UCLA's blockbuster class - changing of guard?

[Vowelguy]

Things just got a LOT more interesting out west. Stanford's stranglehold on the PAC title is in serious danger. Meanwhile, Ohio St is gearing up to take over the Big 10 ... though newcomer Maryland will also try to make that conference finally relevant again. Exciting times!

 

[Wbbfan1]

Have to think by 2015/16 season that UCLA will be the Top program in the PAC 12 if the 2014 class is as good as advertised.

According to UCLA's roster they only have one Senior this year with a roster of size of 13 players. How can they sign 5 players for next year? Don't know if any of the current players are walk-ons?

Roster - Link

 

[sarals24]

I am not a huge fan of giant classes (5 plus). I would be very happy if we got Wilson and ended with 4 in our class. That would definitely put us at #1, wouldn't it?

 

[Vowelguy]

Have to think by 2015/16 season that UCLA will be the Top program in the PAC 12 if the 2014 class is as good as advertised.

According to UCLA's roster they only have one Senior this year with a roster of size of 13 players. How can they sign 5 players for next year? Don't know if any of the current players are walk-ons?

Roster - Link

I think you missed the 6th yr senior Nyfinga.
They also have 3 RS Jrs -- one is a foreigner and one was out last year with a head injury. Maybe they know that 1 or both won't be back.

 

[Phil]

Have to think by 2015/16 season that UCLA will be the Top program in the PAC 12 if the 2014 class is as good as advertised.

According to UCLA's roster they only have one Senior this year with a roster of size of 13 players. How can they sign 5 players for next year? Don't know if any of the current players are walk-ons?

Roster - Link

I see two seniors

• Thea Lemberger
• Atonye Nyingifa

Madeline Brooks is a walk-on, so the numbers work.

2013–14 Roster


Click on year to sort by class.

 

[Vowelguy]

I am not a huge fan of giant classes (5 plus). I would be very happy if we got Wilson and ended with 4 in our class. That would definitely put us at #1, wouldn't it?

Using my formula it wouldn't. (UConn would squeak ahead only if it got Wilson _and_ Rooks.)
But that's just one way of looking at it.

 

[EricLA]

Have to think by 2015/16 season that UCLA will be the Top program in the PAC 12 if the 2014 class is as good as advertised.

Totally agree. This is one reason I think we have a great shot at Katie Lou Samuelson. She wants to win a NC. Not going to happen at Stanford. In fact, once Chiney graduates, I don't see Stanford sniffing the final 4, never mind challenging for a NC.

In fact, going back to 2011, they haven't landed a single top 10 kid. They are landing some top 20 kids but...

2011 - Orrange #15
2012 - Beebe #13
2013 - McCall #11, Johnson #20

I'm not sure who they are expected to get, or who they are really going after in 2014, but there aren't that many top 20 kids left, and I don't think they have a shot at any in the top 10. Tara's a great coach and will get the most out of her kids, but the reality is that teams like Duke, Notre Dame, Maryland, UCONN, and now UCLA are recruiting better than them.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Verbal Review - Link

 

[ochoopsfan]

M. Brooks was a walk on last year but was given a scholarship for this year. I dont know if it will carryover to her senior year.

Seniors this year are Lemberger and Atonye Nyingifa.

 

[EricLA]

I am not a huge fan of giant classes (5 plus). I would be very happy if we got Wilson and ended with 4 in our class. That would definitely put us at #1, wouldn't it?

I don't think it would. If we added Wilson AND Rooks, it would be close. We might get the nod because of Wilson's #1 rating and I think Rooks is mostly in the top 25. Our highest and lowest recruit in that class would be stronger than UCLA's. Still, they have 4 top 10 kids. I would still give the nod to UCLA...

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm not sure who they are expected to get, or who they are really going after in 2014, but there aren't that many top 20 kids left

The only place I've seen their name is for Rooks.

 

[Wbbfan1]

I did miss one of the Seniors. No doubt UCLA will get to the required number of 15 scholarships like UNC did. I just don't like when schools over recruit at the expense of current players. If a school grants a walk-on a scholarship, I personally would like to see them honor them for the rest of the time the player is at the school.

 

[Vowelguy]

I did miss one of the Seniors. No doubt UCLA will get to the required number of 15 scholarships like UNC did. I just don't like when schools over recruit at the expense of current players. If a school grants a walk-on a scholarship, I personally would like to see them honor them for the rest of the time the player is at the school.

If they had to do that, then they might not give the player a scholarship at all.
For all we know, they told her: "We have room to give you a scholarship this year, but maybe not next."
Would it have been better to say: "We're glad to have you as a walk-on, but we can't ever give you a scholarship."

Which outcome is better for the kid?

 

[ochoopsfan]

Totally agree. This is one reason I think we have a great shot at Katie Lou Samuelson. She wants to win a NC. Not going to happen at Stanford. In fact, once Chiney graduates, I don't see Stanford sniffing the final 4, never mind challenging for a NC.

In fact, going back to 2011, they haven't landed a single top 10 kid. They are landing some top 20 kids but...

2011 - Orrange #15
2012 - Beebe #13
2013 - McCall #11, Johnson #20

I'm not sure who they are expected to get, or who they are really going after in 2014, but there aren't that many top 20 kids left, and I don't think they have a shot at any in the top 10. Tara's a great coach and will get the most out of her kids, but the reality is that teams like Duke, Notre Dame, Maryland, UCONN, and now UCLA are recruiting better than them.

Eric said
1)This is one reason I think we have a great shot at Katie Lou Samuelson - Correct
2)She wants to win a NC. - Correct
3)In fact, once Chiney graduates, I don't see Stanford sniffing the final 4, never mind challenging for a NC. - Correct

I mentioned in a previous post, a month or two ago, that I "wouldn't be shocked" if Stanford finished 4th or even 5th in the Pac 12 this season. I dont think they will finish 4th but I wouldnt be shocked. I thought last season was the first year where Stanford was starting the downside of their cycle, not making it to the final 4, and barely able to beat a UCLA walking wounded, but experienced squad, in the Pac 12 Championship game.
I hope that Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Colo are strong out west to make the Pac 12 a strong league. Just the old name that was on top might not be there again.

 

[UcMiami]

On the scholie issue with walk ons - I think it is a standard position for the coach to say ... listen, you have made a serious commitment to the team and we really appreciate that. To show our appreciation in a tangible way, I happen to have an extra scholie this year which I want to offer you, but you need to understand, if for any reason I do not have one available in any of the following years, I will not be able to renew it. Most kids (and their parents) are ecstatic to accept that offer and those conditions. And this was the offer that was made to Fernandez by Geno - in her case, he had a scholie available the following years, but I certainly would not have blamed him if he hadn't.
Not sure I am ready to count Stanford out - other schools in the Pac10 have recruited well, but we have seen this before where a team rises to challenge for a few years only to fall back into mediocrity. Cal particularly has been up and down and seems to be on an upswing again. The question in my mind, more than recruiting, is can these other schools maintain continuity in coaching and consistency of support required to build a really solid program.
(I agree that both a strong Pac10 and Big10 would be a good development)

 

[Phil]

I did miss one of the Seniors. No doubt UCLA will get to the required number of 15 scholarships like UNC did. I just don't like when schools over recruit at the expense of current players. If a school grants a walk-on a scholarship, I personally would like to see them honor them for the rest of the time the player is at the school.

I feel like I've missed something. I count 13 on the roster, one of whom is a walk-on. Two seniors, so ten returning scholarship players and a signing class of 5.


What issues are there?

 

[DavidinNaples]

Things just got a LOT more interesting out west. Stanford's stranglehold on the PAC title is in serious danger. Meanwhile, Ohio St is gearing up to take over the Big 10 ... though newcomer Maryland will also try to make that conference finally relevant again. Exciting times!


View attachment 3626

IMO it is time to promote vowel's status from "AEIUO" to "recruiting geek." His recruiting charts are the best...everything there at a glance. Phil has "Stats Geek" status w/ good reason. I vote that honor be bestowed on vowel....

 

[Phil]

Yeah, I've been very impressed with the recruiting coverage by VG.

 

[Wbbfan1]

When I made my original post, I missed one of the Seniors and wasn't aware of the walk-on. 13-1 =12 +5 =17 was my original calculation. As it turns out, it should have been 13-2(sr) -1(walk-on) =10 +5 =15.

I feel like I've missed something. I count 13 on the roster, one of whom is a walk-on. Two seniors, so ten returning scholarship players and a signing class of 5.


What issues are there?

 

[Phil]

OK, I thought your comment about getting to the number a la UNC came after, but maybe I misread. No biggie.

 

[Vowelguy]

IMO it is time to promote vowel's status from "AEIUO" to "recruiting geek." His recruiting charts are the best...everything there at a glance. Phil has "Stats Geek" status w/ good reason. I vote that honor be bestowed on vowel....

Don't forget about the color coding!! I'm very proud of that.

 

[Vowelguy]

IMO it is time to promote vowel's status from "AEIUO" to "recruiting geek." His recruiting charts are the best...everything there at a glance. Phil has "Stats Geek" status w/ good reason. I vote that honor be bestowed on vowel....

Well thank you. But the recruiting moniker would be wrong. ASGR, ProspectsNation, BlueStar, and FullCourt are the recruiting gurus. I'm just a numbers cruncher (and I do love crunching numbers).

 

[Kevin G]

I am not a huge fan of giant classes (5 plus). I would be very happy if we got Wilson and ended with 4 in our class. That would definitely put us at #1, wouldn't it?

I would agree with the size of the class. I think 5 would be my limit but then again I am not a Div 1 head coach. I think if we land Wilson that still does not give us the top class.
per Hoopgurlz ranking
UCLA - #2, #5, #6, #15, and Kelli Hayes Position Rank #19
UCONN-(#1), #7, #8, #39

 

[CBus13]

Don't forget about the color coding!! I'm very proud of that.

I think you should see if UofL would be interested in switching to those colors you've chosen haha

 

[Phil]

Don't forget about the color coding!! I'm very proud of that.

Some of use have mixed feelings about color coding