LadyGriz Lady Griz Recruiting: 2024+

[BigSkyBreakdown]

The great frustration of being a Griz fan is constantly running up against the Great Montana Inferiority Complex--which always expresses itself as, "We can't, we can't, we can't." Or: "Get Real!"

To George Washington and the Founding Fathers or Thomas Edison or the Wright Brothers or Philo Farnsworth or Chuck Yeager or Elon Musk, everybody on this board would have said, "You can't! You can't! Get real!"

To a coach who has already recruited a HoopGurlz Top 100 player, Mack Konig; the 1-A Player of the year from the state of Washington, Libby Stump; the Colorado High School Player of the Year, Macey Huard; a player from the state of Washington who was one of 34 players invited in 2021 to the U16 USA Team Trials, Adria Lincoln; and the 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year from the state of Montana, Dani Bartsch--after all this we can only say when it comes to adding more premium talent, "Power Five! Power Five! The Power Five are Coming!"

San Diego State made it to the Men's Championship game last April and they were not Power Five. Gonzaga has become a major college basketball powerhouse and they were not Power Five. In men's and women's basketball we are not an inferior second-rate division like we are in football, we are Division One. The sky's the limit. We've got great facilities, a fabulous women's basketball tradition, a coach who can recruit and has built a solid solid staff around him, and a program that once again is generating excitement among its fan base.

So what's holding us back?

Only those on this board who don't believe the sky is the limit, just the Big Sky, because, after all, we are only little ole Montana, which is to say we are inferior, so if you aspire to anything beyond this second-rate conference that the football program has stuck us in, here's the message: "Get Real!"

I am fine with your general inferiority complex, but sometimes you have to check into the specifics.

What Helena says!

If those numbers were accurate on the rankings they would be at high level schools. Very few of those girls you mentioned chose UM because UM stood out above bigger schools. Strong showings during COVID AAU season and then further evals had them being recruited by the correct schools. Numbers and rankings don't mean anything. It is who is actually still recruiting that kid when its time to sign the commitment papers.

Its great to have high expectations Citay...but be realistic about them. If UM wants to become a power in the BSC again, changing leadership at the top (AD and Pres) will need to happen before they even catch up to the Cats.

 

[OregonStateFan]

IMO: What Holsinger has done as far as recruiting has been really impressive. His first two classes (2022 and 2023) have each been ranked No.1 in the Big Sky. While the 2023 class still has to prove it on the court, Konig was the FOY and I believe Stump led all freshman in scoring. Donarski, Huard, and Lincoln were all highly recruited players and I'd bet all could have played in bigger conferences if they wished (Huard and Donarski for sure).

Sure, last season was a disappointment, but with level of talent in Missoula for the next few seasons I'm not sure why changing leadership is necessary for Montana to become a force in the Big Sky and catch up to the Cats. I think one could argue talent-wise Montana has caught up to Montana State for next season. Again, the product on the floor has to show that though.

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

IMO: What Holsinger has done as far as recruiting has been really impressive. His first two classes (2022 and 2023) have each been ranked No.1 in the Big Sky. While the 2023 class still has to prove it on the court, Konig was the FOY and I believe Stump led all freshman in scoring. Donarski, Huard, and Lincoln were all highly recruited players and I'd bet all could have played in bigger conferences if they wished (Huard and Donarski for sure).

Sure, last season was a disappointment, but with level of talent in Missoula for the next few seasons I'm not sure why changing leadership is necessary for Montana to become a force in the Big Sky and catch up to the Cats. I think one could argue talent-wise Montana has caught up to Montana State for next season. Again, the product on the floor has to show that though.

Leadership IE....Haslam and Bodnar. Not talking about Holsinger. If you have any knowledge about the history of MSU and UM being the cream of the crop of the BSC you would understand the ass kicking UM is getting in every aspect by MSU. Leadership is no comparison.

As far as the UM recruiting...yes talent, but all really the same position. When Holsinger and staff start to get post players to filling the solid talent that was already there then one can say the LG have upped their game. Thank goodness Campbell departed because he had the recruiting dialed in.

Time will tell if a team of guards that all play the same position will stay to develop in the program. Also Little Huard doesn't come to UM without the older sister. Who was recruited by Petrino and his staff.

Coaching is a tough business but having elite leadership in the Admin is what makes things move forward....IE MSU in this regard.

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

...Coppinger and Howell are long shots at this point. Both are top-50 recruits with loads of major offers.

I've heard that the UofM has offered Avery Howell and Elizabeth Gentry, but saying that Devin Coppinger is a long shot would be an understatement; especially when there is no evidence whatsoever that the UofM has even offered to begin with. At least there is no evidence on the Internet that says so. I mean, really?

If the UofM does offer to a presumably superior athlete at least do so with the understanding that in the offering we are saying that we recognize your athletic capabilites and prowess and are offering in respect of such potentialites and wish you a healthy and successful career regardless if you choose us or someone else.

I know that just about everyone would love to play for Geno and his Huskies over in Connecticut but even he can't have 150 players or so on his roster all at once. for example, with over 700 high schools in California but the UofM ain't good enough to recruit California. Spare me. It ain't a step down from high school to the UofM, is it?

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

...Coppinger and Howell are long shots at this point. Both are top-50 recruits with loads of major offers.

I've heard that the UofM has offered Avery Howell and Elizabeth Gentry, but saying that Devin Coppinger is a long shot would be an understatement; especially when there is no evidence whatsoever that the UofM has even offered to begin with. At least there is no evidence on the Internet that says so. I mean, really?

If the UofM does offer to a presumably superior athlete at least do so with the understanding that in the offering we are saying that we recognize your athletic capabilites and prowess and are offering in respect of such potentialites and wish you a healthy and successful career regardless if you choose us or someone else.

I know that just about everyone would love to play for Geno and his Huskies over in Connecticut but even he can't have 150 players or so on his roster all at once. for example, with over 700 high schools in California but the UofM ain't good enough to recruit California. Spare me. It ain't a step down from high school to the UofM, is it?

If the LG want to recruit META hoops they better start with people who are not named Brynn and Avery.

Coppenger is also a very unicorn thought. Those 3 have major options, and what is UM doing to lure those players with NIL or other incentives to come play?

Sure there are always exceptions to everything, but I would bet that neither of those 3 commits to UM.

We have not seen Gentry play, but seems like she is getting a lot of attention. Some would say...better options than UM.

As far as recruiting Cali...who on staff has the juice in those cali areas to persuade a kids to come to UM? Jos played at Stanford, but does she have the JUICE to go into a cali home and speak to a cali family about why UM is better than the options they may already have?

Holsingers recruiting has been pretty much to one geographic area. The areas surrounding Seattle. Yes there are some sprinkled from other areas, but his network of people in that area and his recruiting pitch resonates with those regional players.

More than anything LG need to get some legit bigs to replace Gfeller who is under utilized and struggles to get the ball in the current offense.

Like anything...TIME WILL TELL.

 

[OregonStateFan]

No surprise here:
https://twitter.com/averyhowell44/status/1689317175927209984?s=46&t=3uvHVkXrhRhvNrfBQBxWgw

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

Berlynn Carlson [Class of 2025] a 6'2" and/or 6'3" G/W and/or PG/SG/SF from Hillsboro, Oregon has been getting some attention lately and has received offers from NAU, St. Mary's and Utah St., so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdjq92THQsw

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

Berlynn Carlson [Class of 2025] a 6'2" and/or 6'3" G/W and/or PG/SG/SF from Hillsboro, Oregon has been getting some attention lately and has received offers from NAU, St. Mary's and Utah St., so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdjq92THQsw

Also AAU teammates with Avery Waddington. Has another yr to develop and has a nice upside.

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

Now since Avery Howell has declared her choice of preferences, there are still some others, from the State of Washington that is, that appear to be Big Sky Conference material, at least IMHO: [Class of 2024]:

Gia Powell 5'7" PG Edmonds, Wash. (been to the camps of EWU & NAU):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6zp0TVqlvY

McKylee Hawkins Bothell, Wash. (reminds me of McKenzie Johnston but @ 5'11"):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG08AdecqCA


Kayla Lorenz 6'1" G/SF Lynwood hs, Bothell, Wash. (last 14 Feb. in the District 1 3A Semi-Final Tournament Lorenz scored 24 while Jenna Villa of Arlington scored 28: Villa recently committed to Washington State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFvQfzuctZ0

Chloe DeHaro 5'9" Spokane, Wash. https://www.ncsasports.org/womens-basketball-recruiting/washington/spokane/west-valley-high-school2/chloe-deharo

Lauryn Madsen, 5'11" G/F Warden, Wash.

Maddy Weaver 6'2" P Puyallup, Wash. Rated, in some circles, as the Number #1 Post in the State of Washington: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfAhKKCYYmA

P.S. - I sometimes wonder if it wouldn't be best to redshirt Haley Huard this coming season. Familiarize maybe her capabilities for the shooting guard and/or small forward positions. As by the way, when she is about to prepare for a shot, breathing through the nose and exhaling from the mouth when doing so could be a recommendation. Some unscrupulous opponent might just do an elbow shimmy on someone's lower jaw and cause irreparable damage. Wouldn't want to see that. Injuries are not part of the game. Things were getting kinda chippy out there past tournament.

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

Weaver is being recruited heavily by D2's. The LG need a big and considering she plays with Waddington maybe get an opportunity. However we don't feel she is a D1 kid and nothing is wrong with that. On another note, this is an interesting list of schools that recruited the Chirrick. The LG not offering is not surprising as they are stock pilled at the guard spot. The real question is, did they even get in on the Teagan Ericksen kid that is committed to the Cats? Skilled big from in state that fits a positional need for the roster.

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/taylee-chirrick-montana-state-bobcats-commit/article_463ec6c2-3bad-11ee-97e9-7bed5f53b161.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

Weaver is being recruited heavily by D2's. The LG need a big and considering she plays with Waddington maybe get an opportunity. However we don't feel she is a D1 kid and nothing is wrong with that.

You might not see her as a D1 kid?...Interesting. Because I've heard otherwise:

https://twitter.com/MaddyWeaver34/status/1691907123691794788

https://twitter.com/MaddyWeaver34/status/1618457749909819393/photo/1

 

[OregonStateFan]

Weaver is being recruited heavily by D2's. The LG need a big and considering she plays with Waddington maybe get an opportunity. However we don't feel she is a D1 kid and nothing is wrong with that. On another note, this is an interesting list of schools that recruited the Chirrick. The LG not offering is not surprising as they are stock pilled at the guard spot. The real question is, did they even get in on the Teagan Ericksen kid that is committed to the Cats? Skilled big from in state that fits a positional need for the roster.

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/taylee-chirrick-montana-state-bobcats-commit/article_463ec6c2-3bad-11ee-97e9-7bed5f53b161.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Erickson visited last fall I believe (with Breanna Williams). Probably not long before she decided on MSU.

Any idea where Gunlock is getting interest from? She had pretty good stats on the UAA circuit.

Hopefully Gentry takes an official visit.

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

Weaver is being recruited heavily by D2's. The LG need a big and considering she plays with Waddington maybe get an opportunity. However we don't feel she is a D1 kid and nothing is wrong with that.

You might not see her as a D1 kid?...Interesting. Because I've heard otherwise:

https://twitter.com/MaddyWeaver34/status/1691907123691794788

https://twitter.com/MaddyWeaver34/status/1618457749909819393/photo/1

Wyo....The old saying goes you are who is recruiting you. Her offers are from D2 schools. You can certainly continue to read those prep sports writers and the rankings, but what our eyes see is a nice player that lacks certain things that would allow her to be successful at the D1 level. IE....can she cover in PNR and DHO situations and not be a liability? Can she play offensively in those same actions and create gravity defensively? Does she have the explosive lift to compete against D1 players? Once a big is a liability often times they get seen differently by college coaches in terms of what they can do at a specific level. This is no knock on the young lady, its just what the actual coaches are looking at when evaluating players. Will she get an opportunity to play D1...maybe, but recruiting is about fit and opportunity.

 

[Mavman]

A young lady no one has heard about that would be a good edition to any Big Sky team is Savannah Stoker from Lowry Highschool in Nevada.
She Led the state in scoring the last two seasons. She averaged 24.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.3 steals, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks this season. She will be a senior this year and has had some interest from Nevada and Utah St. Named Northern Nevada Female athlete of the year , led Basketball team to back to back titles. Softball may be her best sport where she set the single season state HR record with 21 and drove in 60 Runs.

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

A young lady no one has heard about that would be a good edition to any Big Sky team is Savannah Stoker from Lowry Highschool in Nevada.
She Led the state in scoring the last two seasons. She averaged 24.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.3 steals, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks this season. She will be a senior this year and has had some interest from Nevada and Utah St. Named Northern Nevada Female athlete of the year , led Basketball team to back to back titles. Softball may be her best sport where she set the single season state HR record with 21 and drove in 60 Runs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahAbl96wNK8

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

...what our eyes see is a nice player that lacks certain things that would allow her to be successful at the D1 level. IE....can she cover in PNR and DHO situations and not be a liability? Can she play offensively in those same actions and create gravity defensively?

O.K. I see. From what you stated I can infer the definition of PNR as 'Pick-and-Roll' and DHO as 'Dribble-Hand-Off.'



Recently, I guess, Alyssa Wirth, a 6'4" P from Altoona, Wisconsin, decommitted from Minnesota due to coaching change. Been already offered by Utah so I guess still a legitimate recruit [Class2024]:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiG1LpPg1oY

Sure do like what Rainey Welson brings to the court [Class2025]:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqu1wNcbKH4

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

...what our eyes see is a nice player that lacks certain things that would allow her to be successful at the D1 level. IE....can she cover in PNR and DHO situations and not be a liability? Can she play offensively in those same actions and create gravity defensively?

O.K. I see. From what you stated I can infer the definition of PNR as 'Pick-and-Roll' and DHO as 'Dribble-Hand-Off.'



Recently, I guess, Alyssa Wirth, a 6'4" P from Altoona, Wisconsin, decommitted from Minnesota due to coaching change. Been already offered by Utah so I guess still a legitimate recruit [Class2024]:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiG1LpPg1oY

Sure do like what Rainey Welson brings to the court [Class2025]:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqu1wNcbKH4

Agree with you on Wirth being available and a legit big who can play at the BSC level for sure. Not so sure Utah has offered. Coming off a knee injury and did not play as well this past spring as the year prior when gaining the offer and commitment to Minnesota. If Holsinger wants true legit size she would be one of the bigger, if not the biggest post in the conference. Skilled soft hands and good feet. Mobility and lateral speed should improve when she gets that knee back to feeling 100%.

As far as the PNR and DHO that will be a consideration when looking for recruits with LG. The PNR is 14% of the the LG offense (with the handler as the primary scoring threat). With all those LG guards coming off ball screens finding the right big to attack is what coaches look for. IE....why you see Gfeller in those situations a lot vs other PNR/DHO heavy teams. The LG face almost 20% of the defensive possessions are against PNR actions. Again, that is why coaches look for posts that can play both offensively and defensively in those actions. The good better outweigh the bad for a big otherwise that means sitting the bench or dropping down a level.

BTW...Stockton to Malone just did it better than anyone else.

 

[BigSkyBreakdown]

Weaver is being recruited heavily by D2's. The LG need a big and considering she plays with Waddington maybe get an opportunity. However we don't feel she is a D1 kid and nothing is wrong with that. On another note, this is an interesting list of schools that recruited the Chirrick. The LG not offering is not surprising as they are stock pilled at the guard spot. The real question is, did they even get in on the Teagan Ericksen kid that is committed to the Cats? Skilled big from in state that fits a positional need for the roster.

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/taylee-chirrick-montana-state-bobcats-commit/article_463ec6c2-3bad-11ee-97e9-7bed5f53b161.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Erickson visited last fall I believe (with Breanna Williams). Probably not long before she decided on MSU.

Any idea where Gunlock is getting interest from? She had pretty good stats on the UAA circuit.

Hopefully Gentry takes an official visit.

Gunlock is an intriguing recruit. Long, athletic, physical (even though slight of frame), fundamentally sound when attacking the pain (makes good decisions off of two feet). As far as recruitment....that is a mystery as she is one to post offers. Will be interesting to see where she will end up. If Binford likes her she will be aggressive in trying to get her just like with Chirrick, Erickson and potentially Gunlock

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

Will be interesting to see where she will end up. If Binford likes her she will be aggressive in trying to get her just like with Chirrick, Erickson and potentially Gunlock

With the recent verbal granted by Dylan Philip's younger sister, Jamison (which I can't blame MSU for as Jamison Philip is 2A All-Conference as a sophomore averaging 12 ppg while her fellow 2A All-Conference sidekick was Olivia Anderson, #6 in the nation for [Class2024], it appears that the Griz will only have to go against out of state interests, other than recruiting against MSU for in-state recruits, for the [Class2025] prospects. MSU with the additions of Erickson, Carrick & Harris for [Class2024] their roster is booked solid with 15 players already for the 2024-25 campaign; unless someone leaves the team during the next two years, that is.

They have 14 already facing the coming 2023-34 campaign, with three seniors. Add three to next year's season roster (Erickson, Harris & Carrick) plus Jamison Philip and that's 15.

So any in-state prospect for the [Class2025] it's either the LG or out-of-state for Division I participation, that is. As far as I know. IMHO

 

[jsb]

In reading the article, it was a little disheartening to see that Chirrick wasn't even offered by the LG. I understand not necessarily needing guards with this roster, but she's going to be a star at MSU. Both she and Erickson are insanely athletic. I know Selvig nearly exclusively recruited girls from MT and had a lot of success. His successor tried the same formula but didn't work out very well. I think we need to recruit whomever are the best players, but I do believe we should be trying to get the best from the state of MT. I also think that the next few years of girls basketball in MT is quite strong. Wyoming should just forfeit the WY-MT game now if most of these girls will be playing i.e. Chirrick, Williams, Grossman, Erickson, Pierce, Wasson, etc next year. Followed by years with Couture, Gunlock (2), another Pierce, Davis, Quinn, O'Connor, Lofing, etc...
It seems like MSU is focusing a little more on getting the MT talent than in years past. We'll see how it works out for them. There are also quite a few MT girls on out of state rosters right now and it seems to be more than in the past. Maybe I'm wrong. Just my thoughts...