More than 1,000 Women's Basketball Players in the Portal

[SWVAHusker]

I'm absolutely stunned by this.

As of last week, there were over 1,000 women's basketball players in the transfer portal [EDIT: As of a tweet Chantel Jennings sent on 4/12 there are 1,197 in the portal now. In 2019-20 609 entered the portal. In 2018-19 641 entered.]

Several schools like UMD and Kentucky have lost multiple starters. IMO fact that there are so many players who started at P5 schools available in the portal brings a new dimension to the offseason for Amy Williams and her coaches. Like any staff, I'm sure they'd like to help improve their team as much as possible for next season. At the same time, IMO the Huskers amazing chemistry was one of the things that helped last year's team win so many games. The Huskers will already be integrating two new freshman into the team next fall, you don't want to add players from the portal who could mess up what the Huskers already have.

More Than 1,000 Women's Players In The Transfer Portal

The transfer portal is also starting to affect women's basketball a lot more than ever before. Per Chantel Jennings of The Athletic, 1,084 women's basketball

thespun.com

 

[Red Don]

No doubt there are a lot of things, and contacts, going on behind the scenes that we are just not aware of. I remember how Jaz Shelley's transfer seemingly came from out of the blue (to fans) and what an important piece she proved to be to last year's team.

I'm just hoping that Amy's assistant coaching situation gets resolved soon, and the staff finalized so the team will know who their coaches will be for next season. I'm sure any potential transfers will also want to know who the coaches are.

Looking at the team photo taken at the season-end banquet, I'm intrigued by the returning players, as well as looking forward to seeing Red-shirts Tatiana Popa and Trinity Brady play. Brady has played before, but I'm hoping both she and Nailah Dillard have fully recovered from their injuries and will be ready to play.

Just as a side note, I saw someone post they had gone to the Women's Softball Game vs Iowa yesterday (won, double header, 14-1 & 8-3 don't ask-look it up :Redface:) and saw Sam Haiby, Trinity Brady, and Alexis Markowski, as well as Coach Amy Williams cheering on the team.

 

[SWVAHusker]

Just as a side note, I saw someone post they had gone to the Women's Softball Game vs Iowa yesterday (won, double header, 14-1 & 8-3 don't ask-look it up :Redface:) and saw Sam Haiby, Trinity Brady, and Alexis Markowski, as well as Coach Amy Williams cheering on the team.

That's great! I recently subscribed to BTN+ in order to watch Husker softball and baseball games this spring. Unfortunately, I've been busy with work so I've missed their most recent games. I'll be tuning in for tonight's game against Minnesota. Nate Rohr does a great job broadcasting their games. He even answered my tweet asking why Nebraska plays HS softball in the fall on air during a game a few weeks ago. (Playing softball in the fall is weird, but I get the reason(s) why.) I got to appreciate and like college softball when I was the sports information intern at my alma mater, George Mason University.

Amy Williams team really does seem to like hanging out with each other. After I joined BTN+ I watched an interview Jaz did with a BTN video podcast that Jaz did back in January. It was a really interesting interview because the host didn't just ask questions about the most recent game, etc. In response to one of the questions, Jaz said that when she was at Oregon she would go to the football games but didn't really understand the game very well. Last fall, she went to a Husker game with Sam Haiby, and before the game Sam was like, "Okay, get all your questions out now..." and taught Jaz about football.

Jaz's comments about Husker fans, and her teammate Alexis were awesome too. Apparently, during a game this past season when the Huskers were on offense somebody from the stands asked her whether she liked vegemite lol. Jaz described Husker fans as "overly friendly" and said Alexis was definitely the "craziest" person on the team lol. She also claimed that she's managed to convince at least one person at UNL that she rode a kangaroo to school when she was younger lol.

 

[Red Don]

Thanks @SWVAHusker! Great Interview!!!! (BTN Host, Mike Hall had (what seemed to me, anyway) a really good Aussie imitation - Jaz seemed to agree.

What is so impressive about Coach Amy Williams' team(s) is the obvious 'Joy' with which they play; and the fun they have together. Collectively they are very involved in the local community youth activities, pick-up games and cheering on other teams. That's why I was surprised (and disappointed), to see anyone transfer, or not return (but of course there are a lot of individual reasons for that).


Here's a link to the interview for anyone who missed it:

 

[bugeaters1]

My sis in law went to a brunch this week in Lincoln and Coach was the speaker. Coach was asked about why Brown And Bella left. Coach said that Bella left because of playing time and Brown was going to be even deeper on the bench.

 

[SWVAHusker]

My sis in law went to a brunch this week in Lincoln and Coach was the speaker. Coach was asked about why Brown And Bella left. Coach said that Bella left because of playing time and Brown was going to be even deeper on the bench.

Both are understandable decisions by both the staff and the players. With Mendelson joining the team once volleyball season is over, Popa coming off her redshirt year and (hopefully) Annika Stewart's back not giving her trouble next season, there's good (albeit inexperienced) depth in the front court. Plus I'm quite sure Alexis is going to work even harder this offseason and probably wants to play every minute of every game next year. Plus, there's so many P5 players with experience in the portal, I'd be surprised if Nebraska doesn't get at least 1-2 transfers before practice begins in the fall.

Did your sis in law say whether Coach Williams was asked about the situation with Coach Love? I'm kind of surprised that he's still listed as an assistant coach. I figured the lawyers would have had investigation wrapped up and Love quietly officially dismissed by now.

 

[bugeaters1]

Both are understandable decisions by both the staff and the players. With Mendelson joining the team once volleyball season is over, Popa coming off her redshirt year and (hopefully) Annika Stewart's back not giving her trouble next season, there's good (albeit inexperienced) depth in the front court. Plus I'm quite sure Alexis is going to work even harder this offseason and probably wants to play every minute of every game next year. Plus, there's so many P5 players with experience in the portal, I'd be surprised if Nebraska doesn't get at least 1-2 transfers before practice begins in the fall.

Did your sis in law say whether Coach Williams was asked about the situation with Coach Love? I'm kind of surprised that he's still listed as an assistant coach. I figured the lawyers would have had investigation wrapped up and Love quietly officially dismissed by now.

She didn't say. It would have been a good question to ask though.

 

[Red Don]

My sis in law went to a brunch this week in Lincoln and Coach was the speaker. Coach was asked about why Brown And Bella left. Coach said that Bella left because of playing time and Brown was going to be even deeper on the bench.

We've had two talented (imho) players (three actually counting Mi'Cole) enter the portal; leaving a team known for its close-knit camaraderie, reportedly in hopes of finding more playing time elsewhere (TCU and Fort Hays) next season.

It sure does make me wonder what they might have seen/know that we don't. They, of course, have attended practices and have seen the all the players as they progress and develop.

What does it say that they see their playing time potentially being cut so much that they sought to go elsewhere.