NCAA womens basketball stars on the move with…
TAMPA, Fla. — Winning a national championship just isn’t the solely factor at the prime of thoughts for the Final Four coaches.
The final weekend of the NCAA Tournament is upon us, however faculty basketball’s offseason already is in full swing.
The switch portal opened March 25 and can stay open till April 23, that means that what basically is faculty basketball’s model of free company is dwell.
Some would possibly view having to set time apart to recruit gamers as a distraction to getting ready for the upcoming video games.
But others, together with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, welcome the balancing act of teaching and dealing with the switch portal.
Here are large storylines to know and comply with:
Olivia Miles and Notre Dame
Senior All-American guard Olivia Miles made the stunning resolution not solely to forgo the 2025 WNBA Draft for an additional 12 months of faculty ball, however she additionally entered the switch portal.
Miles, a projected WNBA lottery choose, is taken into account the prime participant in the portal after averaging 15.4 factors, 5.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds per sport this previous season.
Notre Dame All-American guard Olivia Miles has entered the switch portal. Getty Images
But she’s determined to move on from the Irish after Notre Dame skilled its fourth straight Sweet 16 exit.
Since Miles’ announcement, more Notre Dame gamers have determined to enter their names into the portal, together with sophomore Emma Risch and freshman Kate Koval.
With Sonia Citron, Liatu King, Maddy Westbeld and Liza Karlen all out of eligibility, the Irish’s solely common starter anticipated to return for subsequent season is Hannah Hidalgo.
Flau’jae Johnson skipping draft
All-American guard Flau’jae Johnson additionally reportedly is skipping the WNBA draft and plans to return to school basketball for her senior season.
Whether Johnson will return to LSU for the 2025-26 season or enter the switch portal earlier than the window closes stays unclear.
Her marketability, although, is simple.
Johnson averaged 18.6 factors, 5.6 rebounds and a couple of.5 assists in her third season at LSU.
She helped the Tigers attain the Elite Eight, the place they had been booted by top-seeded UCLA.
The Tigers are shedding main scorer and rebounder Aneesah Morrow, a projected WNBA lottery choose who’s out of eligibility.
They’re additionally at risk of no longer having ahead Sa’Myah Smith and guard Last-Tear Poa, who reportedly submitted their names into the switch portal.
Meanwhile, LSU has been linked to former Florida State guard Taniya Latson, who led the nation in scoring this season, averaging 25.2 factors per sport.
The TCU scenario
Mark Campbell has totally embraced the fashionable faculty panorama since his arrival at TCU.
TCU coach Mark Campbell Getty Images
He bought the Horned Frogs to the Elite Eight off the backs of a roster loaded with transfers, together with fifth-year seniors Hailey Van Lith, Sedona Prince, Madison Conner and Agnes Emma-Nnopu.
TCU has three gamers signed to its 2025 recruiting class, however count on Campbell as soon as again to be aggressive in the switch portal.
TCU reportedly has landed at the very least one switch already: 6-foot-7 middle Clara Silva.
Silva spent her freshman season at Kentucky, averaging 4 factors, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks off the bench.
Miles additionally may very well be an fascinating prospect for TCU.
USC departures
The Trojans’ tantalizing freshmen, together with Avery Howell, Kennedy Smith and Kayleigh Heckel, had been half of the motive there was optimism for USC subsequent season, even when star participant JuJu Watkins would miss it whereas rehabbing from a knee damage.
But that perception took a large hit this week when Howell and Heckel entered the switch portal.
USC guard Avery Howell has entered the switch portal. James Snook-Imagn Images
The Trojans are set to welcome versatile wing Jazzy Davidson subsequent season, which may very well be half of the motive for Howell’s exit.
But how this offseason shakes out for USC shall be telling.
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