Stanford's Lili Thompson transfers to ND

[FASTEDDY]

Seems like Lili and her father took advantage(used) of Stanford. Remain on an athletic scholarship but not play, retaining another year of playing. Now go to Notre Dame on an athletic scholarship that she wouldn't have if she had full filled her requirement by playing for Stanford this year.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Really it just seems unethical to me. Its obviously within the rules but smells dirty to me.

 

[trb123]

Notre Dame gains but Stanford does not lose. With six or more Nykesha Sales cooling their heels on the bench, the Cardinals can dispense with Lili Thompson like the 1996 olympic team without Rebecca Lobo's services. Stanford has no problem losing to Tennessee with or without her.

 

[Dillon77]

I really think that's unfair to say, I mean unless you know the family personally.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Really it just seems unethical to me. Its obviously within the rules but smells dirty to me.

Hey folks, try to ignore that ND insignia next to this post.

Please note that in the skeptical posts, I see a "seems" or a "just" next to it, while the other post asks whether there is any insight into the family (before passing judgement).

I'll add one more aspect to consider: the coaches. I've got to think that one of the first phone calls MM from ND made was to Coach Tara out at Stanford to see if this was kosher/ok/above board/what the situation was. I highly doubt McGraw's going to accept a player for a one-year stint if she thinks it was being done at the expense of a long-term colleague. Just not worth it in the long run.

The intriguing question, of course, is why did Thompson choose to stop playing for the Cardinal. Stay tuned...maybe.

 

[LesMis89]

It appears an explanation for why Thompson ceased to play for Stanford hasn't been made public. Without that information it's difficult to determine anything about her transfer to ND.

 

[wallman]

I can tell you that no coach in the PAC would touch her There seems to be some mutual respect as far as having each others back in a situation like this.

 

[Txhoopsalot]

As noted, Stanford would not clear Jamie Carey to play. She sought a transfer when her doctors cleared her but Stanford remained against the risk. In that case. Tara actually called Jody Conradt and helped facilitate the transfer that added the final piece

 

[Dillon77]

I can tell you that no coach in the PAC would touch her There seems to be some mutual respect as far as having each others back in a situation like this.

Interesting. That mutual respect or "unwritten watch our backs" may be true. However, I researched (ok, googled like heck) and found that the Pac-12 regulations could've deep sixed that kind of transfer anyway.
Intra-conference transfer rules vary from conference to conference but the PAC-12's seem as stringent as the ACC...particularly tough to do so within the conference.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...misc_non_event/Pac-12_Intra_Conf_Transfer.pdf

However, I also found a case where a Cal interim AD allowed a grad transfer to go to Stanford for a specific grad program (plus David Shaw was short on D-linemen). So I can't get the grad transfer rule straight there...
in most instances, the P5 transfers are going to venture to schools outside their conferences (the schools they are leaving have to sign off on the transfer request).

 

[wallman]

Nope sorry Dillon, no restrictions on Grad students, they can go anywhere they want.

Oops sorry again, anywhere that a coach is willing to take them.

 

[UcMiami]

We really do not have any information on what happened at Stanford or Lili's motivations in any of this.

I am pretty sure that MM would do some serious questioning before she accepted a transfer, just as we expect Geno to do with the transfers he accepts.

I would just take this all at face value. In terms of remaining on scholarship at Stanford - that is an internal matter for them. I like that they did continue the scholarship - while they are year to year per NCAA regs, a number of schools treat them as 4 year commitments on the part of the school unless something seriously goes wrong with the athlete from a school policy/academic/behavioral perspective.

 

[osceola48]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

 

[UcMiami]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

The number of healthy players who would walk away from a team as a senior after sweating with them for the previous three years is pretty small, and the number of coaches that would accept a one year transfer in those circumstances is pretty small as well I would think.

 

[ochoopsfan]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

Some do not sit out their senior year and transfer. Some graduate in 3 years, then become grad students and can transfer, with no year to sit out.
Kaneesha Horn, played for Alabama, graduated in 3 years from Bama, and played as a Grad student at USC for one year.

In another case, Temi Fagbenle, played at Harvard for 3 years. There was a problem her first year and she could not play(something to do with the NCAA Clearinghouse for school credits, I think). The Ivy Leagues, I believe, do not allow you to get financial assistance for more than 4 years(no scholarships at Ivy League schools, only financial assistance based on need). So she could not play a 4th year, except on her own dime, at Harvard. She transferred to USC and played last season as a Grad Student, with a scholarship.
Every situation is different.

 

[mhshuskies]

"I'm excited to join what is already a stellar team, and to get to work on winning a National Championship."

She may have been cleared for a concussion but it is obvious she is delusional!

 

[Geew1992]

I'm a little confused. I don't recall her being a redshirt, that she just left the team. Doesn't a player have to "apply" to be a redshirt? If she wasn't a redshirt, how does she have eligibility?

 

[Gate81]

My impression is that she is healthy and there was some type of friction between her/her parents and the Stanford staff so she wasn't even involved in summer activities or referred to in quotes by the coaching staff after last season ended. Never heard the full truth but that is what one could infer from various posts during the spring/summer and into the fall. Real shame but I guess if she really thinks going to Notre Dame is for her, that's fine. By the way, we always hear they're going to some school for a year but never seem to hear what they'll be studying (and if this is 1 of 2-3 years in an academic program)....

 

[stamfordhusky]

I'm a little confused. I don't recall her being a redshirt, that she just left the team. Doesn't a player have to "apply" to be a redshirt? If she wasn't a redshirt, how does she have eligibility?

A player is allowed to play four seasons of a sport over a five year period. No need to apply for anything if they don't play for a year due to injury or just to get stronger/older. They still are entitled to play four years. Sitting out a year voluntarily is the true version of a redshirt, and no paperwork or applications are needed.

Then there is the case of a player who plays a limited number of games and then is injured. In this case, assuming the player didn't play in more than 30% of the games (and meets a few other criteria), the player can apply for what is officially a "medical hardship waiver" (mistakenly called a redshirt by many). Then the player may end up playing five seasons, one of which was shortened by injury.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Notre Dame has done well with players who have a motor...... Bernadette Peters Kayla McBride..... etc.... Big names who have come in haven't done spectacularly.... Turner for example.... that could though be a bit harsh....

I just do not see Thompson making a great bit of difference

 

[CocoHusky]

Notre Dame gains but Stanford does not lose. With six or more Nykesha Sales cooling their heels on the bench, the Cardinals can dispense with Lili Thompson like the 1996 olympic team without Rebecca Lobo's services. Stanford has no problem losing to Tennessee with or without her.

"Nykesha Sales" type players don't sit on the bench! Six or more Nykesha Sales player on the Cardinal?

 

[msf22b]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

You may not like it, but there are grad/transfer students playing for different teams all over the place.

 

[msf22b]

Notre Dame has done well with players who have a motor. Bernadette Peters Kayla McBride..... etc.... Big names who have come in haven't done spectacularly.... Turner for example.... that could though be a bit harsh....

I just do not see Thompson making a great bit of difference

Really?
Don't agree.
Exactly what ND needs
Speed and athleticism, no fear; a top tier point.
Played a huge role in our last loss (if anyone can remember that far back)
Still: Won't get them a National Championship...but a strong runner up perhaps.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

That is not how scholarship work, when a player decides to sit they will get a bill for tuition for the next semester. In the case of Lili Thompson & Taya Reimer both schools decided to continue the scholarships and allow the players to graduate. The Graduate transfer rule has been in place for a very long time with little impact for WCBB. Once the player accumulates enough credits to earn a diploma (graduate) regardless of who paid for the classes (scholarship or mom & dad) the school can no longer restrict the player from transferring and playing somewhere else.

 

[bballnut90]

Notre Dame has done well with players who have a motor. Bernadette Peters Kayla McBride..... etc.... Big names who have come in haven't done spectacularly.... Turner for example.... that could though be a bit harsh....

I just do not see Thompson making a great bit of difference

This is quite innacurate. The only big name (aka top 5 players) who have come to Notre Dame that I can think of are Diggins, Loyd, Reimer, and Turner. Diggins/Loyd more than exceeded their expectations as players, and Turner was an All Americans by her sophomore season. She hasn't come close to fully tapping her potential, but she also wasn't healthy last year and has a season and a half to go. Reimer quit the team twice and I don't think would have developed into a top 5 player at any program, so I wouldn't count her as a strike against Muffett.

 

[bballnut90]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

Many players don't jive well with the coaching staff and would like the opportunity to play at a different program under a different coach without having to sit out a full year. I don't see anything wrong with that. More significantly, maybe players want to go to a specific school to enroll in a graduate program not offered by their undergraduate university. Each situation is different.

 

[UcMiami]

Many players don't jive well with the coaching staff and would like the opportunity to play at a different program under a different coach without having to sit out a full year. I don't see anything wrong with that. More significantly, maybe players want to go to a specific school to enroll in a graduate program not offered by their undergraduate university. Each situation is different.

And a lot of graduate schools recommend and students prefer going to a different university for a graduate degree - departments are not that large and by graduation students are pretty familiar with and to the faculty of their major subject. It can be a more rounding experience to be challenged by the change of venue.

 

[HuskyNan]

I'm uncomfortable with this. I realize Lili may be sitting out this year due to injury and/or concussion issues, and I agree that students should be allowed to "red shirt" and still get four years to play if they want to, even if they have already earned their degree. (e.g. Morgan Tuck could have played another year at UConn). But I don't like the idea of "transferring" after graduating, to play somewhere else for that last year. I worry that allowing this to happen encourages players who are really good, and who find their team isn't as good as they had hoped, to sit our their senior year and then become "free agents" looking for a strong team to join and maybe win a title. I don't think this is the case with Lili, but I don't like the precedent it sets. Maybe the rule should be that if you sit our your senior season, you can only play for the school you were attending.

The UConn men have had a couple very good graduate students that made a big difference on the team - one from Cornell and one from Seton Hall. If I were talented enough to play at a school like UConn, diploma already in hand, I'd go for it. Coaches can come and go as they please, without regards to what's best for teams, why should students be stuck in a situation the don't want if a better prospect presents itself?

Graduate transfers boosting UConn men's basketball team