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2023 Women's Basketball off-season thread

AztecBuff

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After last night's end to a great season, decided to start this thread now, partly spurred on by seeing the Brian Howell/ Buffzone article linked to below that already starts the look-ahead to next season.

Obviously the 1st big news for CU will probably be whether the 3 seniors who have a Covid year they can take if they and the coaching staff are interested (Miller, Sherrod and Whittaker), decide to stay at CU and compete with the Buffs another season, or decide to move on (either to another University or to post-college life). (The article linked to below does address Miller's and Sherrod's status; sounds like it's still open, although Mr. Howell does give an opinion.)

And then, of course, the transfer portal in general seems to be more and more a source of big news each year, so learning of incoming and outgoing transfers, along with of course the continuing development and health of the current and incoming frosh Buffs, will be huge this offseason. (It will be interesting to me to see if/ how much the portal calms down (hopefully at least SOME?) once all the student-athletes with an extra Covid year option graduate within the next couple years or so.). A couple general transfer notes:
  • Looks like, if I'm reading a couple articles I found properly, winter sports student-athletes have 60 days from the day after their Championships' Tourney Selection Day to enter the Portal. So for WBB that would be 60 days starting from March 13th. Although, I assume most who enter do it as early as possible to get their "name out there" so that they can get on the radar of coaches at the schools they think might work best for them athletically and academically.)
  • Looking at when news of incoming transfers have been formally announced the last couple of years, looks like Vonleh was announced as a new Buff on April 27th last year, while in 2021 Miller and Sadler were announced April 16th.




Direct link to article - https://www.buffzone.com/2023/03/25...ds-to-offseason-with-excitement-about-future/
 
My hope is that Sherrod and Miller will decide there is unfinished business to be completed next year.

There were some players who sat on the bench most of the season and it would surprise me if one or more of them enter the portal. I do NOT think Sophie Gerber will enter the portal again. She did that after last season and after seeing the kinds of offers she was receiving, she took her name out of the portal because "It's always a great day to be a Buff"
 
Wasn't Whittaker, basketball-wise, a red-shirt Junior this year since she was out all of last season with the surgeries? And that would move her Covid year possibility to 24-25. Regardless, she told me at the banquet she as of now plans to be here next season.
 
JR finally gets what she has earned by building this broken program to what it is today.

From cubuffs.com


Payne Extended through 2028​

BOULDER — Colorado Athletic Director Rick George announced the contract extension of women's basketball coach JR Payne on Thursday.

The five-year extension comes fresh off the Buffaloes' first Sweet 16 appearance in 21 seasons and will keep Payne under contract through the 2027-28 season.

"JR Payne has done an outstanding job with our basketball program," George said. "I have a lot of confidence in her ability to lead and create an outstanding culture in her program and I'm excited that we have extended her contract. After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and making a run to the Sweet 16, I felt that this was the right time to make this change to her contract. I look forward to the program continuing its upward trajectory moving forward."

Payne concluded her seventh season in Boulder with a 25-9 record, marking the most wins for the Buffs since the 2012-13 season. She has gone 59-29 (.670) over the last three seasons, including three consecutive postseason appearances (2021 WNIT, 2022 NCAA, 2023 NCAA). Payne has coached the Buffs to a 119-93 (.561) record since taking the helm in the 2016-17 season.

"I'm so thankful to Rick George and our administration for their support and belief in our staff," Payne expressed. "We have poured our heart and soul into building this program into something special and we're so thankful for the opportunity to continue to push ourselves to national prominence. We love Colorado and know that we will continue to do everything we can to make all of Buff Nation proud! We're ready to keep doing big things in Boulder!"

The Buffs' success this season reached new heights under Payne and her staff. Colorado hit the 25-win mark for the second time in the last 27 seasons and the eighth time in school history. This season's win total tied for the most since reaching 26 wins in 1995-96. Payne guided the Buffs to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

CU exceeded outside expectations in conference play this season. The Buffs were projected to finish eighth in the league, but Payne's squad blew the preseason expectations out of the water. CU went 13-5, earning CU's highest tournament seeding (No. 3) since joining the conference.

The Buffs picked up their highest AP ranking since the 2016-17 season when the team appeared at No. 20 in the Feb. 27 poll. CU spent eight weeks in the AP top 25, marking the most weeks included in the poll since appearing 11 times throughout the 2013-14 season.

Payne's efforts did not go unnoticed this season, as she was listed as one of 15 candidates for the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year.

Colorado defeated four teams in the AP top 15 this season. Previously, CU had four combined wins against top-15 opponents from 2016-17 to 2021-22. CU's four ranked wins this season marked the most since its six wins in the 2001-02 season. The win over No. 13 Duke was Colorado's first AP-ranked road win since the 2007-08 campaign.

Payne, CU's eighth coach in program history, is second only to Ceal Barry (427) on CU's all-time wins list. Payne secured her 100th win at CU with a 75-37 win over Western Michigan early this season. She also became the second longest-tenured women's basketball coach, trailing only Barry's 22 seasons.
 
Article on Ms. Miller returning -




Direct link - https://cubuffs.com/news/2023/3/31/womens-basketball-miller-commits-to-final-year-in-boulder.aspx

"
BOULDER — In a surprise-Friday night announcement, Colorado senior Quay Miller posted her intentions to use her extra year of eligibility with the Buffaloes on Instagram.

"First, I would like to give a huge thank you to Buff Nation for the unconditional love and support during my time at Colorado," Miller said in her post. "It has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and I'm not ready to let that go. Plus, we have some unfinished business to take care of. Let's run it back!"
...

Miller put up career numbers in the 2022-23 season. She posted a career-high 444 points and 301 rebounds while helping the Buffs to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and the team's first Sweet 16 appearance in 21 years.

"We are so excited that Quay is coming back for one more year at Colorado," head coach JR Payne stated. "She is such an instrumental part of our program's success both on and off the court. I can't wait to see how she will continue to grow and flourish as a Buff."

Miller came to CU by way of Washington, where she spent her first two seasons. She surpassed 1,000 combined points between the two schools with her 13-point performance against USC. Miller has totaled 774 points as a Buff, averaging 11.9 points per game in her two seasons.

The Renton, Wash., native, wrapped up her senior season with her 12th double-double in CU's Sweet 16 loss to Iowa. She scored in double figures 27 times this season and had 10 or more rebounds on 12 occasions. She tied the CU record for rebounding average in an NCAA Tournament with 12.0 per game and is third in tournament games with her 36 rebounds in CU's three contests. She recorded 14 rebounds in back-to-back tournament games against Duke and Iowa, placing third in CU's tournament records.

Miller, a Pac-12 All-Conference selection this year, finished with 301 total rebounds, good for sixth in CU history. It was just the seventh 300-rebound season in program history. Her rebound totals marked the most since Jackie McFarland had 325 in 2006-07. Miller and McFarland have the only two 300-rebound seasons at CU since 1981-82. Miller was big on the defensive glass, setting a new CU record with 219 defensive rebounds in a season. She had 10 defensive boards against Iowa, moving from a tie for third all the way to the record, passing Chucky Jeffrey (213, 2011-12) and LeaAnn Banks (217, 1985-86).

The 2021 Pac-12's Sixth Player of the Year, started every game in the 2022-23 season and led the Buffs in points (13.1), rebounds (8.9) and minutes (31.6).

Colorado has the potential to return four starters from this past season as the team still awaits a decision from senior guard Jaylyn Sherrod. Senior Tayanna Jones was the lone Buff to exhaust her eligibility this season.

The NCAA granted student-athletes who competed in the 2020-21 season an additional year of eligibility due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"
____________________________________________________________________

And, her official announcement through Instagram post -

 
A lovely surprise, Quay! We are waiting for your decision Jaylyn.

Raoul on Twitter says we are now one over on scholarships and if Jaylyn stays we will be two over.
 
A lovely surprise, Quay! We are waiting for your decision Jaylyn.

Raoul on Twitter says we are now one over on scholarships and if Jaylyn stays we will be two over.
I don't think the Covid scholarships of Quay and Jaylyn impact the allowed scholarship numbers. Whitaker is planning on using a Covid year too.
 
Another indication of the quality person/coach we have in Coach Payne that these young women are choosing to come back.

The future is bright for this program.
 
Quay's choice to return is critical to CU returning to the NCAA tourney. For most of the season she was the one of two reliable three point shooters and also a three level scorer - until the end of the season. If she had left the Buffs would have had trouble scoring next season. If she can get back to where she was for most of the season to go along with her rebounding she will be critical to the team's success.

This season the only consistent threats from deep were Formann and Miller. Jada Wynn had her moments of the bench. Hopefully someone else can step up the scoring from the perimeter.
 
Quay Miller is officially coming back for next season for an extra Covid year. Just need Jaylyn Sherrod to come back too.

A lovely surprise, Quay! We are waiting for your decision Jaylyn.

Raoul on Twitter says we are now one over on scholarships and if Jaylyn stays we will be two over.

I haven't seen anything official from Sherrod, which is why I thought this was unusual from ESPN's "Way too Early Top 25" for next season (emphasis mine):

After the Buffaloes' first Sweet 16 appearance in 20 years, coach JR Payne was rewarded with a five-year contract extension. It also looks like she will have most of her veteran team back for another run. The top four scorers -- Quay Miller, Aaronette Vonleh, Frida Formann and Jaylyn Sherrod -- are expected to be back next season.

Has Sherrod announced anything official?

They have CU at #20:

 
Sherrod has not yet made an announcement, unless it was overnight.

She was in Dallas for the Final Four so I doubt an announcement came overnight.
 
We also have 2 Top 100 recruits joining the team next year. Hopefully one of them is ready to contribute from day 1.
Those two are:

• Kennedy Sanders a 5'8" point guard from Chaska, MN who committed a long time ago, and

• Ruthie Loomis-Goltl a 6'3" forward from Bridgeport, NB

Of the two, would seem that Sanders is a better bet as guards develop quicker and she has been playing against much better competition in HS and perhaps in club ball as well. Even if Sherrod returns she may earn significant playing time. This isn't to discount Sadler who has had some key moments this season.

Loomis-Goltl is multi-sport athlete from a small town, plus she will have to battle Charlotte Whittaker and Bri McCleod for playing time.
 

lucious lyon wtf GIF
 
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