sophomore year, particularly since Geno is on record as placing great importance on a player's development from their first year to their second. Certainly, a few of "the guys" on your list played a lot more their sophomore year - Banks (pre-injury), Swin, Paige, Stacy, Jess. I guess what I'm saying is, some kids may not play much as frosh, but, if they can see their opportunity (strong senior class, perhaps an incoming frosh class behind 'em that doesn't intimidate them, self-confidence) then they really don't regard themselves as "role players". Their freshman year doesn't foretell their UConn future. But, if after your sophomore year, you don't see a big role for yourself for the next two years, well then, you might start weighing other options.

I did check the minutes for Banks her sophomore year as we all were impressed with how much she had improved. She averaged about 10 minutes a game as a freshman and as a sophomore played 21 games and 359 minutes so had raised it to 17 minutes, less than I thought and below that magical 20 minute mark.
Kaili never reached the 20 minute mark and averaged under 15 for her career, Hansmeyer and Sauer did break 20 their sophomore years but then dropped back to around 10-15 the last two years.
Gardler - career 10/gm with about 15/gm as a senior
Williams and Rose - career under 7/gm
And an error - Curl should not have been on that list - not sure of her minutes as they do not appear to have been recorded back then - at least not in the Uconn media guide. (FYI - Uconn media guide available on line as a link from the Huskies home page has year by year stats for all former players towards the end of the book.)
Don't remember Swin being injured but that doesn't mean she wasn't - it was also a loaded team with a lot of very good freshman vying for minutes behind very good upper classmen.
On Stacy - born NV but should have listed OK as believe that was her HS. My error.

 

[Phil]

Perhaps. But the counter example is Stacey Marron. She was from Arizona, got scholly offers from area schools, but came to UCONN without being recruited and knowing she would have to make the team as a walk-on. Some players need to be in the spot light; some need to be close to home if not in the spot light; and others are content with doing what they can, riding in the championship parade, and meeting the President (multiple times).

Stacey is from Albuquerque, which doesn't change the point, but want to credit the right state.