3 players Lisa Bluder missed out on from the Spring transfer portal
Despite having Caitlin Clark in the ranks, Lisa Bluder's Iowa Hawkeyes lost the NCAA Championship for the second time in a row. The coach won't want that pattern to continue, especially after all-time leading scorer and WNBA No.1 draft pick Caitlin Clark joined the Indiana Fever.
Other top Hawkeyes stars Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, Molly Davis, and Sharon Goodman chose different paths. Some went to the WNBA, while some exhausted eligibility.
To fill the void left by the departure of Caitlin Clark, Bluder used her cards well. She roped in Lucy Olsen, a top talent in college basketball. The Villanova Wildcats guard was the third-highest-scoring player last season after Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins, averaging 23.3 points per game and shooting 43.8% from the field.
That said, recruiting a few other names would have strengthened Lisa Bluder's team even further.
Also read: 3 players Dawn Staley missed out on from Spring transfer portal
3 players Lisa Bluder missed out on from the Spring transfer portal
#1. Georgia Amoore
After entering the transfer portal, Georgia Amoore moved to the Kentucky Wildcats from the Virginia Tech Hokies.
She was named ACC tournament MVP in 2023 and has made the All-ACC team twice. Amoore averaged 18.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, shooting 41.2% from the field and 33.5% from three-point range.
She would have declared for the WNBA draft, but an additional year of eligibility due to COVID-19 resulted in her entering the transfer portal. Georgia Amoore would have fit nicely in the new Hawkeyes roster.
#2. Charlisse Leger-Walker
Charlisse Leger-Walker would have been a decent addition to the Hawkeyes roster after the departure of Caitlin Clark.
The former Washington State guard committed to the UCLA Burns after entering her name in the transfer portal this year. She averaged 13.2 ppg, and 6.5 rpg in the 2023-24 season.
A three-time All-American and a four-time All-Pac-12 selection, Charlisse has a career average of 16.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 3.7 apg. She was ruled out in January due to an ACL tear and has an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.
#3. Timea Gardiner
The former Oregon State star would have strengthened Lisa Bluder's side, but she has now joined the UCLA Bruins. As a freshman, Gardiner suffered blood clots in the lungs that limited her appearances, but her sophomore season was much more productive.
Gardiner helped the Beavers reach the Elite Eight contest this year for the first time since 2018. The forward averaged 11.6 ppg and 7.0 rpg, and she shot 39.5% from the three-point range in 2023-24.
Who else do you think should have been on Lisa Bluder's roster this year? Let us know in the comments section.