Recruiting Rundown

For fan discussion of the Vanderbilt Commodore women's basketball program, games and recruiting.

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vandyfan52
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Recruiting Rundown

Post by vandyfan52 »

Looking at the last few threads involving recruiting efforts, I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of current offers (taken from various online articles and outlets but mostly from Raoul’s Twitter site). I am hoping that I did it accurately but of course, welcome folks with more knowledge to add/subtract or comment on it.

Trinity Wilson, (2024), 6'3 C, unranked, Lakeville, MN - COMMITTED

Ava Jaye Black, (2025), 5'11 G, unranked, Tabor Academy (MA) / Auburn, NH - COMMITTED

2024

Mikayla Blakes, 6'0 G, #16 Hoopgurlz, Somerset, NJ (made top seven list)
Joyce Edwards, 6'2 F, #1 Hoopgurlz, Camden, SC (made unofficial visit)
Orlagh Gormley, 5'6 PG, unranked, Quincy, MA (made official visit)
Kateryna Koval, 6'5 C, #5 Hoopgurlz, Brookville, NY
Eris Lester, 5'11 G, #39 Hoopgurlz, Montverde Academy (FL) / Winter Park, FL (made top seven list)

2025

Ciara Byars, 6'2 F, #35 Hoopgurlz, Winchester, KY (made unofficial visit)
Layla Hays, 6'5 C, unranked, Wasilla, AK
Bella Hines, 5'9 G, #23 Hoopgurlz, Albuquerque, NM
Leah Macy, 6'2 F, #11 Hoopgurlz, Bardstown, KY (made official visit)
Sami Mancini, 6'5 C, unranked, Webb City MO
Brynn McGaughy, 6'3 F, #15 Hoopgurlz, Colfax, WA
Emilee Skinner, 6'0 G, #10 Hoopgurlz, Millville, UT
Jordan Speiser, 6'1 W, #17 Hoopgurlz, Warrenton, MO

2026

Jacy Abil, 6'1 G, #9 Hoopgurlz, Frisco, TX
Kamrah Banks, PG, unranked, Indianapolis, IN
Maddyn Greenway, 5'9 PG, #15 Hoopgurlz, Plymouth, MN
Olivia Vukosa, 6'4 C, #2 Hoopgurlz, Whitestone, NY
McKenna Woliczko, 6'2 F, #4 Hoopgurlz, San Bruno, CA

2027

Haylen Ayers (daughter of Ashley Mcelhiney Ayers), 5’10 G, Jackson, TN

Known/possible interest or offer - Reese Beaty (2025), Divine Bourrage (2025), Jayla Forbes (2027) (made unofficial visit), Lauren Hassell (2027), Kamryn Kitchen (2025) (made unofficial visit), Melissa "Missy" Odom (2026), and Titianna Stovall (2025).
Last edited by vandyfan52 on Sat Sep 02, 2023 4:31 am, edited 78 times in total.


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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by dunc77 »

Haylen Ayers (daughter of Ashley Mcelhiney Ayers) (2027)

Great, thanks for reminding me how old I am. :lol:
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

vandyfan52 wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:17 am Looking at the last few threads involving recruiting efforts, I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of offers (taken from various online articles and outlets but mostly from Raoul’s Twitter site) made by the new staff. I am hoping that I did it accurately but of course, welcome folks with more knowledge to add/subtract or comment on it.

Cori Allen, (2023), 5’10 G, #50 Hoopgurlz, Nashville, TN
Haylen Ayers (daughter of Ashley Mcelhiney Ayers) (2027), 5’10 G, Jackson, TN
Jaloni Cambridge (Jordyn’s sister) (2024), 5’6 PG, #2 Hoopgurlz, Nashville, TN
Chloe Clardy, (2023), 5’9 G, #41 Hoopgurlz, Conway, AR
Jordyn Griggs, (2023), 6’1 W, unranked, Moreno Valley, CA
Olivia Olsen, (2024), 6’0 PG, #3 Hoopgurlz, St. Louis Park, MN
Amiya Reynolds, (2023), 6’0 G, #22 Hoopgurlz, South Bend, IN
Emma Risch, (2023), 6’1 G, #55 Hoopgurlz, Melbourne, FL
Ashlynn Shade, (2023), 5’9 G, #5 Hoopgurlz, Noblesville, IN
Chloe Spreen, (2024), 5’9 G, #21 Hoopgurlz, Bedford, IN
Cierra Toomey, (2023), 6’3 P, #3 Hoopgurlz, Dunmore, PA

Known/possible interest or offer - Elle Blatchford, (2023), Diana Collins (2023), Jada Harrison (2023), Acacia Hayes (2022 - unofficial visit), and Riley Nelson (2023).
Great job, vandyfan52. I've been digging around the past couple of weeks trying to make sense of where we stand in recruiting/offers. One of the biggest puzzles is which players have offers from coach Ralph, which have offers from coach White only, and which have offers from both. I've mostly dug through WBB blog for the info.

Focusing on '23, I know that coach Ralph was very quick with an offer to Ashlynn Shade, who already had an offer from coach White. Coach Ralph made the offer in April, which leads you to believe she is definitely a big priority. She offered Chloe Clardy in May. She also had an offer from coach White. Ralph offered Sierra Toomey in May, and Emma Risch in July. Neither had an offer from White.

So, the WBB blog shows Ralph offering Shade, Clardy, Toomey and Risch for '23. Were you able to determine whether the others on the list also have certain offers from her?

To muddy the waters even more, we got a commitment from Rhyanne Allen three weeks ago, and the WBB blog showed an offer last year from White but never showed an offer from Ralph. So, just because the blog doesn't show an offer from Ralph doesn't mean she's not pursuing the player.

If my calculations are right, Ayers is a seventh-grader this year. Do yo know whether White made the offer or Ralph? Either way, she must have a lot of her mama's attitude and ability. I loved watching Ashley play. Thanks again for the list.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by vandyfan52 »

Yes, the biggest challenge right now is who was offered by the current staff versus the former staff and whether anyone was reoffered (clearly, Ryanne Allen was!).
I tried to keep the list to those names attributed to the current staff. Previously, White and Gary Redus II cast a very wide net as there were many names that I did not include who were offered by them but there is no evidence of whether there were reoffers by Earley and the new staff.
While included on the list, it may be uncertain if Cori Allen (she did take an unofficial visit) or Jaloni Cambridge (she is Jordyn's sister and quite a talent and game-changer) have been reoffered but sure hope that it is the case. Blatchford and Collins were offered by White but uncertain of their current status and not sure which staff was recruiting Nelson, hence why they are not on the list but mentioned as potential interest etc.
Anyhow, tried my best with the list and hoping we will add more names to it and see a few of the names mentioned turn into commits in the near future!
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

Thanks for the reply, and great job on the list. It looks like we will probably need at least six players in '23 if none of the ladies decide to take the free year offered last season. Chambers, Washington, Bartram, Pearl, Smith and Asha Taylor are all juniors this year.

Yeah, Cori Allen and Jaloni Cambridge will be interesting challenges for coach Ralph. Allen, who has transferred from Hillsboro to an academy in Florida this season, could be a tough sell since her dad played basketball at UT. I hope Cambridge will be willing to follow big sis to Vandy in '24, but she was recently bumped up to #2 at ESPN. Going to be a lot of folks rolling through Ensworth the next couple of years. Jordan seems to have thrived at Vandy in spite of all her injury woes, so hopefully that will help.
Last edited by MikeADore on Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by VandyWhit »

Thanks for the list -- I know that takes a lot of effort, and it's appreciated! Updates would be great!
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by vandyfan52 »

We made the Final 8 for Ciera Toomey!!! Again, she is #3 rated overall player and the top post in the 2023 class out of Dunmore, PA. Her list includes the following: Vandy, UConn, Duke, Maryland, UNC, Northwestern, Penn State, and Villanova.
As with all recruitments, it will be interesting to see how the process plays out... hoping for the best.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by HuskyT »

vandyfan52 wrote: Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:10 am We made the Final 8 for Ciera Toomey!!! Again, she is #3 rated overall player and the top post in the 2023 class out of Dunmore, PA. Her list includes the following: Vandy, UConn, Duke, Maryland, UNC, Northwestern, Penn State, and Villanova.
As with all recruitments, it will be interesting to see how the process plays out... hoping for the best.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

My absolute favorite prospect in the '23 class based on the limited amount of highlight film I've watched from players in that group. She's the type of player who can change a program the day she shows up, along with players like Ashlynn Shade.

Vandyfan52, would you consider making a separate post about this development? It's great news, and I, for one, would like to call as much attention to it as possible. I've never tried to keep up with WBB recruiting, but I'm finding it quite enjoyable these days.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by vandyfan52 »

MikeADore, definitely feel free to start a separate thread on this subject if you feel it needs one!!!
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

S'mya Nichols out of Kansas has Vandy among her final eight for the class of '23. She is listed as ESPN's #34 player for her class. Her group of finalists: Vandy, Tennessee, UCLA, Mississippi State, Wisconsin, Missouri, West Virginia and Kansas. She's 6'0 tall and plays on the wing. In addition to the ESPN list, she is among the Top 30 on Prospect Nation's ELITE 60 Watch List. S'mya is #21 on Blue Star Basketball's rankings for '23.

ETA: Just wanted to add her name here to help keep the recruiting news on one post as much as possible. I posted this separately a couple weeks ago.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

Kinda heart hurt this morning. First of all, Emma Risch, a ’23 Florida guard I really thought we’d have a good chance at based on schools who offered her, announced her commitment to Notre Dame. That’s the school I thought would be our biggest competition. She’s a bit like Ashlyn Shade without the powerful body. An elite shooter.

Also, I watched UConn’s season opener Sunday against Arkansas, and Ciera Toomey, the 6’3 post who has Vandy in her final 8, was seated right behind the UConn bench. She’s the #3 player in the class of ’23 who could really help turn our program around.

Speaking of Shade, she also has us in her final 8, but it’s confirmed she has made two visits to UT and, according to the UConn board, could have another visit scheduled. One of those visits was with her brother who was making a baseball visit. Anybody got coach Corbin’s number? Just a thought. :mrgreen:
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by HuskyT »

I'd like to see more size offered. Toomey (aka the toominator) is a great prospect. Also AAlyah Del Rosario who just transferred to the Webb school in Bell Buckle should be on that list. She's a big that can handle and score from deep. I know CSR knows her from her time in New Jersey. Perhaps Letycia Vasconcelos. Right now Vandy is starved for height and 6'0" to 6'2" players are not enough to get where you need to be. There is not a lot of height available in the 2023. Perhaps there is a player in the portal that would help.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

Hate to admit it, but she (Ciera Toomey) even looks a bit like Breanna Stewart. Some times life ain't fair.

Image
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

PG Diana Collins (5'6), one of the players listed above, has committed to her home state school, Georgia. Other offers included Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

Cierra Toomey make an unofficial visit to North Carolina. I'm assuming we're still in the picture with her. With her high school season ending soon, hopefully she'll have some time to visit. Would be great if she could do it in the spring when everything is in bloom and looking gorgeous on the Vandy campus.

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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by Go Vandy! »

dunc77 wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 9:13 am Haylen Ayers (daughter of Ashley Mcelhiney Ayers) (2027)

Great, thanks for reminding me how old I am. :lol:
I'm highly offended. I resemble that remark.

I remember Ashley staring down that stupid owner (whose husband and brother-in-law fired the next day) of the Rhythm (had to look that up) who tryed to make her bench Freije, who IIRC was on a short contract as it was.
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by Nashmann »

Is there a list of current '22 signees somewhere? I can't find it...
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by MikeADore »

Nashmann wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:17 am Is there a list of current '22 signees somewhere? I can't find it...
Not a pure list, but here is a team-by-team list. It's a bit cumbersome to work through, but the teams are listed alphabetically, which makes it easier:

https://wbbblog.com/2022-womens-basketball-commitments/

Here is a Top 100 list:

http://www.espn.com/high-school/girls-b ... class/2022
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Re: Recruiting rundown

Post by VandyWhit »

Nashmann wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:17 am Is there a list of current '22 signees somewhere? I can't find it...
Are you asking about players graduating from high school in 2022 who have signed with Vanderbilt? If so . .

https://vucommodores.com/the-inaugural-class/
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