UP Preseason Update: WBB Edition

In the latest edition of an unofficial ongoing series updating PN readers on offseason activities that do not involve NCAA investigation; the Women's basketball team has undergone some changes since they played in the final Semifinal Sunday in Vegas for now.

Starting with yesterday, from portlandpilots.com:

Center Erin Boettcher has transferred to the University of Portland from the University of New Mexico and incoming freshman Colleen Olinger will join the women’s basketball team as a walk-on, announced head coach Jim Sollars. Boettcher, a sophomore who will have three years of eligibility remaining, will have to sit out during the upcoming 2011-12 season due to NCAA transfer regulations.
As a freshman with the Lobos last season, the 6-4 Boettcher started five games and made 30 appearances. The native of Concord, Calif., averaged nearly 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game, while shooting .762 from the free throw line. She posted a season-high eight points once, while registering a season-best six rebounds twice. As a senior at Carondelet High School, Boettcher helped the Cougars to a 27-6 record and a second-place finish at the state championship. She was also named second-team all-league, was an All-American nominee and was named a North Coast Section Scholar Athlete.

“Erin was highly recruited coming out of high school,” Sollars said. “She was a good contributor at New Mexico, where she started a handful of games, but she felt her academic needs would better be suited at the University of Portland.”

Olinger comes to UP from Springfield, Pa., where she attended the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur. The 5-8 guard, who earned four letters for the Fighting Irish, was named All-Main Line and All-Delaware County as a senior, while also grabbing all-league honors. The Fighting Irish were the 2008 Independent State Champions after finishing as the runner-up the previous year. Olinger also helped her club squad to a Mid-Atlantic Championship and to the top of the Blue Chip Penn State Invitational.

“Colleen is a quick little shooting guard,” said Sollars. “We can always use a good shooter and she can handle the ball well, so we’re looking forward to having her in the program.”

Fun fact: the academic needs might include the science program since she was listed as a Bio major on her U of NM profile. Good to read people transferring for reasons other than playing time.

I would be remiss to ignore the retirement of her U of NM head coach as a possible factor for the transfer.
Hopefully Boettcher can find the Bluff to be a great place to continue her academic, athletic and extra-curricular careers.

Also from her U of NM profile, while it lasts, she is described as:

...very physical player and understands the mental side of the game...will help provide depth in the post and has the work ethic to develop into a key contributor...fundamentally very sound and should have an impact right away.

If this description holds true, Boettcher should be a great addition to the inside presence. With Snyder coming off a redshirt year, Pupa having a solid performance in Vegas, and Cassandra Brown occasionally filling in at center; it is good to see the team building an inside presence to battle with the skilled squads in the conference. Adding their skill with the other recruits mentioned in another topic, the team has gathered a young core that could make the next few seasons interesting.

On the bench, the coaching squad picked up Cheryl Sorenson from Eastern Washington. However, according to the roster as of now, the coaching staff shrinks to three.

Coach Turner has taken a job at Holy Names in Oakland. Not only does she leave with coaching experience, she also leaves with a Masters in Management Communication. Coach Turner will put that degree to use at the helm of a NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship qualifying team that enter its final year in the California Pacific Athletic Conference before moving to the Pacific West Conference.

The roster also does not list Shayla Johnson, a three-year assistant for the program as an assistant coach. If she is not returning, I thank her for her efforts working with the team, including the recruitment of Jasmine Wooten, according to Wooten's own website. At time of writing, Coach Johnson has not landed somewhere, but I wish her the best.

In the social media realm, not to be outdone by the women's track and XC, Baseball, volleyball and men's basketball teams, the women's basketball team now has a presence on Facebook. Please add them as a Friend or like them!

Very informative. Thanks DJ!

If her reason is indeed that Portland provides an academic opportunity that her old school doesn't, she should be able to apply for an exception to the transfer rules.