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Ohio State women’s basketball guard Diana Collins enters transfer portal
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The second Buckeye in three days joins the transfer portal, this time after one season in Columbus
On Wednesday, Ohio State women’s basketball guard Emma Shumate announced her entry into the transfer portal. Early in the evening, The Next Hoops reported a source saying Collins was joining the portal. Late Friday night, teammate Diana Collins joined Shumate, announcing late on Instagram her intent to leave Ohio State.
Collins’ move comes as more of a shock than Shumate’s, with Collins leaving after her freshman season. It was always going to be difficult to find minutes on the court behind the five-guard group used by head coach Kevin McGuff, including Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry, Madison Greene, and Rikki Harris.
As a first-year Buckeye thought, Collins showed promise. The guard who could shoot, ball handle, and attack the rim averaged 12 minutes in 13 appearances, over the first 21 games of the season.
However, over the last 11 games of the season, Collins only appeared five times, averaging four minutes per game, scoring no points, and playing three minutes of postseason basketball. That came when the Buckeyes were up against the Maine Black Bears in the First Round.
Collins came to Columbus, Ohio as the 70th prospect in the 2023 ESPN recruiting rankings, out of Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Collins led Brookwood to a state championship in 2023, It was Brookwood’s first state title in school history and Collins played a prominent part.
The guard led the team in scoring each season and became Brookwood’s all-time leading scorer. A record that stood since the 1980s.
Internationally, Collins played youth basketball for Team Sweden, with her mother’s family hailing from the Scandinavian nation. At the FIBA 2023 U20 European Championship, Collins averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Now, the transfer leaves Buckeye fans wondering what is next for the program, losing two underclassmen guards this offseason.
However, the position of guard still features starting-caliber players. Greene, who confirmed she’s returning for a final season and Harris, who hopes to return but still hasn’t confirmed, will lead the young group of backcourt players. Plus, guard Kaia Henderson who hasn’t featured prominently for the Buckeyes but, as of publishing, is returning.
Also, the No. 1 overall point guard in the 2024 class, Jaloni Cambridge, joins Ohio State for the 24/25 season, along with her sister Kennedy Cambridge who was redshirted this season for the Buckeyes, giving the pair three years together in scarlet and gray. In addition, Ava Watson joins the Buckeyes this offseason too, as head coach Kevin McGuff’s other freshman guard.
Overall, Collins averaged 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in her freshman season. Her departure from the program will draw the attention of other schools, even with Collins’ time on the court limited.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The second Buckeye in three days joins the transfer portal, this time after one season in Columbus
On Wednesday, Ohio State women’s basketball guard Emma Shumate announced her entry into the transfer portal. Early in the evening, The Next Hoops reported a source saying Collins was joining the portal. Late Friday night, teammate Diana Collins joined Shumate, announcing late on Instagram her intent to leave Ohio State.
Collins’ move comes as more of a shock than Shumate’s, with Collins leaving after her freshman season. It was always going to be difficult to find minutes on the court behind the five-guard group used by head coach Kevin McGuff, including Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry, Madison Greene, and Rikki Harris.
As a first-year Buckeye thought, Collins showed promise. The guard who could shoot, ball handle, and attack the rim averaged 12 minutes in 13 appearances, over the first 21 games of the season.
However, over the last 11 games of the season, Collins only appeared five times, averaging four minutes per game, scoring no points, and playing three minutes of postseason basketball. That came when the Buckeyes were up against the Maine Black Bears in the First Round.
Collins came to Columbus, Ohio as the 70th prospect in the 2023 ESPN recruiting rankings, out of Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Collins led Brookwood to a state championship in 2023, It was Brookwood’s first state title in school history and Collins played a prominent part.
The guard led the team in scoring each season and became Brookwood’s all-time leading scorer. A record that stood since the 1980s.
Internationally, Collins played youth basketball for Team Sweden, with her mother’s family hailing from the Scandinavian nation. At the FIBA 2023 U20 European Championship, Collins averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Now, the transfer leaves Buckeye fans wondering what is next for the program, losing two underclassmen guards this offseason.
However, the position of guard still features starting-caliber players. Greene, who confirmed she’s returning for a final season and Harris, who hopes to return but still hasn’t confirmed, will lead the young group of backcourt players. Plus, guard Kaia Henderson who hasn’t featured prominently for the Buckeyes but, as of publishing, is returning.
Also, the No. 1 overall point guard in the 2024 class, Jaloni Cambridge, joins Ohio State for the 24/25 season, along with her sister Kennedy Cambridge who was redshirted this season for the Buckeyes, giving the pair three years together in scarlet and gray. In addition, Ava Watson joins the Buckeyes this offseason too, as head coach Kevin McGuff’s other freshman guard.
Overall, Collins averaged 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in her freshman season. Her departure from the program will draw the attention of other schools, even with Collins’ time on the court limited.
Continue reading...