I Want Annika Soltau

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MikeADore
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I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

Soltau is a class of '23 (later determined to be '24) player for the German national team that recently played in the FIBA U17 World Championship tournament. She's 6'4 and moves extremely well for a girl her size. She's not a banger but does take the ball to the hoop and scores well. In fact, she led all players in the World Championship tourney with 20.3 points per game including 17 against the juggernaut USA team. She also had 8.5 rebounds per game.

She's the number-five ranked European recruit. https://premierbasketballreport.com/2023-1


Soltau created a twitter page in early October but has not tweeted anything. Among her 29 followers are coach Ralph, Ashley Earley, Kevin Demille and Christina Foggie. In my fantasy world, the fact that Foggie, the chief of staff, is following a recruit means they are trying to work out details of an international player making the move to Vandy. That's probably the fan in me running amuck, but it is unusual for Foggie to get involved with a recruit.

Soltau is not a social media girl, which makes me like her even more. But, it's hard to dig up information about her recruitment. I have learned that Michigan, Florida State and Oregon State are among the schools courting her, and I suspect North Carolina could be in the picture, also.

Truth is, the only connection I can find to Vandy is that four members of our staff jumped in to follow her on her new twitter account. And, even less compelling, Kevin Demille was in Hungary to watch the tourney. From what I've read, Soltau was one of the players many college coaches were focused on at the tourney, so I'm sure she had a wide variety of choices.

She'd be a great addition to wind up our '23 class. I do wonder if our recent signing of 6'3 Bailey Gilmore is an indication this flirtation with Soltau didn't go our way. I'm not giving up until I have to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVaTVaEfGEU
Last edited by MikeADore on Sat Apr 08, 2023 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

Okay, guys, I told myself I wouldn't get too invested in the recruitment of this player, but I've gone deeper down the rabbit hole. You tell me if I'm being crazy.

I checked Soltau's twitter page again this morning, and, lo and behold, Vandy's Director of Basketball Operations Chris Brann is now following her along with the four other members of the program. Brann is the guy who handles all the program's travel and logistics. I can't think of any reason he would be following a recruit unless there were travel arrangements to be made. Am I wrong?

Oh, and just for good measure to draw me deeper into the hole, Brann's twitter handle in her list of followers includes the anchor down symbols followed by the German flag.

The basketball gods haven't been particularly kind to me this summer. Surely they could give me this one.

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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by OldDude »

Okay, Mike, you are crazy ! Being a Vandy fan does that to you, I have been somewhat unhinged for years. I do appreciate all your posts about recruiting activity. Keep the faith brother !
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

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OldDude wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 12:16 pm Okay, Mike, you are crazy ! Being a Vandy fan does that to you, I have been somewhat unhinged for years. I do appreciate all your posts about recruiting activity. Keep the faith brother !
I acknowledge and embrace all of that. :mrgreen:
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by bornadore57 »

Did Annika commit to a Division I school?
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

Haven't seen or heard anything. Still nothing on her twitter page. The early signing period runs through the 16th, then there is the regular signing period in April that lasts a few weeks. It mystifies me why Foggie and Brann would be getting involved if there isn't something going on, but I'm finding I know very little about recruiting when you get right down to it. I know she's plenty good enough to get some big offers, so you'd think some news would come out.

She's 17, and her FIBA biography says she's a '23 recruit. I'm assuming that is correct.
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

Annika Soltau has added a "Class of '24" tag to her twitter page, so that clears that up. The page on the international ranking website had mistakenly listed her as a '23 recruit.
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

Annika Soltau is currently on a visit to Michigan, so it would appear she is on her visit tour from Germany. I have a feeling North Carolina could be one of her destinations. Hoping against hope that Vandy is on her list. A few days ago she posted a pic from Seattle, but it seemed to have nothing to do with basketball, so I don't know what to make of it. The current pic in a Michigan uniform includes the caption "not committed."

Fingers crossed.

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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

She has now posted photos from a visit to Washington U., which I guess explains the earlier photo from Seattle that was not basketball related. Once again she says she is not committed. It's confusing that the Michigan pics were posted before the Washington basketball photos, though. There are a lot of European players on some teams on the West Coast, which could be a draw for her. Still holding out hope that she will make her way down to Nashville. In truth, I'll surprised if she doesn't. Not only has our staff shown obvious interest on social media, but Annika appears to be good buds with Agata Makurat, who will be arriving at Vandy from Poland this summer. They are always among the first to comment on each other's instagram posts.

Washington:

Michigan:
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

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Looks like she is in North Carolina now. In answer to a question about where she was going to play, she just replied that she was still in North Carolina and is not committed anywhere. My hope was that she'd do NC, then Vandy would get the final shot on her tour.

ETA: I'm starting to get that ole sinking feeling. A more precise translation of the german reply to the question about whether she would play in Washington or Michigan says: "or in North Carolina. I'm not committed yet." No mention of Vandy.

:cry:
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by MikeADore »

She committed to Washington.
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Re: I Want Annika Soltau

Post by bornadore57 »

Keep on believing, MikeADore! I do. (Thanks for all you do for this board and the avid readers like me!!)
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