[TheFarm07]

Yes. Losing Beebe hurt a lot because that class was already small and not especially strong, and the class above it, while we had many players with strong games, Amber was the only reliable standout. We also lost Rooks (#18 from class of 2014), who for whatever reason, did not develop at the next level, and Kailee Johnson (#20 from the class of 2013) never developed into the top 20 recruit she was promised to be. Those are two of our only three top 20 recruits among our four class years on this year's team (McCall's the other one), which has also hurt us. It's funny to think that players like Lili and Karlie were not even top 50 recruits and how much more critical they've been to our team. Imagine if they hadn't developed the way they had!

We need to be averaging 1.5 really strong players a season to stand any chance of having a solid roster. That's what makes UConn so incredible - they just keep reloading every year. Fortunately things are really looking up with our incoming class next year and our really strong freshman class this year. If we can get a solid post player to go along with the Hull twins, we should be pretty solid shape going forward.

It's a testament to Tara and the coaching staff on their ability to develop players and have a consistently top-25 team year-in and year-out despite the admissions restrictions.

I wish there were more elite-level recruits (top 5 program changing superstars) that had the academic credentials to get into Stanford. We saw what Tara could do when she was able to have Appel, Pedersen, Pohlen and the Ogwumike sisters play for her in a six or seven year timespan - challenge for national titles, make Final Four runs year after year and have a combined loss total over those years equivalent to one good season's worth for most other programs.

I thought our success during those years when we were the one consistent challenger to UConn, especially early on (2009-2011) would inspire more aspiring middle schoolers and such to work for the qualifications to get admitted, but that payoff, which has occurred in other sports had not materialized.

[TheFarm07]

Yes. Losing Beebe hurt a lot because that class was already small and not especially strong, and the class above it, while we had many players with strong games, Amber was the only reliable standout. We also lost Rooks (#18 from class of 2014), who for whatever reason, did not develop at the next level, and Kailee Johnson (#20 from the class of 2013) never developed into the top 20 recruit she was promised to be. Those are two of our only three top 20 recruits among our four class years on this year's team (McCall's the other one), which has also hurt us. It's funny to think that players like Lili and Karlie were not even top 50 recruits and how much more critical they've been to our team. Imagine if they hadn't developed the way they had!

We need to be averaging 1.5 really strong players a season to stand any chance of having a solid roster. That's what makes UConn so incredible - they just keep reloading every year. Fortunately things are really looking up with our incoming class next year and our really strong freshman class this year. If we can get a solid post player to go along with the Hull twins, we should be pretty solid shape going forward.

It's a testament to Tara and the coaching staff on their ability to develop players and have a consistently top-25 team year-in and year-out despite the admissions restrictions.

I wish there were more elite-level recruits (top 5 program changing superstars) that had the academic credentials to get into Stanford. We saw what Tara could do when she was able to have Appel, Pedersen, Pohlen and the Ogwumike sisters play for her in a six or seven year timespan - challenge for national titles, make Final Four runs year after year and have a combined loss total over those years equivalent to one good season's worth for most other programs.

I thought our success during those years when we were the one consistent challenger to UConn, especially early on (2009-2011) would inspire more aspiring middle schoolers and such to work for the qualifications to get admitted, but that payoff, which has occurred in other sports had not materialized.