I think without a doubt the landscape is changing. It’s already happened IMO. TCU is a great example. Clearly they have put resources into the WBB program. This isn’t simply a case of having a couple of good players in a recruiting class and that core having a moment. While it’s been only 2 years now, these are completely different rosters and cores. They went out and landed Hailey Van Lith last year and I’d guess that wasn’t cheap. This year went got Suarez who I know for a fact NC State wanted and I’m sure other programs did as well. And then got Olivia Miles from Notre Dame. Miles and Hailey Van Lith specifically were very known commodities who i can’t imagine came cheap. TCU has a great coach and also have invested in NIL for WBB and as long as that stays, they will stay in the national landscape.
The ACC is struggling this year in large part because they lost top end coaching and players over the last 2 years. And I don’t mean to graduation and retirement. VT was a national player under Kenny Brooks, he leaves for Kentucky and a pay raise and took his best player with him. It’s no coincidence that Kentucky is back on the map and VT has fallen off. FSU and ND in theory had 2 of the top 5 returning players in the nation this year in Latson and Miles. Instead of being in the ACC they are now in other conferences. Saurez, Koval, Kara Dunn, Tyana Todd, Lattimore, Tonie Morgan, Nya Robertson, Danielle Carnegie and Okananwa are other examples of top talent leaving the conference.
It’s normal in today’s world to lose players, but the thing is the conference didn’t replace with the same type talent. Pierre coming to State is about the lone example of incoming upgrades. Skylar Jones, Ra Shaya Kyle, Iyana Moore, Laila Phelia and Sa’Myah Smith are the only other ones even in the conversation.
FSU, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are all examples of players and coaches leaving that have severely hampered their immediate futures. Notre Dame too.
It does appear Clemson is on the rise, Miami and UVa also seem to have put money into their programs. The ACC has a brighter future ahead with some nice recruiting classes coming in next year, the question will be can they keep that talent when it blossoms? Will programs put the necessary money up to retain those star recruits when they are rising juniors and seniors and TCU, LSU, SC, USC and the like come calling with big checks? I hope so. ACC WBB has been extremely fun over the years and highly competitive nationally. I hope it doesn’t turn into a feeder conference for other programs.
