Yeah I just noticed that which is why I edited my response and just stated Aaronette is being followed on Instagram by Nicki Collen.
Roster spots
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Last: 2 days ago by Bear3
Kyla and Madison are both post players.
But both of them have to lose 25-35 pounds to potentially [not guaranteed] be effective players.Wbbfan29 said:
Kyla and Madison are both post players.
They have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG Late Spring/Summer/Early Fall ahead if they dream of being rotation players.
Did Kyla put on weight during the season? She didn't appear to be overweight before.Adriacus Peratuun said:But both of them have to lose 25-35 pounds to potentially [not guaranteed] be effective players.Wbbfan29 said:
Kyla and Madison are both post players.
They have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG Late Spring/Summer/Early Fall ahead if they dream of being rotation players.
i seen her all season working with the Strength and Conditioning coach. I think she took a year off to further her development more than anything. I think it was going to be hard to find her minutes because we did not expect Madison to get hurt. For her to be able to redshirt she could not play anymore games after that.
Do you have any idea what the coaches expect of her next season? She is mobile for her size, I think she should be ablel to rebound, rimrun, defend and score down low and out to 10-15 feet.Brusinbear2001 said:
i seen her all season working with the Strength and Conditioning coach. I think she took a year off to further her development more than anything. I think it was going to be hard to find her minutes because we did not expect Madison to get hurt. For her to be able to redshirt she could not play anymore games after that.
with is aiming at a graduate level big i think it is to be second off of the bench. Which i could see for sure.
BU71 said:Did Kyla put on weight during the season? She didn't appear to be overweight before.Adriacus Peratuun said:But both of them have to lose 25-35 pounds to potentially [not guaranteed] be effective players.Wbbfan29 said:
Kyla and Madison are both post players.
They have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG Late Spring/Summer/Early Fall ahead if they dream of being rotation players.
I agree,
Kyla was not overweight and I doubt she is now. If anything, she needs to get stronger, which could add muscle bulk. She is built a bit like Queen… they have bodies similar to high jumpers.
and mind you Queen was a lot higher recruit and didn't start getting a good groove until her Junior year. Also won the 6th player of the year her sophomore year.
My hope is that Kyla will be good enough to be second off of the bench and continue to improve so she can step into starting position the following year.
i 100% agree
It's been pretty quiet this week. Feels like it's a week of campus visits and evaluation, before the dam breaks. Updating the list again. Note this isn't a list of the best overall players, it's a list of the players I think Baylor may be interested in pursuing, heavily weighted towards their talent, our needs (size), and their years remaining (Soph and Jr more valuable than Sr). It's only the opinion of a moron with a PC who has no inside knowledge:
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1) Kiki Iriafen - 6'3" Forward, Stanford, will be Sr next year (Do not contact?)
2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (Do not contact?)
3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year.
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year.
6) Saylor Poffenbarger - 6'2" G/F, UConn/Arkansas, will be Jr next year.
7) Grace VanSlooten - 6'3" Forward, Oregon, will be Jr next year. (committed to Michigan St)
8) Ajae Petty - 6'3" Post, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to Ohio St)
9) Alyssa Latham - 6'2" Forward, Syracuse, will be Soph.
10) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr.
11) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
12) Deyona Gaston - 6'2" Forward, Texas, will be Sr.
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
13) Nat Marshall - 6'5" Post, Notre Dame, will be Sr. (why was she a reserve with ND, is she physical enough to battle on the post with Lee, Crooks, Prince, and other elite Posts)
14) Temira Poindexter - 6'1" Forward, Tulsa, will be Sr. (can she compete at higher level of competition, can she share the ball without needing to be volume scorer)
15) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr. (can she compete at higher level of competition)
16) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr (is she quick enough to compete on the Wing at higher level of competition, is she strong enough to rebound and defend against bigger bodies)
17) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr. (is she mobile and skilled enough to fit into Collen's desired style of play)
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
18) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph (this is a Unicorn, based on talent and youth).
19) RIley Nelson - 6'1" Guard, Maryland, will be Soph (also Unicorn, talent and youth; rehabbing ACL).
20) Laila Phelia - 6'0" Guard, Michigan, will be Sr. (could play SF).
21) Chance Grey - 5'9" Guard, Oregon, will be Jr. (committed to Ohio St)
22) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr.
23) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
24) Maddie Scherr - 5'10" Guard, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to TCU).
25) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr.
26) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr. (physical, explosive but undersized interior game).
27) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.
28) Lucy Olsen - 5'9" Guard, Villanova, will be Sr. (committed to Iowa)
29) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr. (excellent defender and rebounder).
30) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M; not sure what to make of her).
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1) Kiki Iriafen - 6'3" Forward, Stanford, will be Sr next year (Do not contact?)
2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (Do not contact?)
3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year.
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year.
6) Saylor Poffenbarger - 6'2" G/F, UConn/Arkansas, will be Jr next year.
9) Alyssa Latham - 6'2" Forward, Syracuse, will be Soph.
10) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr.
11) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
12) Deyona Gaston - 6'2" Forward, Texas, will be Sr.
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
13) Nat Marshall - 6'5" Post, Notre Dame, will be Sr. (why was she a reserve with ND, is she physical enough to battle on the post with Lee, Crooks, Prince, and other elite Posts)
14) Temira Poindexter - 6'1" Forward, Tulsa, will be Sr. (can she compete at higher level of competition, can she share the ball without needing to be volume scorer)
15) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr. (can she compete at higher level of competition)
16) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr (is she quick enough to compete on the Wing at higher level of competition, is she strong enough to rebound and defend against bigger bodies)
17) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr. (is she mobile and skilled enough to fit into Collen's desired style of play)
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
18) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph (this is a Unicorn, based on talent and youth).
19) RIley Nelson - 6'1" Guard, Maryland, will be Soph (also Unicorn, talent and youth; rehabbing ACL).
20) Laila Phelia - 6'0" Guard, Michigan, will be Sr. (could play SF).
22) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr.
23) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
25) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr.
26) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr. (physical, explosive but undersized interior game).
27) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.
28) Lucy Olsen - 5'9" Guard, Villanova, will be Sr. (committed to Iowa)
29) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr. (excellent defender and rebounder).
30) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M; not sure what to make of her).
I do not see why we would take a guard with just one year to play when we have so much coming back. I could see taking a guard like Ruby with 2 or 3 more years of eligibility. We are losing many guards after next season.
I hope we get either Colorado post or Gaston. Both just have 1 year of eligibility but this is crucial position for us next season.
I hope we get either Colorado post or Gaston. Both just have 1 year of eligibility but this is crucial position for us next season.
I never felt Gaston was that productive vs us although I didn't see her alot outside our games. Besides her height, what did you really like about her game? Also, thought she was coming off injury and less productive afterwards. What do you really like about her?
Great question. Why might we be interested in Deyona Gaston? Aka, sell Dcheetah on why we'd add her to the roster? I'll take the challenge:
a. Because she's 6'2" with long arms, so is capable of playing slightly above her height.
b. Because she's a very good and fluid athlete with strength and mobility for her size.
c. Because what our eyes saw this season was a Gaston who was rehabbing and playing through two different ankle injuries, one in October and one in January, which robbed her of explosiveness. She will presumably be healthy next year.
d. Because in her healthy Jr year she averaged 12 points and 6 boards in 25 minutes, and made All Big 12 First team.
e. Because in her injured Sr year when she was competing for minutes in a crowded frontcourt with Jones, Moore, and Muhammad, she still managed 8 points and 4 boards in 18 minutes and earned All Big 12 6th Player of Year.
f. Because she shot 51% in her career, largely with an accurate midrange game from 10 to 18 feet.
g. Because she's a willing and physical interior player who will rebound and defend. She has 112 blocks in 106 career games, and comes from a UT program that values defense.
a. Because she's 6'2" with long arms, so is capable of playing slightly above her height.
b. Because she's a very good and fluid athlete with strength and mobility for her size.
c. Because what our eyes saw this season was a Gaston who was rehabbing and playing through two different ankle injuries, one in October and one in January, which robbed her of explosiveness. She will presumably be healthy next year.
d. Because in her healthy Jr year she averaged 12 points and 6 boards in 25 minutes, and made All Big 12 First team.
e. Because in her injured Sr year when she was competing for minutes in a crowded frontcourt with Jones, Moore, and Muhammad, she still managed 8 points and 4 boards in 18 minutes and earned All Big 12 6th Player of Year.
f. Because she shot 51% in her career, largely with an accurate midrange game from 10 to 18 feet.
g. Because she's a willing and physical interior player who will rebound and defend. She has 112 blocks in 106 career games, and comes from a UT program that values defense.
Great reply! Thank you! I'm sold. She is following all female coaches and multiple players on Instagram and it is being returned.
Two more observations on Gaston:
h. Because she was a rotation player on a team that advanced to the Elite Eight 3 out of her 4 years.
i. Because nearly all of the UT fans are sorry to see her go; just looked at their message board, and nearly unanimously they wish she had stayed.
h. Because she was a rotation player on a team that advanced to the Elite Eight 3 out of her 4 years.
i. Because nearly all of the UT fans are sorry to see her go; just looked at their message board, and nearly unanimously they wish she had stayed.
Updating the list again. Note this isn't a list of the best overall players, it's a list of the players I think Baylor may be interested in pursuing, heavily weighted towards their talent, our needs (size), and their years remaining (Soph and Jr more valuable than Sr). It's only the opinion of a moron with a PC who has no inside knowledge:
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1) Kiki Iriafen - 6'3" Forward, Stanford, will be Sr next year (committed to USC)
2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (Do not contact?)
3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year.
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)
6) Saylor Poffenbarger - 6'2" G/F, UConn/Arkansas, will be Jr next year. committed to Maryland)
7) Grace VanSlooten - 6'3" Forward, Oregon, will be Jr next year. (committed to Michigan St)
8) Ajae Petty - 6'3" Post, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to Ohio St)
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.
10) Amina Muhammad - 6'4" Forward, Texas, will be Jr.
11) Alyssa Latham - 6'2" Forward, Syracuse, will be Soph. (committed to Tennessee)
12) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr.
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
14) Deyona Gaston - 6'2" Forward, Texas, will be Sr. (committed to Auburn)
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
15) Nat Marshall - 6'5" Post, Notre Dame, will be Sr. (committed to UMiami)
16) Christeen Iwuala - 6'2" Post, UCLA, will be Jr (from San Antonio) (do not contact?)
17) Temira Poindexter - 6'1" Forward, Tulsa, will be Sr. (committed to Kansas State)
18) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr. (can she compete at higher level of competition)
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)
20) Karoline Striplin - 6'3" Post, Tennessee, will be Sr. (committed to Indiana).
21) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr (is she quick enough to compete on the Wing at higher level of competition, is she strong enough to rebound and defend against bigger bodies)
22) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr. (is she mobile and skilled enough to fit into Collen's desired style of play)
23) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
24) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph (this is a Unicorn, based on talent and youth).
25) RIley Nelson - 6'1" Guard, Maryland, will be Soph (also Unicorn, talent and youth) (committed to Duke).
26) Laila Phelia - 6'0" Guard, Michigan, will be Sr. (could play SF). (committed to Texas).
27) Chance Grey - 5'9" Guard, Oregon, will be Jr. (committed to Ohio St)
28) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.
29) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr.
30) Aaliyah Nye - 6'0" Wing, Alabama, will be Sr (withdrew her name from portal).
31) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
32) Maddie Scherr - 5'10" Guard, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to TCU).
33) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr.
34) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr. (physical, explosive but undersized interior game).
35) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.
36) Lucy Olsen - 5'9" Guard, Villanova, will be Sr. (committed to Iowa)
37) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr. (excellent defender and rebounder).
38) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1
2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (Do not contact?)
3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year.
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)
8
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.
10) Amina Muhammad - 6'4" Forward, Texas, will be Jr.
12) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr.
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
16) Christeen Iwuala - 6'2" Post, UCLA, will be Jr (from San Antonio) (do not contact?)
18) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr. (can she compete at higher level of competition)
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)
20
21) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr (is she quick enough to compete on the Wing at higher level of competition, is she strong enough to rebound and defend against bigger bodies)
22) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr. (is she mobile and skilled enough to fit into Collen's desired style of play)
23) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
24) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph (this is a Unicorn, based on talent and youth).
28) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.
29) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr.
31) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
33) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr.
34) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr. (physical, explosive but undersized interior game).
35) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.
37) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr. (excellent defender and rebounder).
38) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
After your convincing argument she committed today to Auburn.
College free agency! Three days away from the May 1st deadline for non-grad players to declare for the portal. About half of the premier talent has committed, and Kiki was a big domino to fall yesterday, but there's still quite a bit of talent available. Note this isn't a list of the best overall players, it's a list of the players I think Baylor may be interested in pursuing, heavily weighted towards their talent, our needs (size), and their years remaining (Soph and Jr more valuable than Sr). It's only the opinion of a moron with a PC who has no inside knowledge:
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1) Kiki Iriafen - 6'3" Forward, Stanford, will be Sr next year (committed to USC)
2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (committed to Oklahoma)
3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (committed to UCLA)
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)
6) Saylor Poffenbarger - 6'2" G/F, UConn/Arkansas, will be Jr next year. committed to Maryland)
7) Grace VanSlooten - 6'3" Forward, Oregon, will be Jr next year. (committed to Michigan St)
8) Ajae Petty - 6'3" Post, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to Ohio St)
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.
10) Amina Muhammad - 6'4" Forward, Texas, will be Jr. (committed to Oregon)
11) Alyssa Latham - 6'2" Forward, Syracuse, will be Soph. (committed to Tennessee)
12) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr. (committted to Notre Dame)
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
14) Deyona Gaston - 6'2" Forward, Texas, will be Sr. (committed to Auburn)
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
15) Nat Marshall - 6'5" Post, Notre Dame, will be Sr. (committed to UMiami)
16) Christeen Iwuala - 6'2" Post, UCLA, will be Jr (committed to Ole Miss)
17) Temira Poindexter - 6'1" Forward, Tulsa, will be Sr. (committed to Kansas State)
18) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr. (committed to Kentucky)
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)
20) Amari DeBerry - 6'6" Post, UConn, will be Sr. (committed to Maryland).
21) Karoline Striplin - 6'3" Post, Tennessee, will be Sr. (committed to Indiana).
22) Kyla Oldacre - 6'6" Post, Miami, will be Jr. (commited to Texas).
23) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr (committed to Kansas).
24) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr. (committed to Pitt).
25) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
26) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph (committed to TCU).
27) RIley Nelson - 6'1" Guard, Maryland, will be Soph (committed to Duke).
28) Laila Phelia - 6'0" Guard, Michigan, will be Sr. (committed to Texas).
29) Chance Grey - 5'9" Guard, Oregon, will be Jr. (committed to Ohio St)
30) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr. (committed to USC)
31) Aaliyah Nye - 6'0" Wing, Alabama, will be Sr (withdrew her name from portal).
32) Dominika Paurova - 6'1" Wing, Oregon State, will be Soph.
33) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
34) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.
35) Maddie Scherr - 5'10" Guard, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to TCU).
36) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr. (committed to UConn).
37) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr. (committed to Notre Dame).
38) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.
39) Lucy Olsen - 5'9" Guard, Villanova, will be Sr. (committed to Iowa)
40) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr. (committed to Vanderbilt).
41) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
42) Waiata Jennings - 5'9" Guard, Collin County CC, will be Jr (committed to Baylor Bears!)
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)
8
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)
25) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
32) Dominika Paurova - 6'1" Wing, Oregon State, will be Soph.
33) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
34) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.
38) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.
41) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
42) Waiata Jennings - 5'9" Guard, Collin County CC, will be Jr (committed to Baylor Bears!)
We enter the recruiting dead week, with most of the top tier players having already grabbed thier musical chair, leaving only a handful remaining. Rumors on the street suggest that Dauda or Williams are highest on our Christmas list, and I would concur; excellent players who would fill our greatest need. Also suggestions that Whitehorn or Paurova may be possible. Wondering if our signing of Jennings eliminates the possibility of adding another guard.
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1) Kiki Iriafen - 6'3" Forward, Stanford, will be Sr next year (committed to USC)
2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (committed to Oklahoma)
3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year. (committed to UCLA)
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)
6) Saylor Poffenbarger - 6'2" G/F, UConn/Arkansas, will be Jr next year. committed to Maryland)
7) Grace VanSlooten - 6'3" Forward, Oregon, will be Jr next year. (committed to Michigan St)
8) Ajae Petty - 6'3" Post, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to Ohio St)
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.
10) Amina Muhammad - 6'4" Forward, Texas, will be Jr. (committed to Oregon)
11) Alyssa Latham - 6'2" Forward, Syracuse, will be Soph. (committed to Tennessee)
12) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr. (committted to Notre Dame)
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
14) Deyona Gaston - 6'2" Forward, Texas, will be Sr. (committed to Auburn)
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
15) Nat Marshall - 6'5" Post, Notre Dame, will be Sr. (committed to UMiami)
16) Christeen Iwuala - 6'2" Post, UCLA, will be Jr (committed to Ole Miss)
17) Temira Poindexter - 6'1" Forward, Tulsa, will be Sr. (committed to Kansas State)
18) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr. (committed to Kentucky)
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)
20) Amari DeBerry - 6'6" Post, UConn, will be Sr. (committed to Maryland).
21) Karoline Striplin - 6'3" Post, Tennessee, will be Sr. (committed to Indiana).
22) Kyla Oldacre - 6'6" Post, Miami, will be Jr. (commited to Texas).
23) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr (committed to Kansas).
24) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr. (committed to Pitt).
25) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
26) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph (committed to TCU).
27) RIley Nelson - 6'1" Guard, Maryland, will be Soph (committed to Duke).
28) Laila Phelia - 6'0" Guard, Michigan, will be Sr. (committed to Texas).
29) Chance Grey - 5'9" Guard, Oregon, will be Jr. (committed to Ohio St)
30) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr. (committed to USC)
31) Aaliyah Nye - 6'0" Wing, Alabama, will be Sr (withdrew her name from portal).
32) Dominika Paurova - 6'1" Wing, Oregon State, will be Soph.
33) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
34) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.
35) Maddie Scherr - 5'10" Guard, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to TCU).
36) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr. (committed to UConn).
37) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr. (committed to Notre Dame).
38) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr. (committed to Oregon).
39) Lucy Olsen - 5'9" Guard, Villanova, will be Sr. (committed to Iowa)
40) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr. (committed to Vanderbilt).
41) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
42) Waiata Jennings - 5'9" Guard, Collin County CC, will be Jr (committed to Baylor Bears!)
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)
8
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)
25) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:
32) Dominika Paurova - 6'1" Wing, Oregon State, will be Soph.
33) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
34) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.
41) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
42) Waiata Jennings - 5'9" Guard, Collin County CC, will be Jr (committed to Baylor Bears!)
Herron is WAY too high. Simply not very good.Polarbear said:
We enter the recruiting dead week, with most of the top tier players having already grabbed thier musical chair, leaving only a handful remaining. Rumors on the street suggest that Dauda or Williams are highest on our Christmas list, and I would concur; excellent players who would fill our greatest need. Also suggestions that Whitehorn or Paurova may be possible. Wondering if our signing of Jennings eliminates the possibility of adding another guard.
HOME RUN TIER (i.e. give us the Oregon State frontcourt) - THEY COULD MAKE US ELITE:
1) Kiki Iriafen - 6'3" Forward, Stanford, will be Sr next year(committed to USC)2) Raegan Beers - 6'4" Post, Oregon State, will be Jr next year.(committed to Oklahoma)3) Timea Gardiner - 6'3" Forward, Oregon State, will be Jr next year.(committed to UCLA)
VERY, VERY GOOD TIER - THEY WOULD MAKE US MUCH BETTER:
4) Janiah Barker - 6'4" Forward, Texas A&M, will be Jr next year (Do not contact?)
5) Aaronette Vonleh - 6'3" Post, Colorado, will be Sr next year. (committed to Baylor Bears!)6) Saylor Poffenbarger - 6'2" G/F, UConn/Arkansas, will be Jr next year. committed to Maryland)7) Grace VanSlooten - 6'3" Forward, Oregon, will be Jr next year.(committed to Michigan St)
8) Ajae Petty - 6'3" Post, Kentucky, will be Sr.(committed to Ohio St)
9) Maryam Dauda - 6'4" Forward, Arkansas, will be Jr.10) Amina Muhammad - 6'4" Forward, Texas, will be Jr.(committed to Oregon)11) Alyssa Latham - 6'2" Forward, Syracuse, will be Soph.(committed to Tennessee)12) Liza Karlen - 6'2" Forward, Marquette, will be Sr.(committted to Notre Dame)
13) Cameron Williams - 6'2" Forward, Michigan, will be Sr.14) Deyona Gaston - 6'2" Forward, Texas, will be Sr.(committed to Auburn)
INTERESTING, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD, BUT THERE ARE QUESTION MARKS TIER:15) Nat Marshall - 6'5" Post, Notre Dame, will be Sr.(committed to UMiami)16) Christeen Iwuala - 6'2" Post, UCLA, will be Jr(committed to Ole Miss)17) Temira Poindexter - 6'1" Forward, Tulsa, will be Sr.(committed to Kansas State)18) Jordan Obi - 6'1" Wing, Penn, will be Sr.(committed to Kentucky)
19) Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6'2" Forward, Purdue, will be Soph (Big 10 Frosh of Year). (very sound, high iq game, reminds of Bickle, but does she have length for interior, or shot/quickness for perimeter at elite level?)20) Amari DeBerry - 6'6" Post, UConn, will be Sr.(committed to Maryland).21) Karoline Striplin - 6'3" Post, Tennessee, will be Sr.(committed to Indiana).22) Kyla Oldacre - 6'6" Post, Miami, will be Jr.(commited to Texas).23) Elle Evans - 6'3" Forward, North Dakota St, will be Jr(committed to Kansas).24) Khadiya Faye - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Sr.(committed to Pitt).
25) Tionna Herron - 6'4" Post, Texas, will be Soph (from DeSoto, had heart surgery in Jan 2023; is she fully healthy and in shape? Couldn't find minutes in crowded UT frontcourt this year).
GUARDS AND SMALLER WINGS - GREAT PLAYERS, BUT NOT OUR BIGGEST NEED:26) Donovyn Hunter - 6'0" Guard, Oregon State, will be Soph(committed to TCU).27) RIley Nelson - 6'1" Guard, Maryland, will be Soph(committed to Duke).28) Laila Phelia - 6'0" Guard, Michigan, will be Sr.(committed to Texas).29) Chance Grey - 5'9" Guard, Oregon, will be Jr.(committed to Ohio St)30) Talia von Oelhoffen - 5'11" Guard, Oregon State, will be Sr.(committed to USC)31) Aaliyah Nye - 6'0" Wing, Alabama, will be Sr(withdrew her name from portal).
32) Dominika Paurova - 6'1" Wing, Oregon State, will be Soph.
33) Ruby Whitehorn - 5'11" Guard, Clemson, will be Jr.
34) Gisella Maul - 5'11" Guard, Texas, will be Soph.35) Maddie Scherr - 5'10" Guard, Kentucky, will be Sr. (committed to TCU).36) Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Guard, Princeton, will be Sr. (committed to UConn).37) Liatu King - 6'0" Forward, Pitt, will be Sr.(committed to Notre Dame).
38) Deja Kelly - 5'8" Guard, North Carolina, will be Sr.39) Lucy Olsen - 5'9" Guard, Villanova, will be Sr.(committed to Iowa)40) Leilani Kapinus - 5'10" Guard, Penn State, will be Sr.(committed to Vanderbilt).
41) Kylie Marshall - 5'11" Guard, Texas A&M, will be Soph (from Mansfield, was ranked #35 player out of 2023 class and was heavily recruited, but was buried on bench at A&M).
42) Waiata Jennings - 5'9" Guard, Collin County CC, will be Jr (committed to Baylor Bears!)
Paurova is too low. Decent athlete, solid shooter, very good system fit.
AP, to clarify.
I put all the guards/wings and smaller sized players into a different category at the bottom of the list, since we have 6 guards on the roster already and it's not our biggest need. Not saying Herron is a better player than Paurova.
Herron is the last ranked player on my list of players with the size to fill our post needs, but there are questions about her talent/fit.
Paurova is 6th ranked on my list of perimeter players, ahead even of Whitehorn, Scherr, Chen, and Kelly.
But hey, my list is just an opinion and I'm no expert.
I put all the guards/wings and smaller sized players into a different category at the bottom of the list, since we have 6 guards on the roster already and it's not our biggest need. Not saying Herron is a better player than Paurova.
Herron is the last ranked player on my list of players with the size to fill our post needs, but there are questions about her talent/fit.
Paurova is 6th ranked on my list of perimeter players, ahead even of Whitehorn, Scherr, Chen, and Kelly.
But hey, my list is just an opinion and I'm no expert.
Based on who is on the roster now, does anyone predict a vastly improved team from last year? It looks like we are still small at the post and didn't bring in any impact scoring threats, unless perhaps it is one of the freshman. It's year four and I'm still not sure what kind of identity or playing style Nikki is trying to create with her roster. Help me understand how this roster will get us to the Elite Eight?
Vonleh in the post is a big improvement over last seasonBU82EX said:
Help me understand how this roster will get us to the Elite Eight?
Vonleh is huge for our post. We haven't had someone that can simply just dominate game in and game out in the post since Lyss and Queen.
Jennings can create and score, she is a great replacement for Denae and Cat. They both had issues doing things with the ball in their hands i do not see that being an issue with her. She plays scrappy defense so when Bella and Jada come out our defense would not drop.
I think if we can snag one of the two bigs we seem to be after and maybe one more guard we are set. We return a great guard group and core of players to compete next season. This will be the first year that has happened in a while where we can build off of a previous season.
Jennings can create and score, she is a great replacement for Denae and Cat. They both had issues doing things with the ball in their hands i do not see that being an issue with her. She plays scrappy defense so when Bella and Jada come out our defense would not drop.
I think if we can snag one of the two bigs we seem to be after and maybe one more guard we are set. We return a great guard group and core of players to compete next season. This will be the first year that has happened in a while where we can build off of a previous season.
1) Roster improvement - Vonleh will improve our interior defense and rebounding; Edwards and Blackwell competed well last year, but were undersized and out of position. There's still hope we'll add one more talented big (Williams or Dauda?). It's uncertain what we'll get from Abraham, Goryanova, or Nelms, but it's possible that one or more could add productive minutes.
2) Roster continuity - within Coach NC system, we have 3 players returning for 2nd year (Felder, Walker, Bartley), 4 players returning for 3rd year (Van Gytenbeek, Fontleroy, Buggs, Abraham) and 1 player returning for 4th year (Andrews). That continuity is critical to learn and operate efficiently within a coach's system, and after the roster turnover in coaching transition, Coach NC has not yet enjoyed the benefit of so much veteran system knowledge.
3) Roster experience - it's likely that our core rotation next year will include 5 Seniors/Grads (Walker, Andrews, Vonleh, Van Gytenbeek, Felder) and 2 Juniors (Fontleroy, Buggs), with the possibility of adding another veteran via portal. That's a lot of maturity and experience.
4) It's my belief that coaches continue to grow and mature, as do players. Coach NC has always had great knowledge of the game, and has spent a lifetime around college and pro programs. However, this will be only her 4th year as the HC of a college program, and she's getting better every year at the little details and nuances of dealing with 18 - 22 year olds; how to teach them, how to manage and motivate them, how to manage through the grind of a season, etc.
5) NCAA competition: We should be a Top 10 team going into next year. Early projection:
2) Roster continuity - within Coach NC system, we have 3 players returning for 2nd year (Felder, Walker, Bartley), 4 players returning for 3rd year (Van Gytenbeek, Fontleroy, Buggs, Abraham) and 1 player returning for 4th year (Andrews). That continuity is critical to learn and operate efficiently within a coach's system, and after the roster turnover in coaching transition, Coach NC has not yet enjoyed the benefit of so much veteran system knowledge.
3) Roster experience - it's likely that our core rotation next year will include 5 Seniors/Grads (Walker, Andrews, Vonleh, Van Gytenbeek, Felder) and 2 Juniors (Fontleroy, Buggs), with the possibility of adding another veteran via portal. That's a lot of maturity and experience.
4) It's my belief that coaches continue to grow and mature, as do players. Coach NC has always had great knowledge of the game, and has spent a lifetime around college and pro programs. However, this will be only her 4th year as the HC of a college program, and she's getting better every year at the little details and nuances of dealing with 18 - 22 year olds; how to teach them, how to manage and motivate them, how to manage through the grind of a season, etc.
5) NCAA competition: We should be a Top 10 team going into next year. Early projection:
- Top tier teams - South Carolina, UConn, USC, UCLA, Notre Dame, Texas.
- Next tier teams - LSU, NC State, Baylor, Oklahoma, Iowa State.
- Don't forget - Kansas State, Ohio State, Duke.
Yes! If we can get Williams or Dauda and Sarah can avoid injury and stay healthy all year, this is an Elite 8 team. We will have the talent, experience and depth to do it. Not to mention a coach and team with a big chip on their shoulders and determined to prove " nothing is withering in Waco " !!!!
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