WBB: Portal news, Realignment, and More
WBB: Portal news, Realignment, and More
We've got a little bit of early transfer portal news, a WAC member leaving, and some other tidbits to open the offseason.
The offseason is in full swing. The transfer portal is busy as usual. New faces will join the WAC in bunches for 2024-25. And another team is leaving the league…the fifth team in three years.
Here is a little breakdown of what has been going on over the past few weeks now that the 2024-25 season is officially over.
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Vaqueros Heading for the Southland
On March 25, 2024, UTRGV made the announcement it is leaving the WAC for the Southland Conference, effective July 1, 2024.
The Vaqueros (6-23, 5-15) battled injuries throughout the year. However, Lane Lord’s crew made a late run at that final bid to WAC Vegas before falling two games short.
UTRGV’s last year with double-digit wins in WAC play was 2018-2019 (18-15, 10-6). That team reached a WAC tournament championship game before falling to New Mexico State and also fell in a WBI first round game.
Jayda Holiman was an All-WAC Freshman Team selection this year.
Portal News:
Now that the 2023-24 season is over, it’s time to turn our eyes towards the transfer portal, which opened on Selection Sunday.
As of April 8, 2024, there are currently 42 WAC women’s basketball student-athletes in the portal with four having announced new destinations. Courtesy of Talia Goodman from The Next, here is the current list:
Abilene Christian
Tristin Keller, 5’8, G, Soph. (0.3 points)
Kenadi Rising, 5’11, C, Jr. (1.4 points)
Yle Exposito Perez, 5’7, G, Jr. (1.6 points)
Claire Graham, 5’9, G, Soph. (3 points)
Gracy Wernli, 5’9, G, Fr. (4.5 points)
Addison Martin, 6’1, F, Soph. (11 points, 4.9 rebounds)
Aspen Thornton, 5’6, G, Jr. (11.9 points)
Grand Canyon
Naudia Evans, 5’6, G, Jr. (9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists)
Seattle
Lisa Michaelson, 6’1, F, Soph. (2.4 points)
Noemie Bariteau, 5’7, G, Soph. (4.8 points)
Asta Blauenfeldt, 5’6, G, Soph. (6.5 points)
Peyton Howard, 5’9, G, Sr. (7.6 points, 2.7 assists) - Signed with Eastern Washington
Irena Korolenko, 6’0, F, Sr. (8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds)
Makayla Moore, 6’0, G, Soph. (11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds) - Signed with Arizona State
Mya Moore, 6’0, F, Soph. (12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds)
Southern Utah
Shiho Osono, 5’6, G, Jr. (4.8 points)
Tomekia Whitman, 5’10, G, Sr. (11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds – 2022-23)
Alexandra Eldredge, G, Fr. (1.9 points)
Stephen F. Austin
Trinity Slocum, 5’9, G, Soph. (2.2 points)
Zoe Nelson, 6’1, F, Jr. (7.8 points, 7.3 rebounds)
Tyler McCliment-Call, 6’0, G, Sr. (8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds) - Signed with Idaho
Destini Lombard, 5’9, G, Sr. (10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4 assists)
Kyla Deck, 5’9, G, Soph. (12.2 points, 3.1 assists)
Atalia Ballesteros, 5’11, G, Fr. (3.0 points)
Tarleton State
Dyamon Griggs, 5’11, F, Soph. (DNP)
Malgorzata Byczkowska, 5’11, G, Soph. (0.2 points)
Nykesha Sanders, 5’7, G, Jr. (1 points)
Teresa Maggio, 5’6, G, Fr. (3.1 points)
Lexi Bull, 6’0, F, Jr. (3.8 ppg, 4.7 rebounds)
Utah Tech
Aubrey Amendala, 5’6, G, Soph. (0.6 points)
Caitlynn Jordan, 6’2, F, Fr. (2.1 points) - Signed with Oklahoma Christian (D2)
Catelyn Deaver, 6’0, F, Soph. (3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds)
Alyson Deaver, 6’0, F, Soph. (4.8 points)
Amber Kartchner, 5’9, G, Soph. (5 points)
Utah Valley
Abby Conlee, 6’0, G, Jr. (0.5 points)
Kaylee Byon, 5’7, G, Soph. (4.9 points)
Eleyana Tafisi, 5’6, G, Jr. (6.7 points, 3.6 assists)
UT Arlington
Masengo Mutanda, 5’7, G, Sr. (3.5 points)
Hannah Humphrey, 5’8, G, Jr. (4.7 points)
Breakdown of entries by program:
ACU and Seattle: 7; SFA:6; Tarleton and Utah Tech: 5; Utah Valley and Southern Utah: 3; UT Arlington: 2; GCU: 1, CBU: 0
As it sits so far, Seattle, ACU, and SFA have each lost multiple starters to the portal, and more than 20 points a game from their 2023-24 rosters.
GCU will also have to replace most of their starting lineup as Naudia Evans entered the portal, while Jada Holland, Olivia Lane, and Tiarra Brown completed their eligibility.
CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll Update
In the final collegeinsider.com Mid-Major women’s basketball poll, released March 19, 2024, CBU finished 16th while GCU finished 32nd (the seventh team to receive votes).
WAC Hoops on the National Leaderboards
Let’s take a look at how WAC teams and student-athletes fared on the national leaderboards.
Chloe Webb is 18th in individual scoring, averaging 20.7 points per game.
CBU is 11th in points per game offense at 80.3 points per game, and sixth in made 3-pointers per game at 9.7 per game.
ACU finished at 8.6 made 3-pointers per game, also among the top-30 nationally.
GCU finished 20th in scoring defense, allowing 56.0 points per game.
SFA’s Destini Lombard and Kyla Deck were among the top-50 nationally in steals per contest at 2.42 and 2.59, respectively.
Brittingham Attends Final Four
While a WAC women’s basketball team was not in Cleveland this past weekend for the Final Four, UT Arlington’s Avery Brittingham earned a trip by being selected to the Division 1 Student-Athlete Engagement Group.
According to an NCAA release, this group serves as an amplifying voice for women’s basketball on key initiatives, legislation and various issues.
It was formed during the 2020-21 COVID season as part of a collaboration with the WBCA.
Past representatives with this group include Caitlyn Harper of CBU who was the WAC’s first nominee to earn this honor.
GCU Student-Manager Selected to All-American Team:
Grow the Game, a 501 C3 that provides student-managers with free resources and opportunities to start their careers, selected GCU manager Katherine Brown to their all-American team.
