Transfer of the Year

[Vowelguy]

I know there is no such award but if there were — for someone’s FIRST year at their new school — here are some nominees:

Van Lith (LSU -> TCU)
Cooper (SC -> Tenn)
Amoore (VT -> Ky)
Iriafen (Stan -> USC)
Beers (OreSt -> Okla)

Looking at Cremes rankings, had forgotten about LegerWalker who is out for the season as of early Dec — big loss for UCLA .

Women's transfer rankings: There's a new No. 1 (and No. 2)

More than 1,300 women's college basketball players entered the transfer portal. Who are the top players looking for a new school next season?

www.espn.com

 

[nwhoopfan]

Might throw Clara Strack on this list too. Kentucky already has one on OPs list, but she's been really big for them as well.

 

[BRS24]

Way way way back last April (seriously), The Athletic ranked transfers. Here's the list with last year's stats:

1. Raegan Beers, Oregon State sophomore forward, 17.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 66 FG%
2. Taliah Scott, Arkansas freshman guard, 22.1 PPG, 3.3 rebounds per game RPG, 41 FG %
3. Kaitlyn Chen, Princeton senior guard, 15.8 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.5 RPG, 49 FG%
4. Talia von Oelhoffen, Oregon State junior guard, 10.7 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.1 RPG, 39 FG%
5. Saylor Poffenbarger, Arkansas redshirt sophomore guard, 10.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG (9.4 defensive RPG), 36 FG%
6. Timea Gardiner, Oregon State sophomore forward, 11.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 45 FG%, 40 3 PT FG%
7 . Janiah Barker, Texas A&M sophomore forward, 12.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 48 FG%
8. Lucy Olsen, Villanova junior guard, 23.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.8 APG
9. Hailey Van Lith, LSU senior guard, 11.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 38 FG%
10. Jordan Obi, Penn junior guard, 14.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 39 3PT%
11. Ajae Petty, Kentucky senior forward, 14.2 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 51 FG%
12. Deja Kelly, North Carolina senior guard, 16.3 PPG, 3.2 APG, 3.9 RPG, 35 FG%
13. Alyssa Latham, Syracuse freshman forward, 8.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 46 FG%
14. Laila Phelia, Michigan junior guard, 16.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.2 SPG
15. Shay Ciezki, Penn State sophomore guard, 11.5 PPG, 2.4 APG, 42 FG%
16. Maddie Scherr, Kentucky senior guard, 12.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 34 FG%

This being said, let's await the end of the season in April, and then have a robust discussion of projections vs reality.

 

[nwhoopfan]

A lot of worthy players, but I think I'm leaning Van Lith. Shows up at TCU and easily the best season in school history ensues. I don't think any of the other transfers can claim that.

 

[BRS24]

And yes, I may just update the stats for all of these players after (waving hands wildly) all of this is done.

 

[bballnut90]

I’d vote for Amoore or Van Lith. Both have completely transformed their new programs.

 

[faninwisc]

I have to go with Van Lith at TCU. Last year, she was the laughingstock of the NCAA. She got benched over and over again at LSU and could have very easily lost confidence and given up on ever being successful. She was named Big 12 player of the year and has helped lead TCU to their best season EVER and I think they have a legit shot of at least making the elite 8, if not being a dark horse for a final four run.

 

[The deacon]

I’d vote for Amoore or Van Lith. Both have completely transformed their new programs.

Lucy Olsen took on perhaps the greatest challenge, replacing Caitlin Clark at Iowa, and has done a darned good job. She's first-team all-Big Ten and led the Hawkeyes to a 22-10 record, including an upset of USC and nearly an upset of UCLA, and two wins in the Big Ten tournament, losing in the quarterfinals by a single point to Ohio State.

So respected is Lucy within the Big Ten realm that she was one of five players named to the all-tournament team, even though the Hawkeyes bowed out before the semifinals. We don't see that very often!

Iowa is not at the elite level of teams but can play with those elite teams, and it's largely attributable to Lucy's leadership and diversity of skills. With the Hawkeyes projected to be a six seed, I'll bet those 3 seeds wouldn't look forward to facing Lucy and Co. in a second-round game.

I wouldn't put her at the top of the transfer list, but I'd have Lucy on my top five transfers team.

 

[bballnut90]

Lucy Olsen took on perhaps the greatest challenge, replacing Caitlin Clark at Iowa, and has done a darned good job. She's first-team all-Big Ten and led the Hawkeyes to a 22-10 record, including an upset of USC and nearly an upset of UCLA, and two wins in the Big Ten tournament, losing in the quarterfinals by a single point to Ohio State.

So respected is Lucy within the Big Ten realm that she was one of five players named to the all-tournament team, even though the Hawkeyes bowed out before the semifinals. We don't see that very often!

Iowa is not at the elite level of teams but can play with those elite teams, and it's largely attributable to Lucy's leadership and diversity of skills. With the Hawkeyes projected to be a six seed, I'll bet those 3 seeds wouldn't look forward to facing Lucy and Co. in a second-round game.

I wouldn't put her at the top of the transfer list, but I'd have Lucy on my top five transfers team.

Love Lucy Olsen and agree with her being top 5. I think she's been absolutely brilliant since Iowa's 5 game losing streak and is playing like an All American right now.

 

[packwrap]

I have to go with Van Lith at TCU. Last year, she was the laughingstock of the NCAA. She got benched over and over again at LSU and could have very easily lost confidence and given up on ever being successful.

Van Lith benched at LSU? She started 33 games and averaged 31min per game at LSU! Sure there were plenty of challenges at LSU, but they didn't involved being benched.

Confidence and success? She made elite 8 vs Iowa with LSU, and the went to Olympics on 3x3 team.

TCU certainly worked better. It was a coach she knew well, who built the offense around her and gave her the keys. Very similar to Amoore and Olsen, and even how Hailey Van Lith was used at Louisville.

 

[Blueballer]

I'm going with Iriafen (Stan -> USC). As good as Watkins is, her addition has been enormous. Despite today's loss I'm predicting they will get further in the Tourney than any of the other original 5 teams in the first post.

 

[faninwisc]

Van Lith benched at LSU? She started 33 games and averaged 31min per game at LSU! Sure there were plenty of challenges at LSU, but they didn't involved being benched.

Confidence and success? She made elite 8 vs Iowa with LSU, and the went to Olympics on 3x3 team.

TCU certainly worked better. It was a coach she knew well, who built the offense around her and gave her the keys. Very similar to Amoore and Olsen, and even how Hailey Van Lith was used at Louisville.

There were multiple times throughout last season that she got benched IN GAME and Last-Tear Poa got put in, in her place. Her points per game and shooting percentage were also significantly lower than in the previous season at Louisville. I never said that she didn't have success before Louisville, I am well aware of her previous accomplishments. I said, she could have lost confidence and given up but didn't. Was it really necessary to reply to me with that level of condescension, as if I know nothing about women's college basketball?