Alexia Smith entering the portal ?

[GringaGopher]

I hope this is a April fools joke ......and now there are 3 left.

 

[whalenfan]

fwiw ive heard she hasnt been with the program for a little while because of some family issues. could see her transferring somewhere close to home.

 

[gwbbfan82]

It's in the StarTribune. I thought it was an April Fools joke at first. This is worse than the 2006 exodus.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Everyone remaining gets a personal trainer and a personal coach...and soon, their own half court. Or, maybe, Katie has everything to herself.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Alexia Smith is latest Gophers women's basketball player in transfer portal

Smith, a sophomore guard, became the seventh Gophers player this season to enter the portal.

www.startribune.com

Just hours before the first semifinal of the NCAA women's Final Four tipped off Friday another Gophers women's basketball player — this time guard Alexia Smith — entered the NCAA's transfer portal.

She is the seventh Gophers player to enter the portal since the season ended. The others: Guards Sara Scalia, Jasmine Powell and Caroline Strande, and forwards Kadi Sissoko, Klarke Sconiers and Erin Hedman.

 

[JellyBean2144]

Saw this on another basketball forum. Whatever reason, I wish Alexia the best on her future plans. That transfer portal has to be pushing 1,000 players by now. Should be some players in there that want to come to Minnesota.

I always notice how when a player enters the transfer portal, some programs erase those players from their websites. Minnesota, loyalty maybe, has not removed a few players from their website. Good move, Golden Gophers.

 

[Bunyan]

It's pretty clear by now that no one wants to play for Whalen.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

It's pretty clear by now that no one wants to play for Whalen.

let's amend that. This group of players did not want to play for Whalen.

That does not necessarily mean that nobody wants to play for Whalen. She does have a highly-regarded recruiting class coming in, and those players have to be aware of what has been going on at MN.

hey, I agree it's not a good look for the program.

But Coyle hired a HC for a P5 program who had never coached at any level before - not even as an assistant coach or an AAU coach. Whalen is learning on the job - and so far, it has not been pretty.
So this is on Coyle as much as it is on Whalen.
Coyle hired a name. at this point, we still don't know if he hired a coach or a recruiter.

 

[#2Gopher]

It's pretty clear by now that no one wants to play for Whalen.

Some don't want to play for Fleck, some don't want to play for Motzko and on it goes. Whalen is very new as a head coach and doesn't have an identity etc. as to what she expects out of players. She'll be fine, but it's going to take a while. We have a lot of knee jerking going on.

 

[PhiloVance]

It's in the StarTribune. I thought it was an April Fools joke at first. This is worse than the 2006 exodus.

Does the reporter interview the players and/or the coach?

 

[Roland Brooks]

Some don't want to play for Fleck, some don't want to play for Motzko and on it goes. Whalen is very new as a head coach and doesn't have an identity etc. as to what she expects out of players. She'll be fine, but it's going to take a while. We have a lot of knee jerking going on.

Hardly knee jerk… comical

 

[rowdaboat]

let's amend that. This group of players did not want to play for Whalen.

That does not necessarily mean that nobody wants to play for Whalen. She does have a highly-regarded recruiting class coming in, and those players have to be aware of what has been going on at MN.

hey, I agree it's not a good look for the program.

But Coyle hired a HC for a P5 program who had never coached at any level before - not even as an assistant coach or an AAU coach. Whalen is learning on the job - and so far, it has not been pretty.
So this is on Coyle as much as it is on Whalen.
Coyle hired a name. at this point, we still don't know if he hired a coach or a recruiter.

Only a matter of time before that recruiting class decommits

 

[Belzx009]

Only a matter of time before that recruiting class decommits

Braun just posted Whalen going into the hall of fame on Instagram. These recruits want to change this program. They still have that ability.

 

[samloupete]

Don’t really care. Over rated from the get go.

 

[whalenfan]

Only a matter of time before that recruiting class decommits

Thats not happening

 

[Katogopher]

Braun just posted Whalen going into the hall of fame on Instagram. These recruits want to change this program. They still have that ability.

They have the ability to do so. Haven’t had season tickets for about ten years, might have to reconsider.

 

[PhiloVance]

SDSU Jackrabbits, who won the WNIT, look like the team I thought Whalen would have built.

 

[bkeller49]

They were 5-22

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Virginia and Coach Mox should be a good landing spot for Alexia

 

[Ragnor]

Virginia and Coach Mox should be a good landing spot for Alexia

I liked her defense, I hope she does well there and takes her offense up another notch.

 

[Bunyan]

Congrats to Alexia. I wish her well. ALways trapped behind Powell at UMN. Not much of an offensive threat, but could dribble and pass.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Alexia Smith appeared in her first game for Virginia coming off the bench during the Cavaliers rout of UMBC. Smith played 19 minutes contributing 5 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal and 1 turnover

 

[Bunyan]

Virginia won 101-46 in a blowout. 5 players in double figures.

 

[BBJones]

I liked her defense, I hope she does well there and takes her offense up another notch.

She reminded me of Michael Hurt for the men's team. Showed no aggressiveness on offense, wouldn't even shoot when open.