Jana El Alfy Enrolling Early

[Bald Husky]

Prosper came in early for ND, and she is not using up a year of eligibility. They've talked about this several times during games.
Why would it be any different for ELAlfy?

That is very interesting, she should lose a year, but if not, why?

 

[HopJim]

Playing center is not always measured by height, sometimes it's measured with the fight.
Aneesha Morrow

I would rephrase the conversation. Against the top teams like South Carolina with true centers, we need someone who can guard someone like Boston. Doesn't matter that their offensive skills or Geno indicates they are a forward. Likely need 2 with this defensive skill set since underneath, fouls ten to mount up.

 

[Blakeon18]

Ralph's question above is an interesting one....sure hope it won't be necessary to employ that
tactic....even if Geno has zero intent to use it. It does seem that she would theoretically be 'eligible' to play
every single game....no?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Haven't read the thread yet. Just want to go on record as not wanting her to play this season and waste the eligibility. Also, I strongly suspect it would take the rest of the year to get her in game shape for Div. I.

 

[Tonyc]

Some thoughts on Jana. It was reported shes 17 yrs old and on her way here. I would think she would need to learn UConns system and I ask the question is she ready right now to step in and could she make a difference. We already have Dorka Aaliyah Aubrey and Amari down low. Im dont know if she is an impact player but at 17 yrs old I would think she may need some time to adjust to American WCBB. We've had many tall players come here who are very talented who struggled their first year and that was with having the summer to get ready. My thoughts would be that unless Jana is an impact player and can contribute right away it might be best to have her practice with the team and be ready to go next season. Dorka graduates and Caroline Amari Ice Patterson Sammuels and Jana will all be vying for her position.

 

[cancontent]

Prosper came in early for ND, and she is not using up a year of eligibility. They've talked about this several times during games.
Why would it be any different for ELAlfy?

That is very interesting, she should lose a year, but if not, why?

I don't think this is accurate. Haven't seen any articles indicating that she retains her full four years. @Dillon77 can correct me if I'm wrong here, but anyone I've talked too was surprised Prosper decided to enroll early because of this.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Didn't Miles enroll early (2020), played in the Irish's last six games, and still retain Freshman eligibility for the 2021 season? She's listed as a sophomore and this is her third season. Is it the low number of games or covid related?

 

[CL82]

I could be wrong, but she could still use a covid year right? so even if she plays this season, she could still use the covid extra year, which will still give her 4 years. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what they will do

No, she wasn’t playing college basketball in 2020.

A few thoughts:

I really like El Alfey as a person. She seems to have a wonderful sense of priorities and goals. I feel as if she will be someone who will represent the program. Well, long after her college career has ended.

Jana is a center. I am not sure how much a freshman, big without any college experience who hasn’t gone through preseason conditioning can help this team.

I do think that joining the program early can be very helpful and give her a head start on next season. We’ve seen mixed results with that at UConn. I think it likely contributed to a former players sense of alienation given that everyone knows everyone in there is no one in that same position of just joining the team. On the other hand, it worked out fabulously well for Alex Karaban on the men’s team who is a starter this year.

I often roll my eyes at the seemingly random comparisons of new players to current or past Connecticut players, but I find myself wondering if she can have a Donovan Clingan-like impact on the team next year. He was a 17-year-old 7’2” “project” who is making a good argument that he might be the best player on the team. Now, I fully recognize that that’s a crazy comparison and an unrealistic and unfair expectation, But Jana may have a meaningful impact as a freshman, given her size and athleticism.

 

[Sargassoc]

Was this under the Covid rules-- because the same was true for Saylor Poffenbarger-- but I assumed the NCAA rules had reverted.

 

[Biff]

Can you cite any reference that states she did not use up a year of eligibility the moment she plays in a game this season? I keep seeing this stated but I haven't seen any reference to any NCAA ruling that overrides the basic eligibility rules. Anyone have a reference/link to that?

 

[stamfordhusky]

I don't think this is accurate. Haven't seen any articles indicating that she retains her full four years. @Dillon77 can correct me if I'm wrong here, but anyone I've talked too was surprised Prosper decided to enroll early because of this.

Prosper is definitely using up a year of her eligibility. Not sure who would say otherwise - and they would be wrong.

 

[Sargassoc]

Can you cite any reference that states she did not use up a year of eligibility the moment she plays in a game this season? I keep seeing this stated but I haven't seen any reference to any NCAA ruling that overrides the basic eligibility rules. Anyone have a reference/link to that?

This is my thought too; Prosper joined ND mid-season, but that's one year of eligibility. Again, I think the only exception to that was the 20-21 season, due to Covid.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Didn't Miles enroll early (2020), played in the Irish's last six games, and still retain Freshman eligibility for the 2021 season? She's listed as a sophomore and this is her third season. Is it the low number of games or covid related?

Poffenabarger, Miles, etc...who came in early during the 2020 season...get a free year. This site below has a straight forward explanation on the bottom right.

NCAA Extra Year of Eligibility

 

[stamfordhusky]

 

[awhom111]

No, she wasn’t playing college basketball in 2020.

A few thoughts:

I really like El Alfey as a person. She seems to have a wonderful sense of priorities and goals. I feel as if she will be someone who will represent the program. Well, long after her college career has ended.

Jana is a center. I am not sure how much a freshman, big without any college experience who hasn’t gone through preseason conditioning can help this team.

I do think that joining the program early can be very helpful and give her a head start on next season. We’ve seen mixed results with that at UConn. I think it likely contributed to a former players sense of alienation given that everyone knows everyone in there is no one in that same position of just joining the team. On the other hand, it worked out fabulously well for Alex Karaban on the men’s team who is a starter this year.

I often roll my eyes at the seemingly random comparisons of new players to current or past Connecticut players, but I find myself wondering if she can have a Donovan Clingan-like impact on the team next year. He was a 17-year-old 7’2” “project” who is making a good argument that he might be the best player on the team. Now, I fully recognize that that’s a crazy comparison and an unrealistic and unfair expectation, But Jana may have a meaningful impact as a freshman, given her size and athleticism.

She has been playing the season in Egypt (I think that they posted a picture of her warming up before their game on Saturday) so she should be in at least as good condition as anyone else on her old team.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Under normal NCAA rules in basketball, playing any games during the second half of a college season makes that year count as a full season of the four, which means if Jana (or any other early enrollee) plays this spring she will only have 3 more years of eligibilty. Those are the rules.

Not exactly. In most cases, if an athlete plays even one second of ANY game, they use up a year of eligibility. Doesn't matter if it's first game, first half, second half, last game etc - playing ANY game counts. The second half rule ONLY applies in applying for a medical hardship waiver (often mistakenly called a redshirt). In applying for this waiver, a player cannot have played at all in the second half of the year (and also cannot have played in more than 30% of a team's games.

 

[hard2please]

notre dame gets special treatment from the ncaa. its called the shepherding rule

 

[CL82]

She has been playing the season in Egypt (I think that they posted a picture of her warming up before their game on Saturday) so she should be in at least as good condition as anyone else on her old team.

As a rule, being in shape for high school, and being in shape for college are dramatically different things. That’s a truism that reaches across all sports.

Particularly at the University of Connecticut, though, we’ve heard numerous stories about how players “thought” they were “working hard” only to learn a new meaning of those words. One of the things Auriemma does exceptionally well is teaching players had to push through perceived limits.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Was this under the Covid rules-- because the same was true for Saylor Poffenbarger-- but I assumed the NCAA rules had reverted.

You are correct that it has reverted. She does not get an extra year.

 

[BobbyJ]

Didn't Miles enroll early (2020), played in the Irish's last six games, and still retain Freshman eligibility for the 2021 season? She's listed as a sophomore and this is her third season. Is it the low number of games or covid related?

Poffenbarger and Miles retained eligibility only because the NCAA treated the 2020-21 season as if nobody played for eligibility purposes. Prosper is using up a year of her 4 by playing this year. And if El Alfy plays at all in games, she will use a year also.

 

[cancontent]

Prosper is definitely using up a year of her eligibility. Not sure who would say otherwise - and they would be wrong.

Reference post 108, where it's claimed that Notre Dame's Athetic Department confirmed she has four years after this season.

 

[Charliebball]

As a rule, being in shape for high school, and being in shape for college are dramatically different things. That’s a truism that reaches across all sports.

Particularly at the University of Connecticut, though, we’ve heard numerous stories about how players “thought” they were “working hard” only to learn a new meaning of those words. One of the things Auriemma does exceptionally well is teaching players had to push through perceived limits.

that always was the case historically but as Geno said in a press conference after a recent game, he is not pushing the players nearly as hard as he used to in practice.......I believe he said he used to push them so hard that no other team could possibly keep up with them in a game..........apparently due to injury concerns practices are not nearly as strenuous......

 

[Charliebball]

Reference post 108, where it's claimed that Notre Dame's Athetic Department confirmed she has four years after this season.

well if that's truly the case then what's the downside to having her available on the bench...........she's 6'4" and skilled so give her some limited minutes if and when she's prepared for it....

 

[UConnCat]

Who confirmed this with the ND Athletic Department? You? Can you post exactly what was said by the ND Athletic Department? Thanks.