Transfer portal makes recruiting ‘harder’ for Boise State, but Broncos aren’t giving up

Much like last season, the Boise State women’s basketball team has a lot of new faces.

Six players left the program after the 2020-21 season, and the Broncos brought in four transfers and four true freshmen for the upcoming season.

They also return six players: Chinma Njoku, Mary Kay Naro, Anna Ostlie, Rachel Bowers, Abby Muse and Elodie Lalotte.

Since the advent of the transfer portal in 2018 — a database of every college player who wishes to leave their current program — the Broncos, like many other Mountain West programs, are balancing the benefits and drawbacks of the open market.

“I think we have done pretty well through the years in and getting and developing transfers,” Boise State coach Gordy Presnell said. “Now it’s much easier for maybe a Power 5 conference to just pick up the phone and not have to work as hard as we used to work.

“You might be able to sneak (a transfer) in once in a while, and now it’s not ever going to happen again. Everyone knows who everyone’s going after. I think, from a mid-major point of view, it’s much harder now. We’re still trying. We got two kids this past year off the portal. You have to go after it, so the spring is definitely a part of recruiting now.”

Presnell answered questions about his team during the second day of Mountain West virtual media days on Thursday. Here’s what we learned.

Meet the transfers

Mandy Simpson (Oklahoma): Simpson’s name should be familiar, as she played four varsity seasons for Boise High. She joins the Broncos as a graduate transfer, but had offseason surgery for an undisclosed injury and will be out indefinitely, Presnell said Thursday.

Simpson, a 6-foot-1 forward, started 72 of 105 games she played with the Sooners. She finished her career there with 432 points (4.1 ppg), 545 rebounds (5.2 rpg), 202 assists (1.9 apg), 61 steals and 14 blocks, and shot 41.6% from the floor.

“It’s gonna be a while before we know if she’ll contribute to us this year or not,” Presnell said.

Kaitlin Burgess (College of Southern Idaho): The All-American guard led the Golden Eagles to a Scenic West Athletic Conference title, Region 18 Championship crown and a trip to the junior college national tournament last season. Burgess averaged 13.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, while shooting 47.6% from 3-point range.

Burgess, who is originally from Auckland, New Zealand, will be a junior.

“She was one of the top 3-point shooters in the nation last season,” Presnell said. “... She had a wonderful career (at CSI) and she’s just a really great kid. We’re looking forward to seeing what she can do for us.”

Dominique Leonidas (Brown): The 5-5 redshirt senior guard from Stone Mountain, Georgia, did not play in 2020-21 because the Ivy League canceled the season due to COVID-19. As a junior, she served as team captain and started 22 of 26 games.

Leonidas averaged 6.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game in 2019-20.

“She is just a fireball,” Presnell said. “... She’s extremely quick, very athletic, has a great motor and is a great communicator.”

Sydney McQuietor (Boston College): The 6-3 forward from Keller, Texas, played in just two games for Boston College last season and will have four years of eligibility remaining with the Broncos. She is listed as a sophomore but the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic.

She missed her senior season at Keller High because of an injury, but had 533 points, 497 rebounds with 90 blocks as a junior.

“Sydney is battling for minutes, like everybody else is right now,” Presnell said, “and trying to learn a new system. We’re glad that she’s here.”

Broncos raid Washington, Oregon

Boise State added three freshmen from Washington and one from Oregon to this year’s roster.

The Washington recruits are 5-9 guard Linsey Lovrovich (Peninsula High, Gig Harbor), 6-2 forward Trista Hull (La Salle High, Yakima) and 5-7 guard Jayda Clark (Richland High). Allie Hueckman is a 5-10 guard from Burns High in Oregon.

“As a whole, our team is extremely young with the COVID year back,” Presnell said. “We have 10 kids that basically have four years of eligibility, so we’re in a prime place to reinvent ourselves, redevelop our culture and get to back to where Bronco basketball is accustomed to being.”

Bowers back for two

Presnell announced Thursday that Bowers will take the NCAA up on its offer for an extra year of eligibility, meaning she’ll be in a Boise State uniform for two more seasons.

Bowers, a 6-3 senior forward from Newhall, California, was limited most of last season with an ankle injury but is now healthy. She averaged 5.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season and has appeared in 82 games throughout her career.

“She kind of connects the success we’ve had in the past with this new group that’s going to be successful down the road,” Presnell said.

Century product still rehabbing

Njoku redshirted in 2019-20 and was poised for a breakout year before she was sidelined with a torn ACL three games into the season.

The 6-2 forward is still recovering from that knee injury, and Presnell said she likely won’t be available to play until late December.

As a senior at Century High in Pocatello, she averaged 15.0 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 58.9% from the field to carry the Diamondbacks to a 4A state title, their second with Njoku on the roster.

Manager receives promotion

Averi Adams has previously served as a manager for the Broncos, but she was added to the official roster this season.

The 5-9 guard from Mt. Spokane High in Colbert, Washington, has a twin sister, Aspyn Adams, who plays for Loyola Marymount.

“Averi has been our manager for the last three years and we wanted her to get a chance to participate and be on the team,” Presnell said.

Who’s gone?

The Broncos lost redshirt senior Mallory McGwire to graduation, while five players transferred to other teams.

Jade Loville, Boise State’s leading scorer last season and a first-team All-MW pick, joined Arizona State. Kimora Sykes and Alexis Mark both transferred to Loyola Marymount. Cristina Gil will play for McNeese State and Martina Machalova transferred to Division II University of Texas at Tyler.

Raigan Reed, from Lake Stevens, Washington, is no longer listed on Boise State’s roster but has not transferred to another school.

When does the season start?

Boise State begins the season with an exhibition game Nov. 6 against Southern Oregon at 2 p.m. at ExtraMile Arena. The Broncos open the regular season at 2 p.m. on Nov. 13 at home against Long Beach State.

In a poll of the league’s 11 head coaches and select media members, Boise State was picked to finish sixth in conference play. And no Broncos were chosen for the preseason all-Mountain West team.

It is the lowest the Broncos have been picked since they were predicted to finish eighth ahead of the 2013-14 season. Boise State won 18 games that season and posted a 12-6 mark in conference play to tie for third.