In recent years, the transfer portal has become a significant part of the college athlete experience. If a school isn’t the perfect fit, another one might be. Before last season, we had five players transfer, though only a couple had received consistent minutes. Mathilda Ekh left and may be bound for the WNBA after performing well for both the Spartans and Virginia Tech. Taiyier Parks left more for academics than for basketball, receiving limited minutes last season on a strong Ohio State team. The other transfers—Brooklyn Rewers, Olivia Porter, Lauren Walker, and Maddy Skorupski—went to smaller programs where their talents would be more appreciated. This year is similar, with one starter, one bench player, and two depth players transferring out. Below are the departing players, the gaps they’ll leave, and how the Spartans plan to fill them this season:
Deedee Hageman
Deedee has been a leader on this team since her freshman season. As the highest-ranked recruit to come to Michigan State in the last ten years, she made an immediate impact, quickly becoming one of the best floor generals in MSU history. In her freshman year, under Susie Merchant, with a very different-looking MSU team that included Nia Clouden and Mathilda Ekh, Deedee posted impressive assist numbers, totaling 144. She also tied the best assist rate in school history at 30.4 percent, a record held by her coach Kristin Haynie, a fan-favorite player from the early 2000s and now in her second year as head coach at Central Michigan.
Last year, under new leadership, Deedee had less complete control of the offense. Head Coach Robyn Fralick opted to spread the ball around, taking advantage of a lineup full of guards after early injuries to the team’s bigs, while allowing sophomore Theryn Hallock to take on some of the point guard responsibilities. Despite less time with the ball, Deedee recorded more assists than ever, thanks to a talented Spartan squad full of shooters. Her shooting also improved, making her more of a scoring threat and one of the deadliest weapons on the team in her final season as a Spartan.
What We’re Losing
Deedee’s primary strength over the last two seasons was her assist-to-turnover ratio; she finished last season ranked 8th in the country with 2.84 assists for every turnover. Her shooting steadily improved throughout her college career, and last season she shot a staggering 51% from the field and 41% from beyond the arc. She has always excelled at attacking the rim, but in the 2023–24 season, particularly in close fourth quarters, she became a dominant offensive force with a versatile layup game. She played the most minutes for the team at 32 per game and, unsurprisingly, led the Spartans in assists with 5.2 per game while also posting a career-high 12.3 points per game. Replacing that type of production will be tough, especially in terms of ball control, though Theryn Hallock should be able to replicate much of the scoring and playmaking.
Why She Left and Where She’s Going
Deedee will be missed by Spartan fans. She is transferring to Memphis for her senior season. At 5’7”, her height, despite her tenacious defense and athleticism, could be a defensive liability in the WNBA. While her scoring and passing skills are strong, her draft prospects are uncertain. At Memphis, where she will have more control over the ball, Deedee hopes to boost her chances of starting a professional basketball career, either in the U.S. or overseas. It’s a move fans can understand and support.
Gabby Elliott
A bit of a carousel among Big Ten transfers this season includes Gabby Elliott, who is transferring to Penn State as a graduate student. Elliott always had the potential to be an impact player for the Spartans but was never able to realize it. She joined MSU in her junior year after two seasons at Clemson but was sidelined by injuries after 11 games in 2022–2023 and again after just four games last season. We felt her absence, particularly early in Big Ten play when Jocelyn Tate was still adjusting to the power conference schedule, and her general lack of availability limited our depth throughout the season.
What We’re Losing
Elliott is a versatile 5’10” player, capable of guarding multiple positions (2–4). Her biggest asset was her rebounding; despite averaging less than 20 minutes per game last season, she pulled down 5.5 rebounds per game. While she could score, she typically did so by being fed in the paint or grabbing offensive rebounds. Last season, our depth at the 3 was a concern, with Ozment having to play forward after a series of injuries. This year, however, we have more depth at that position, with a more experienced Jocelyn Tate, Ohio State transfer Emma Shumate, and incoming freshmen Juliann Woodard and Helen Holley. Although it would be nice to see Elliott have a healthy season with us, we are not short of options in her position.
Why She Left and Where She’s Going
Elliott is transferring to Penn State. The Nittany Lions also dealt with injury issues last season and are looking to bolster their guard depth. While Elliott may not immediately step into a starting role, she’s likely to find more opportunities off the bench than she would have staying with the Spartans. We wish her the best, except when Big Ten play rolls around.
Lauren Ross
Lauren Ross transferred in to be a depth three-point specialist ahead of the 2023 season and proved her worth early on as a backup against lesser opponents. However, after injuries mounted and Coach Fralick gained a better understanding of the roster, Ross’s minutes dwindled. As her three-point percentage dropped and Hallock and Ozment proved to be more effective options off the bench, Ross’s role diminished further.
What We’re Losing
Ross was a healthy scratch in most Big Ten games last season, so her 8.3 minutes per game in 23 appearances won’t be hard for the Spartans to replace. Coach Fralick has enhanced her recruiting, bringing in two HoopGurlz Top 100 recruits, as well as Ines Sotelo from the Spanish national youth team and a promising rim protector in Helen Holley. Ross’s limited minutes will likely go to one of the talented freshmen this season.
Why She Left and Where She’s Going
Ross is transferring to Purdue Fort Wayne University in search of a larger role. Her time in East Lansing was valuable to a team plagued by injuries, but it was probably not the most fulfilling experience for Ross, who saw her minutes decrease. We hope she has a greater impact as a Mastodon than she did as a Spartan.
Bree Robinson
Bree Robinson showed promise as a freshman. The 5’8” point guard ran the floor well and wasn’t hesitant when given the ball during games that were already decided.
What We’re Losing
It’s always tough to lose a young player with potential to the transfer portal, but that’s the reality of college sports. Last season, Robinson only saw minutes in 17 games, mostly in garbage time, where she averaged 1.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 6.8 minutes per game. Her speed, physical play, and knack for grabbing offensive rebounds made her stand out, despite her limited time on the court.
Why She Left and Where She Went
Bree appeared to enjoy being a Spartan, frequently showing her enthusiasm during games. Her departure is somewhat puzzling, but with the addition of graduate transfer Nyla Hampton and incoming freshman Sinai Douglas, who averaged five steals per game in high school, Robinson may have seen fewer opportunities in the future. We wish her the best as she moves on.
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