2025 Recruiting

6’4” Julia Dalan from Chehalis has committed to UP for 2025 and will sign in November, according to her.

https://chronline.com/stories/prep-girls-basketball-bearcat-star-dalan-pledges-to-portland,342756

I’ve seen both Brinn and Dalan play club at a few games I caught over the summer up to this point.

My 2 cents

Brinn skilled player who could be deadly from 3. In order to contribute right away will have to get up to speed quickly on offense and increase her defensive capabilities as she is definitely more offense than defense and Meek demands a high defensive motor for underclassman to find their way to meaningful minutes.
Depending on the position she was brought in for (played some 1 and 2), could certainly see freshman minutes.

Dalan i was really impressed when I saw her size physically. Looks like an elite type athlete with big broad shoulders…..she just looks the part of a kid that could be dominant. As far as actual game play. Going to be a project. Game I saw wasn’t very versed around the basket with regards to footwork, doesn’t handle the ball with confidence and shot was inconsistent. Rebounding for her physical presence was not at a high level. The team she was playing againsts posts were giving up 3” plus and they handled her pretty easily. Think it will be a big step up for her going from playing in small school division in Washington and a club team that doesn’t see many teams with multiple D1 players much less another D1 post with size.

I see what the coaches see, but wouldn’t be surprised to see her redshirt freshman year to give her the best opportunity for success on the bluff.

MisterNoone wrote:I Dalan i was really impressed when I saw her size physically. Looks like an elite type athlete with big broad shoulders…..she just looks the part of a kid that could be dominant. As far as actual game play. Going to be a project.

Based upon Noone's post, I thought we should see what Julia Dalan's game looks like...and found this highlight.



Some may remember one of the best WBB players during Coach Sorenson's time on The Bluff, the personable Julie Spencer....Julie came to UP unheralded out of the same high school as Dalan, W.F. West in Chehalis.

I have seen Brynn play a few times. She is an elite shooter! You never know how soon a young player will contribute, but her ability to stretch the floor will be an asset to the program.

RJH wrote:I have seen Brynn play a few times.  She is an elite shooter!  You never know how soon a young player will contribute, but her ability to stretch the floor will be an asset to the program.

Welcome to PilotNation, RJH.  

We look forward to your continued contributions to the forum...

Team members hosted a recruit from Luxembourg for dinner and the soccer match this past weekend.

My only contribution to the discussion with her father, also on the visit, was to tell him the other schools that are recruiting her do not have non-stop flights from Frankfurt and Amsterdam, but Portland does!

(Of course, it's still almost 3 hours to Frankfurt and over 4 hours to Amsterdam's airport from Luxembourg, as I recall).

Tri-City Herald wrote:Kamiakin senior Aubrey Herrin took care of her college plans this summer when she announced last month that she will play women’s basketball next year for the University of Portland.

Herrin has been a standout the past two seasons for the Braves girls basketball team with her ability to leap high for rebounds and blocked shots. Herrin is also a state-caliber athlete in track and field in the jumps (high jump and triple jump) as well as in the sprint relays.

She was part of Kamiakin’s first-place girls 4x200 relay at the state championships back in May. As a sophomore, she was on the second-place 4x200 relay team at state; and she has finished second in the triple jump each of the past two years.

Read more at: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/sports/high-school/article293425089.html#storylink=cpy

As a 6-1 (6-2 wingspan), 17-year-old "Aubs" can definitely run the court and get to the rim...I think she'll be a fun addition to the team.

She's #10...

Early signing period begins today...

Potentially, I am told there could be as many as five or six this week, but with seven open scholarships for next season, one would think Coach Meek would want to leave some room for transfers.

With that said, this coming year is when there will be unlimited scholarships but limited roster spots...and women's basketball will be limited to 15, so still a max of 15 scholarships, I guess.    

(Men's basketball will increase from 13 to 15 rosters spots).

https://www.ncsasports.org/blog/ncaa-scholarship-roster-limits-2024

Geezaldinho wrote:6’4” Julia Dalan from Chehalis has committed to UP for 2025 and will sign in November, according to her.

https://chronline.com/stories/prep-girls-basketball-bearcat-star-dalan-pledges-to-portland,342756

Julia Dalan signed today

Julia Dalan
Eleanor Trout
Jada Kennedy
Brynn Smith
Aubrey Herrin

That's it for the early signing period...

Talking to the staff tonight, there is still room for a couple of transfers next spring or a transfer and a freshman, perhaps.

Looks like a long, athletic and versatile Class!