Transfers/Seniors with Remaining Eligibility

[nescac1]

Given the strangeness of this COVID year, I thought I'd start a topic tracking top-tier players (all-region caliber) who are listed as seniors but who have a year of eligibility remaining.  I imagine some of these types of players will return to their current schools, and some may try to leverage their extra year of eligibility into a graduate opportunity (including, potentially, in D1).  I'm curious if any of them have actually publicized their intentions?  From the northeast corner of the country, there are some really strong players who could prolong their careers if they choose:

Ryan Turell, Yeshiva
Jaecee Martin, St. Joseph's
Marcus Azor, UMD
Sam Peek, Wesleyan
Terion Moss, Maine-Farmington

I think all of those guys might be able to generate some higher-level interest if they pursued it.  Certainly, all have been dominant players at the D3 level (and Martin and Moss were originally D1 recruits before transferring to D3). 

Besides Jaecee Martin, most of St. Joseph's listed seniors (all but Powell I think?) have an extra year remaining, so there is the potential for them all to come back to form an absolute juggernaut next year (they are already pretty darn good this year!). 

Turell will, I think, have the most options -- playing pro ball at a high level abroad, returning to Yeshiva as a grad student, or seeking out a D1 opportunity, which I assume would be abundant for a player of his reputation. 

[Titan Q]

Given the strangeness of this COVID year, I thought I'd start a topic tracking top-tier players (all-region caliber) who are listed as seniors but who have a year of eligibility remaining.  I imagine some of these types of players will return to their current schools, and some may try to leverage their extra year of eligibility into a graduate opportunity (including, potentially, in D1).  I'm curious if any of them have actually publicized their intentions?  From the northeast corner of the country, there are some really strong players who could prolong their careers if they choose:

Ryan Turell, Yeshiva
Jaecee Martin, St. Joseph's
Marcus Azor, UMD
Sam Peek, Wesleyan
Terion Moss, Maine-Farmington

I think all of those guys might be able to generate some higher-level interest if they pursued it.  Certainly, all have been dominant players at the D3 level (and Martin and Moss were originally D1 recruits before transferring to D3). 

Besides Jaecee Martin, most of St. Joseph's listed seniors (all but Powell I think?) have an extra year remaining, so there is the potential for them all to come back to form an absolute juggernaut next year (they are already pretty darn good this year!). 

Turell will, I think, have the most options -- playing pro ball at a high level abroad, returning to Yeshiva as a grad student, or seeking out a D1 opportunity, which I assume would be abundant for a player of his reputation.

Illinois Wesleyan has 3 (all starters):

* Matt Leritz, 6-7 F/C (17.9 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, .556 FG)

* Pete Lambesis, 6-4 G/F (11.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.5 apg) - stud defender

* Cory Noe, 6-2 SG (14.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg)


I've heard Leritz and Lambesis have interest in pursuing another year of basketball somewhere they can get a graduate degree...and ideally somewhere the $$ is right (scholarship $$, etc).  I can't confirm that - just something I heard a while back. 

I don't have any word on Noe.

Leritz grew up 2 blocks from WashU...family still lives there.  I have simply asked many to make sure Matt does not end up at WashU for a year.

[nescac1]

Interesting re: the IWU guys.  If those three guys ended up returning to IWU (which I imagine has some grad programs being a university), woooo boy. 

And certainly, the ability to be able to lure 5th years with a wide array of big-time grad programs is a massive advantage for UAA schools (as we've seen this year, as CWRU and Brandeis in particular have benefited from major-impact transfers).  I could totally see a Leritz or Peek type playing a fifth year at a place like Wash U., which already is brimming with talent, and making them absolutely loaded ... and I'm sure Brandeis or Wash U. (both of which have huge Jewish populations) would be delighted to welcome Turell into the fold! 

[Titan Q]

Interesting re: the IWU guys.  If those three guys ended up returning to IWU (which I imagine has some grad programs being a university), woooo boy. 

For sure, the Titans would be loaded again if they returned.

Fortunately I think IWU is an interesting position here where even after those 3 leave the Titans might be really talented and deep next year:

G - Luke Yoder (6-1 Jr) and Hakim Williams (6-3 Fr)
G - Ryan Sroka (6-5 So) and Lucas Heflen (6-3 Jr) and Grant Taueg (6-2 So.)
G/F - Nick Roper (6-8 Fr) and Connor Heaton (6-5 Fr)
F - Cody Mitchell (6-7 Jr) and Evan Schneider (6-6 So)
F - Harrison Wilmsen (6-9 Fr), Grant Hardy (6-8 So)

That team is going to be great I think.

6-8 FR G Nick Roper has a chance to be really good - https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1482491450571083783?s=20.

[WUPHF]

Every student-athlete who was enrolled in the Spring 2020 potentially qualifies for a Covid year... Is that right?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Interesting re: the IWU guys.  If those three guys ended up returning to IWU (which I imagine has some grad programs being a university), woooo boy. 

And certainly, the ability to be able to lure 5th years with a wide array of big-time grad programs is a massive advantage for UAA schools (as we've seen this year, as CWRU and Brandeis in particular have benefited from major-impact transfers).  I could totally see a Leritz or Peek type playing a fifth year at a place like Wash U., which already is brimming with talent, and making them absolutely loaded ... and I'm sure Brandeis or Wash U. (both of which have huge Jewish populations) would be delighted to welcome Turell into the fold!

Turell isn't leaving for another d3 school.  Yeshiva has plenty of grad programs if he wants to go that route. It'll be a Power Five D1 team or a pro career.  He'll certainly be able to catch on to a G League team or have obvious opportunities in Israel.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I know they've been expecting Ryan Algier back at Rochester this Spring - but if he doesn't end up playing, he'd probably be able to get an injury exemption for one more year somewhere.  Not sure what his future plans are, but that's another name to think about.

[Titan Q]

Interesting re: the IWU guys.  If those three guys ended up returning to IWU (which I imagine has some grad programs being a university), woooo boy. 

And certainly, the ability to be able to lure 5th years with a wide array of big-time grad programs is a massive advantage for UAA schools (as we've seen this year, as CWRU and Brandeis in particular have benefited from major-impact transfers).  I could totally see a Leritz or Peek type playing a fifth year at a place like Wash U., which already is brimming with talent, and making them absolutely loaded ... and I'm sure Brandeis or Wash U. (both of which have huge Jewish populations) would be delighted to welcome Turell into the fold!

Turell isn't leaving for another d3 school.  Yeshiva has plenty of grad programs if he wants to go that route. It'll be a Power Five D1 team or a pro career.  He'll certainly be able to catch on to a G League team or have obvious opportunities in Israel.

I've heard Turell is about 95% certain to not play for YU next next year...and if he does leave it will 100% be for professional basketball.

[nescac1]

Makes sense re: Turell.  I think right now he would really struggle with the speed, strength and athleticism of G-League (let alone NBA) players.  Bit with his shooting, skill, and hoops IQ, I think his game is really going to translate well in high-level foreign leagues (Israel, Spain, etc.) that appreciate the kinds of attributes he brings.  I'm sure he'd be hugely popular and potentially a big star in Israeli pro hoops, which features a lot of real ballers. 

[Titan Q]

Makes sense re: Turell.  I think right now he would really struggle with the speed, strength and athleticism of G-League (let alone NBA) players.  Bit with his shooting, skill, and hoops IQ, I think his game is really going to translate well in high-level foreign leagues (Israel, Spain, etc.) that appreciate the kinds of attributes he brings.  I'm sure he'd be hugely popular and potentially a big star in Israeli pro hoops, which features a lot of real ballers.

Agree.  I think he will be a very good player in Israel (most likely) or Europe.

I don't see him as an NBA prospect.

[Gregory Sager]

Interesting re: the IWU guys.  If those three guys ended up returning to IWU (which I imagine has some grad programs being a university), woooo boy. 

The word "university" is technically a misnomer in IWU's name, because the school does not have graduate programs.

And certainly, the ability to be able to lure 5th years with a wide array of big-time grad programs is a massive advantage for UAA schools (as we've seen this year, as CWRU and Brandeis in particular have benefited from major-impact transfers).  I could totally see a Leritz or Peek type playing a fifth year at a place like Wash U., which already is brimming with talent, and making them absolutely loaded ... and I'm sure Brandeis or Wash U. (both of which have huge Jewish populations) would be delighted to welcome Turell into the fold!

Of course, the trick is which graduate programs your school has in its array, wide or not. I suppose that there are some D3 players who have enough of a mercenary attitude that they would sign up for any old graduate program available in order to place themselves in the right basketball situation, with a clear intention not to bother finishing the degree once the eligibility is used up. But I doubt that there are many of them. The back end of college is a lot different than the front end in terms of a student-athlete's mentality; a career is much more of a looming prospect in one's life, and (hopefully) some maturity and foresight has been accrued along the way between matriculation and graduation. A master's degree in puppetry (yes, you can actually earn that degree at the University of Connecticut) probably isn't going to draw many serious student-athletes; an MBA or an MAE (the latter degree being particularly useful if one wants to go into coaching) is a degree much more likely to attract student-athletes who want to complete their eligibility. And some graduate programs -- medicine and law, for example -- are probably too rigorous in terms of academics to really be practical in tandem with playing varsity athletics.

I would say that in the case of grad programs at the UAA schools, it's the quality that matters just as much, if not more, than the quantity. If you're thinking about more than just the one final year you have available to you as a college athlete, you want to go to a grad school that has the sort of prestige that will make you a more attractive prospective employee. And that's the real selling point of a UAA school for student-athletes.

[thebear]

Agree.  I think he will be a very good player in Israel (most likely) or Europe.

I don't see him as an NBA prospect.

Be interesting to compare Turell's game to say Kevin Huerter, who is contributing in the NBA.

[WUPHF]

A master's degree in puppetry (yes, you can actually earn that degree at the University of Connecticut) probably isn't going to draw many serious student-athletes; an MBA or an MAE (the latter degree being particularly useful if one wants to go into coaching) is a degree much more likely to attract student-athletes who want to complete their eligibility. And some graduate programs -- medicine and law, for example -- are probably too rigorous in terms of academics to really be practical in tandem with playing varsity athletics.

The Washington University women's basketball team had a player who was enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine program.  I have no idea how she made that work, but I believe she had to miss more practices and games than usual.

I am very surprised that Illinois Wesleyan does not have an Masters in Education, as many small colleges use those as cash cows (even if the quality is high), but bravo to the IWU in this regard.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

A master's degree in puppetry (yes, you can actually earn that degree at the University of Connecticut) probably isn't going to draw many serious student-athletes; an MBA or an MAE (the latter degree being particularly useful if one wants to go into coaching) is a degree much more likely to attract student-athletes who want to complete their eligibility. And some graduate programs -- medicine and law, for example -- are probably too rigorous in terms of academics to really be practical in tandem with playing varsity athletics.

The Washington University women's basketball team had a player who was enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine program.  I have no idea how she made that work, but I believe she had to miss more practices and games than usual.

I am very surprised that Illinois Wesleyan does not have an Masters in Education, as many small colleges use those as cash cows (even if the quality is high), but bravo to the IWU in this regard.

I suspect for those popular degrees, it's tough for IWU to compete with Illinois State right around the corner.  Volume helps keep costs down.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The other question will be whether the NCAA continues its loosened enrollment requirements through the next three years, or if they'll tighten things back up again.  Currently, you can be full eligible with just one class in fall semester (if its your last class for an undergraduate degree) and then two in the spring - but there's no guarantee that'll continue.  If it does, though, and all the players who are eligible for the extra COVID year can play under those circumstances, you might find more players using that 5th year.

There's no reason a player couldn't move on with their life and get a job and still manage that load and basketball - lots of them are doing it this year.