Wisconsinòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s Carter McCray plays during the first half of an NCAA womenòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s basketball game against Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Seattle. McCray has transferred to West Virginia.
Wisconsinòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s Carter McCray plays during the first half of an NCAA womenòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s basketball game against Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Seattle. McCray has transferred to West Virginia.
MORGANTOWN òòò½ÊÓÆµ” West Virginia womenòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s basketball coach Mark Kellogg has barely had a chance to breathe since the Mountaineers concluded a 25-8 season a few weeks ago with a 58-47 loss at North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
òòò½ÊÓÆµU finished the 2024-25 campaign ranked No. 21 in the òòò½ÊÓÆµsociated Press poll.
Kellogg and his staff have had no time to sit back and relax since wrapping up that endeavor. They quickly transitioned from last season to the next one in trying to fill the big shoes left by the departures of graduating senior starters JJ Quinerly, Kyah Watson and Kylee Blacksten.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœThis is total chaos right now, and weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re thriving in chaos, though we donòòò½ÊÓÆµ™t have much choice,òòò½ÊÓÆµ Kellogg said. òòò½ÊÓÆµœIòòò½ÊÓÆµ™m telling you, the last two weeks of my life, Iòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ve never had anything like this. This has just been crazy.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœI think we had six different visits over six straight days,òòò½ÊÓÆµ Kellogg told MetroNews. òòò½ÊÓÆµœLiterally, weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™d fly one in and have the visit the next day. Then weòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ll repeat that the next day. Itòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s like Groundhog Day for six days in a row.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
It may be chaotic, but it is paying off for Kellogg, as òòò½ÊÓÆµU has secured official commitments from highly regarded transfers such as Kierra Wheeler, a 6-foot-1 senior forward from Norfolk State; Carter McCray, a 6-foot-1 junior forward from Wisconsin; Riley Makalusky, a 6-foot-2 junior wing from Butler; and Loghan Johnson, a 5-foot-10 junior guard from Texas Tech.
This quartet of transfers will join a returning core contingent of seniors-to-be Jordan Harrison, Sydney Shaw, Sydney Woodley and CeCe Riviere and sophomore-to-be Jordan Thomas, as well as incoming freshman Madie Parrish.
Johnson averaged 5.4 points while shooting 52.3% for Texas Tech last season. Makalusky averaged 8.1 points per game for Butler, and McCray, the Horizon League Freshman of the Year at Northern Kentucky in 2023-24, transferred to Wisconsin last season and averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Badgers. Wheeler was an inside force for Norfolk State, averaging 15.8 points and 8.9 rebounds while earning first-team All-MEAC honors this past season.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœLoghan Johnson is a tough kid who played really well at the end of the year,òòò½ÊÓÆµ Kellogg said of the Houston native. òòò½ÊÓÆµœSheòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s a phenomenal fit for what we do.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœRiley Makalusky led the Big East in 3-point shooting as a freshman, shooting 47% from 3. She is really skilled. We also recruited her sister (Maya, who signed last fall with Indiana), so we got to know the family well,òòò½ÊÓÆµ Kellogg continued.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœCarter McCray is an elite defender and rebounder. She also scores at a really high rate, one of the most efficient kids in the country offensively. Then Kierra Wheeler òòò½ÊÓÆµ” she goes by MeMe òòò½ÊÓÆµ” is just a winner. They won so many games at Norfolk State (83-18 in Wheeleròòò½ÊÓÆµ™s three seasons with the Spartans). She had 20 (points) and seven (rebounds) in the NCAA tournament against Maryland in a game they couldòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ve and probably shouldòòò½ÊÓÆµ™ve won.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
Like most of college athletics today, assembling a womenòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s basketball roster entails having the ability to offer money to athletes in the form of NIL and/or revenue sharing.
òòò½ÊÓÆµœWeòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re (general managers) now,òòò½ÊÓÆµ Kellogg said. òòò½ÊÓÆµœWeòòò½ÊÓÆµ™re piecing it together. How much money do you have left to go get kids, and who are those still available. Itòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s an interesting dynamic, thatòòò½ÊÓÆµ™s for sure.òòò½ÊÓÆµ
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