2022 Recruits

While the talent was available, it wasn't employed properly or developed. Team chemistry was poor. The team was emotionally fragile. They were losing to traditional bottom dwellers because they didn't know how to win. That type of situation can take years to resolve even by good coaches. It is much harder to change player and team culture than most people think. It was most definitely a rebuild. Kellie has been attacked on the recruiting trail by coaches and representatives who have a vested interest in things remaining the same and who know that if she is successful, a sleeping giant will awake and that will not be in their best interests. They've been pulling out all the stops but if Kellie starts winning big, their story will be less effective. Just win and win with class baby. I personally believe she has developed her players to be able to compete every game on the schedule. I have not felt that way in a long time.

Yep
 
No, that is not just what you we’re saying. You specifically called out Ralph for somehow making two recruits leave their HS for one in a school nearer to Vanderbilt.

and you refuse to offer how you know this.

You should be more than just sorry for spelling her name wrong.

Maybe it was just some of that vaunted "Philly humor" to which we have routinely be subjected over the years.
 
She also Evina, Mimi, and Zay Green (transferred because she was dismissed). Destiny said something about it not being "her choice" and Jaz landed where some FBC players were go figure.

I wasn't counting Westbrook or Collins because they never were coached by Kellie. If we're going to blame her for their transfers, we have to give her lots of credit for retaining Rae, Rennia, Jordan, Tamari, and the rest of the veterans/incoming players. Green doesn't count either way since it was out of Kellie's hands.
 
I wasn't counting Westbrook or Collins because they never were coached by Kellie. If we're going to blame her for their transfers, we have to give her lots of credit for retaining Rae, Rennia, Jordan, Tamari, and the rest of the veterans/incoming players. Green doesn't count either way since it was out of Kellie's hands.

Oh i'm definitely with that. Remember she coached them for a couple of weeks then they transferred so I count it. I also have stated she gets credit for keeping the ones on campus here AND helping to improve their games!
 
in the 23/24 season, Key, Saunders, Horston, and Rennie are eligible for 5th year due to Covid. Odds are, some will take advantage and some won't. I could make a case for each of them staying and a case for each of them leaving after 4. The point is, we don't have any way of knowing now for sure, and so drawing lines in the sand about the 23 recruiting class isn't productive, imho.

i`could be wrong but i`m sure Key moves on to the WNBA
 
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Oh i'm definitely with that. Remember she coached them for a couple of weeks then they transferred so I count it. I also have stated she gets credit for keeping the ones on campus here AND helping to improve their games!

That's fair. I still think Westbrook had her mind made up before Kellie arrived, and it's my understanding that Collins was a Holly loyalist unhappy about the change (in addition to being from Maryland). But yeah, it's possible that a higher-profile coach might have convinced them to stay. The call of Conn U had to have been hard for Westbrook to ignore, especially considering that we had just hit rock bottom and likely only made the tournament as a charity case.
 
Too bad Darth, he's already taken.
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And unfortunately for you, he's over 18...
 
May not be useful but is highly accurate as to what the situation will be if we fail with the 2023 recruiting class. I don't like to say it, but reality is reality. If the coaching staff is not thinking of it as a must get ready for SEC bottom of league so they have to get out and either get transfers or 2023 top recruits no way to state it any other way. I mean if you willing to accept going to the middle or further down in the SEC no problem. I doubt most fans would accept that in year four of a coaching reign. Not trying to be negative just stating a fact that is absolutely true.

“Hoping we show some patience here on Volnation about our recruiting concerns, we have no idea what our 2023 class will look like, but worrying now until then here will encourage all the negative ”fans” who post here.”

This is what I wrote on page 203 of this thread, it had you in mind because I had read the posts you had already posted many times about your disappointment that we have not signed a post in the 2022 class, so far. Maybe you should review your posts since saying you’re “not trying to be negative.” Over multiple posts per page for the last several pages, you have included these words: (This is some, but probably not all): “fear, painful, not good, totally unacceptable, failure, damaging, terrible, bad situation, sinking to the bottom, SEC bottom of the league, and line in the sand.”

Above, you say “if the coaching staff is not thinking of it as a must”….. Do you really have so little confidence in Kellie to not know what her team needs? Do you think she is stupid? Do you really think we’ll have only 7 players on the 2023 team? Do you think you need to threaten Kellie‘s future as our Coach? Do you think we fans cannot understand your concerns, so you must continue to repeat them?

I/we all understand your concerns, you have every right to say what you want, but I hope this is not all you talk about for the next two years. You have been much better than that in the past. You are giving, I believe a false impression, that we are not happy with our Coach, to those new to this forum, including possibly new recruits, and of course, you are making happy those here who are already negative posters.

Please lighten up a little, and give Kellie time to fulfill your wishes for our future players.
 
“Hoping we show some patience here on Volnation about our recruiting concerns, we have no idea what our 2023 class will look like, but worrying now until then here will encourage all the negative ”fans” who post here.”

This is what I wrote on page 203 of this thread, it had you in mind because I had read the posts you had already posted many times about your disappointment that we have not signed a post in the 2022 class, so far. Maybe you should review your posts since saying you’re “not trying to be negative.” Over multiple posts per page for the last several pages, you have included these words: (This is some, but probably not all): “fear, painful, not good, totally unacceptable, failure, damaging, terrible, bad situation, sinking to the bottom, SEC bottom of the league, and line in the sand.”

Above, you say “if the coaching staff is not thinking of it as a must”….. Do you really have so little confidence in Kellie to not know what her team needs? Do you think she is stupid? Do you really think we’ll have only 7 players on the 2023 team? Do you think you need to threaten Kellie‘s future as our Coach? Do you think we fans cannot understand your concerns, so you must continue to repeat them?

I/we all understand your concerns, you have every right to say what you want, but I hope this is not all you talk about for the next two years. You have been much better than that in the past. You are giving, I believe a false impression, that we are not happy with our Coach, to those new to this forum, including possibly new recruits, and of course, you are making happy those here who are already negative posters.

Please lighten up a little, and give Kellie time to fulfill your wishes for our future players.

Hell of a post my friend, hell of a post....

For the last few months, a fever of we must have so and so has gripped this board....And some poster has even said our program will cease to exist unless this or that is done....And they were serious.

This fever has been led by an "always negative poster" that has possibly infected others with his always negative posts...

In any event, it's about time to move on 2023 class thread, so these negative Nancy's can do more damage.

People take a break and relax.....
 
The 2022 class is not finished yet. There will be around 1,000 young lady's in the portal to choose from. A lot of junco players really develops during the two years. I'm sure we will be a couple players if Tennessee wants them. I'm so excited about this year This team is going to surprise a lot of people. As always go Lady Vol's.
 
Key and Horston are not coming back that is a promise I know I can keep. They don't want another season the WNBA is expanding and they will be top prospects in that draft. Saunders and Rennie don't make the situation better JMO I don't expect either to see a lot of playing time this season after the SEC starts. I don't expect anyone to accept me personally drawing a line as 2023 being a must recruiting year. It definitely is yet no one has to see it that way. For me it is just being real to the situation and knowing what kind of talent you need to win in the SEC. So yes to me and maybe me alone it is a must that we recruit a top ten class in 2023 or find the equivalent in the portal or fans are not going to like what they see and that should be easy for most anyone to understand.
I don’t think anyone is having trouble understanding what you are saying. You have, after all, repeated your position three times. I think a lot of us believe, while a top ten 2023 class would be wonderful, there are other markers which might be reached that could nullify the dreaded line in the sand for say a 2023 class ranked 12th.
 
I don’t think anyone is having trouble understanding what you are saying. You have, after all, repeated your position three times. I think a lot of us believe, while a top ten 2023 class would be wonderful, there are other markers which might be reached that could nullify the dreaded line in the sand for say a 2023 class ranked 12th.
Top 3 2023 class or I’m convinced Kellie can’t recruit.
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I will reveal more on this, but don’t be surprised if Shay Ralph was behind it
innuendo and slander without a fact to back it up. This is really a shameful post.

I'm pretty sure Shea knows ADR because there was a time when she was high on UConn's radar. But in order to intimate that Shea is being underhanded in anyway just means you don't know a thing about her. It also questions the integrity of the two players, their families and the coaches and staff of the Webb school. What do you think the players and families will think of UT if they get wind of fan posts intimating they are involved in crooked shenanigans? You don't just blindly throw a rock because you don't know how many people you hurt.
 
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To add if Samantha Williams doesn't know how to proceed on a visit no one does as she closed out about numerous AA's at Louisville.

I’d say it’s pretty easy to “reel” them in when you’re assistant coach for Jeff Walz. Regardless, if he is hated or loved on here, he is a good coach and ultimately, that’s who they were committing to play for. Samantha Williams may be a great recruiter, but if the players aren’t feeling Kellie, then it won’t matter who her assistants are! Go get Chris Daley and Geno will still get the same great players because they aren’t going to UCONN to play for Chris Daley. Crazy how much better Jolette Law recruits at USC….The whole assistant coach thing is blown out of proportion. At the end of the day, Kellie will be the one calling the shots and she doesn’t seem to appeal to these players. Say all you want about how it was too late in the process in 2022 to get recruits once the new assistants came, but Kellie’s been there the whole time.

Cue the responses telling me how I don’t understand recruiting and we are going to sign so many players next year…..
 
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Then she gets credit for Walker, Dye, Miles, Wynn, Puckett, Striplin, and Pissott. Fair?

Yeah, I would say that if that was the recruiting class for South Carolina their fans would be unhappy. You can pump up these players all you want, but to get back to where Tennessee should be, you have to recruit a totally different type of player. There are no Aliyah Boston’s wanting to come here. Ziyah Cooke didn’t want to come here…she at least considered us, but wanted to compete for a championship. What recruit have we gone up against a heavyweight program for and got the commitment since Kellie got here? Whatever she is doing…do something else. Tell everyone who you want or something. This secretive strategy isn’t helping at all. We can’t even get any big names to come here in the portal. What Power 5 players are wanting to transfer in here?

I do get that on this board, we are supposed to just be happy all the time and not be “negative”. I’m calling it as I see it. If I was a fan of another team looking in on our program I wouldn’t be worried. We aren’t bringing in any stars and our fans are content with being marginal. We are the most storied program in all of Women’s Basketball! It’s laughable that we ever got to this point and we should have higher standards for our program.
 
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