Waiting on Kayleigh Heckel

[Bone Dog]

I don't know and most of us don't either the reasons Heckel entered the portal. It could be she wanted to start, it could be because Juju will miss next season, it could be that as a PG she doesn't want to play with such a ball dominant player as Juju, it could be the coach, wanting to be closer to home or several other things.

I don't know but certainly some of USC's departures are curious. Very little has come out as to why several of them left, or what they were looking for instead. We just have to wait and see.

I’m as puzzled as by when the coaches are blindsided by these departures, as both Lindsay and Cori seem to have been.

 

[oldude]

I’m as puzzled as by when the coaches are blindsided by these departures, as both Lindsay and Cori seem to have been.

I find it hard to believe that the coaches were blindsided by the departures. Young kids don’t hide their emotions. Coaches spend 6+ months with their players. They would have to be completely oblivious not to pick up on potential problems.

 

[Boreifs]

I don't know and most of us don't either the reasons Heckel entered the portal. It could be she wanted to start, it could be because Juju will miss next season, it could be that as a PG she doesn't want to play with such a ball dominant player as Juju, it could be the coach, wanting to be closer to home or several other things.

I don't know but certainly some of USC's departures are curious. Very little has come out as to why several of them left, or what they were looking for instead. We just have to wait and see.

Add the rigors of a cross country schedule. I have no idea how any of the old PAC teams can withstand that constant travel.

 

[Huskie02]

I might be in the minority, but I don't believe Heckel is coming to UCONN. She wants to start and that will not happen at UCONN. It is my belief that she is going to ND and that is just fine with me because I much rather have Kate Harping from the 2026 class.

So would I, but there is no guarantee she’s coming to UConn.

 

[Bigboote]

Idk if UConn needs her or not. I’ll leave that up to Geno. But as far as her numbers, she may not have crazy numbers and maybe that why she’s transferring. She’s looking for a coach/staff to help her get where she wants.

Your last sentence is what makes me hopeful and concerned about Heckel at the same time. If true, it’s good that she wants to be coached hard, and no better place for that than UConn. But it’s possible that the coaching she’s gotten for a year is “Get the ball to Juju.” I saw U$C several times this past season and I wasn’t impressed with their discipline on offense.

 

[Bone Dog]

I find it hard to believe that the coaches were blindsided by the departures. Young kids don’t hide their emotions. Coaches spend 6+ months with their players. They would have to be completely oblivious not to pick up on potential problems.

Me, too. But right after their loss, Cori said in the presser that she was glad that all her players were returning. Two of her players were sitting next to her. Lindsay said something similar after their loss.

 

[oldude]

Me, too. But right after their loss, Cori said in the presser that she was glad that all her players were returning. Two of her players were sitting next to her. Lindsay said something similar after their loss.

Hard to imagine. But I guess people believe what they want to believe.

 

[StlRon]

The process by which a player enters the transfer portal, selects a new school and then transfers to that school has several moving parts:

• First, a player notifies their school's compliance officer of their intent to transfer. The school then has 2 business days to enter the player's name in the NCAA Transfer Portal database.
• The player can go into the portal under two different designations: one allowing any interested school to contact them and a second "Do Not Call" designation which means the player, or their representative will contact schools the player is interested in directly.
• After school contacts, visits, etc. the player chooses their transfer school and provides notice to the compliance officer of the school they are transferring to, who must then confirm that the player meets all NCAA academic eligibility requirements before the transfer becomes official.

Kayleigh Heckel and Serah Williams both visited UConn early this week. Soon after their visit, Serah posted her decision to transfer to UConn on social media. We didn't get the official word from UConn and Geno of Serah's decision until all the "i's were dotted and the t's were crossed" a few days later.

At the same time, it's been radio silent on Kayleigh's decision for any of the 4 schools she visited: Vanderbilt, ND, Michigan St and UConn. The notification delay likely involves the NCAA rules relating to "Progress towards a degree" benchmarks which set minimum credit requirements by semester to be eligible. Serah who is both a rising senior and a smart young lady has probably banked more than enough credits to be eligible next season as she finishes her 3rd year at Wisconsin.

As for Kayleigh, she has only completed 1 semester in her freshman year, along with whatever courses she was able to knock out last summer. She needs to complete 20% of her degree requirements by the end of her freshman year in order to meet NCAA eligibility requirements for next year. Spring semester finals at USC are this coming week. Kayleigh was an honor student at Long Island Lutheran, so I have no doubt that she will sail through her finals. But for all of us impatient fans at UConn, ND, Michigan St and Vandy, we're just going to have to wait a little bit longer to learn her final choice.

Good points about the Transfer Portal process, but your last bullet point is incorrect. The new institution that the player chooses is responsible for contacting the previous institution to verify the player meets all relevant NCAA requirements for athletic participation at the player's new institution. All the player needs to do is provide notification of transfer to their previous school and sign whatever forms their previous school requires.

Also, there are a few ways a transfer becomes official, however, this usually happens either when the player signs the new institution's scholarship offer/letter of admission, OR attends classes beginning from the first day of a regular institutional term (not summer).

The scholarship offer/letter of admission signing is important, because this lifts the publicity embargo and enables the new school to start publicizing anything and everything about the transfer player.

 

[Geew1992]

I find it hard to believe that the coaches were blindsided by the departures. Young kids don’t hide their emotions. Coaches spend 6+ months with their players. They would have to be completely oblivious not to pick up on potential problems.

Me too. It’s been said it was known some of the USC players were entering the portal before it was announced

 

[oldude]

While there are still a number of “lower ranked” transfers still looking for a home, pretty much every top player in the transfer portal has landed somewhere, with one notable exception - Kayleigh Heckel.

Coincidence?

 

[bellairehusky]

I find it hard to believe that the coaches were blindsided by the departures. Young kids don’t hide their emotions. Coaches spend 6+ months with their players. They would have to be completely oblivious not to pick up on potential problems.

As a manager of people over the past 30 years, the ones that come as a surprise departure are often times the ones that you know best. The ones you wish would leave won't unless you push them out.

 

[uconnbill]

I don't understand some not wanting her to come to UConn. The team can always use good, tough players, especially from a local state as she is from NY.

She is a tough competitor

 

[Boreifs]

While there are still a number of “lower ranked” transfers still looking for a home, pretty much every top player in the transfer portal has landed somewhere, with one notable exception - Kayleigh Heckel.

Coincidence?

I think Iyana Moore is still looking for a team.

 

[Skeets]

The first week of May is a recruiting shutdown. As per NCAA rules, “A recruiting shutdown is a period of time when no form of recruiting (e.g., contacts, evaluations, official or unofficial visits, correspondence or making or receiving telephone calls) is permissible.”

Among other things, there can be no contact of any kind between recruits and coaches. Coaches cannot have any correspondence with a recruit and cannot take a telephone call from a recruit.

I

That is a one-way street governing the school, not the kid. The NCAA has absolutely no authority over HS kids. If someone tried to prohibit my kid from visiting a school or corresponding with whoever she so chooses, I would be in a lawyer's office immediately.

 

[oldude]

I think Iyana Moore is still looking for a team.

Moore is a really good player. I believe she was a 4-star recruit out of HS, and whoever gets her will be fortunate to have her. Heckel was a 5-star recruit and McD AA. So maybe a little higher profile with a bigger upside. Time will tell.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

I find it hard to believe that the coaches were blindsided by the departures. Young kids don’t hide their emotions. Coaches spend 6+ months with their players. They would have to be completely oblivious not to pick up on potential problems.

Absolutely! In USC's case, it takes a special type player who is willing to give up glory and much, if any, personal stardom when playing along side a generational player like Juju Watkins. That plus a coach willing to allow Watkins to put the school back in the headlines. The fact that she went down with injury could mean a starting and starring role next year as Watkins recovers, but she will be back for the following two seasons. Plus USC has at least one very high recruit coming in next season as well. Heckel and Howell simply didn't do their homework before committing in the first place. And, when one player is unhappy they express their feelings to others and it begins to mushroom. I don't see UCLA being hurt much by the transfers. They will have the Betts sisters to build around and they should be fine.

 

[Sifaka]

Also, there are a few ways a transfer becomes official, however, this usually happens either when the player signs the new institution's scholarship offer/letter of admission, OR attends classes beginning from the first day of a regular institutional term (not summer).

It might make an NCAA bureaucratic head explode, but my college and perhaps others operate on a quarter, not semester, system. Summer terms are “regular”.

 

[oldude]

It might make an NCAA bureaucratic head explode, but my college and perhaps others operate on a quarter, not semester, system. Summer terms are “regular”.

My son played ball at a school that operated on a trimester basis…

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I find it hard to believe that the coaches were blindsided by the departures. Young kids don’t hide their emotions. Coaches spend 6+ months with their players. They would have to be completely oblivious not to pick up on potential problems.

That might describe UCLA's coach but not USC's.

 

[Ace565]

That is a one-way street governing the school, not the kid. The NCAA has absolutely no authority over HS kids. If someone tried to prohibit my kid from visiting a school or corresponding with whoever she so chooses, I would be in a lawyer's office immediately.

Before you play your lawyer card...read what was stated. Th NCAA sets recruit/coach rules during the recruiting shutdown the the coaches cannot make contact of any kind with a recruit during the recruiting shutdown. How is the NCAA governing your kid, or prohibiting her from a school visit, or dictate who she corresponds with. All I means is that she probably would be directed to the front office and be told that coaches are not available. This group Is pretty chill. And you are so far off base. Please think before you embarrass.

 

[Monte]

I don't understand some not wanting her to come to UConn. The team can always use good, tough players, especially from a local state as she is from NY.

She is a tough competitor

....and she was born in Connecticut

 

[CL82]

Do you know what she's doing? Is she visiting other schools? Doesn't she know that she's holding up a half dozen future starting five threads? Sure, it's an important decision andher life, but it's the summer and we need things to talk about!

 

[Jim R]

Do you know what she's doing? Is she visiting other schools? Doesn't she know that she's holding up a half dozen future starting five threads? Sure, it's an important decision andher life, but it's the summer and we need things to talk about!

 

[Hayven]

Do you know what she's doing? Is she visiting other schools? Doesn't she know that she's holding up a half dozen future starting five threads? Sure, it's an important decision andher life, but it's the summer and we need things to talk about!

I would imagine she comes to a decision soon. Since summer semester starts in a few weeks

 

[meyers7]

I might be in the minority, but I don't believe Heckel is coming to UCONN. She wants to start and that will not happen at UCONN. It is my belief that she is going to ND and that is just fine with me because I much rather have Kate Harping from the 2026 class.

If that's the actual choice? Absolutely.