BB RECRUITING Class of 2025 Board

[jakeboldenbrp]

I like keeping everyone up to date on our most successful program. Per interview with Matt, they're not completely done with recruiting the '25 Class. Here is everything I know (all my rankings are according to Prep Girls Hoops).

Verbal Commits:

• Carsyn Swaney, 5'11" PG from Heritage HS (Maryville, TN)
  • #15 in TN, avg 21.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg
• Macie Phifer, 5'11" SF from Ingomar HS (New Albany, MS)
  • #1 in MS, 2024 MS Gatorade Player of the Year, 2023 Class 1A Miss Basketball, 2024 Class 2A Miss Basketball, avg 20.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg
• Blair Baugus, 6'0" PF from Wayne County HS (Waynesboro, TN)
  • #3 in TN, 2023 Class 1A TN Miss Basketball, avg 17.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.3 spg

Offers:

• Lauren Hurst, 6'3" PF from Cleveland HS (Cleveland, TN)
  • #1 in TN, #31 Nationally, 2024 (Volleyball) TN Gatorade Player of the Year
  • Most Recent Offers: Florida, Tennessee (re-offer), Clemson, North Carolina, NC State

• Harmonie Ware, 5'9" SG from Bradley Central HS (Cleveland, TN)
  • #5 in TN, #96 nationally
  • Most Recent Offers: Kennesaw State, Southern Miss, FAU, James Madison, Furman

• Reese Beaty, 5'8" PG from York Institute (Jamestown, TN)
  • #2 in TN, decommited from Clemson, 2024 Class 2A Miss Basketball Finalist
  • Most Recent Offers: Cleveland State, West Virginia, TCU, Marquette, Pittsburgh

• Tatianna Stovall, 6'1" SF from Bradley Central (Cleveland, TN)
  • #6 in TN
  • Most Recent Offers: Rice, UAB, Kennesaw State, Tennessee Tech, Belmont

• Ciara Byars, 6'2" CG from George Rogers Clark HS (Winchester, KY)
  • #3 in KY, #37 Nationally, coming off knee injury
  • Most Recent Offers: California, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, DePaul, Wake Forest

• Channah Gannon, 6'3" C from Coffee County HS (Manchester, TN)
  • #19 in TN
  • Most Recent Offers: Toledo, Buffalo, Stephen F Austin, East Tennessee State, Samford

• Emily Hunter, 6'8" C from TPLS Christian Academy (Woodlake, VA)
  • #12 in VA
  • Most Recent Offers: Ole Miss, Marquette, North Carolina, Florida, Syracuse

• Jenna McClendon, 6'4" C from Prattville Christian Academy (Prattville, AL)
  • unranked
  • Most Recent Offers: FIU, Navy

Off the Board:

• Jaidynn Askins, 6'0" SF from Jackson Southside HS (Jackson, TN)
  • #22 in TN, verbal commit to Murray State
• Ace Austin, 5'5" PG from Spring Garden HS (Piedmont, AL)
  • #1 in AL, #54 Nationally, 2024 AL Miss Basketball verbal commit to Alabama
• Olivia Vinson, 5'11" SG from Coffee County HS (Manchester, TN)
  • #31 in TN, verbal commit to Lipscomb
• Maya Makalusky, 6'3" SF from Hamilton Southeastern HS (Fishers, IN)
  • #3 in IN, #56 Nationally, verbal commit to Indiana
• Lyriq Mastin, 5'6" PG from Blackman HS (Murfreesboro, TN)
  • #12 in TN, verbal commit to Tennessee Tech

 

[MidTennFootball]

Isn't Milanović in this class?

 

[jakeboldenbrp]

Isn't Milanović in this class?

Ana is apart of the '24 signing class along with Savannah Davis.

She played one club season in Serbia, my assumption is she'll have 4 years of eligibility(?) at 19 years old.

 

[MTFAN61]

Ana is apart of the '24 signing class along with Savannah Davis.

She played one club season in Serbia, my assumption is she'll have 4 years of eligibility(?) at 19 years old.

Excellent news! Apparently the Ana Milanovic who was listed as a junior at a Connecticut prep school by MaxPreps last year was either in error or was a totally different individual, but with the same name.

 

[TruBluCop]

She will be here in August form what I hear. Gonna be one hell of a team if they can all get on the same sheet of music! could have a 10 player rotation.

 

[SpaceRaider]

could have a 10 player rotation.

Would love to see that, but I'll believe it when it happens.

 

[crassyblue]

I don't believe it will happen either. It will most likely be 7 or 8 top players. It has rarely ever been more than that.

 

[Shayne_Pickering]

 

[MTFAN61]

View embedded media

No surprise Emily has numerous offers so far. A couple of things are in our favor. 1) Didn't realize she's originally from Nashville until just now reading about her. We would give her a chance to come back, & be close to her family. 2) We're the only school that shows up on her account as having made an unofficial visit to meet the coaching staff & see our facilities so far. Which means she's interested!
Side note, Emily is 6' 8" with a 6' 9" wing span.
Last year's stats from TPLS in Virginia.
15.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, & 2.6 big.
Watched her video highlights. Definitely more mobile than I had expected.
Our coaches are great at teaching post moves. She would do well hear.
Matt & company are tremendous recruiters. He's shown that if he really wants someone he can get them here. Her offers will probably get better & better, but I wouldn't be surprised to see her dressed as a Blue Raider next year.
We already have the makings for an excellent team in 2025, but if we have the fortune of also signing Hunter all one can say is the NCAA should watch out for Middle Tennessee!

 

[MTFAN61]

No surprise Emily has numerous offers so far. A couple of things are in our favor. 1) Didn't realize she's originally from Nashville until just now reading about her. We would give her a chance to come back, & be close to her family. 2) We're the only school that shows up on her account as having made an unofficial visit to meet the coaching staff & see our facilities so far. Which means she's interested!
Side note, Emily is 6' 8" with a 6' 9" wing span.
Last year's stats from TPLS in Virginia.
15.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, & 2.6 big.
Watched her video highlights. Definitely more mobile than I had expected.
Our coaches are great at teaching post moves. She would do well hear.
Matt & company are tremendous recruiters. He's shown that if he really wants someone he can get them here. Her offers will probably get better & better, but I wouldn't be surprised to see her dressed as a Blue Raider next year.
We already have the makings for an excellent team in 2025, but if we have the fortune of also signing Hunter all one can say is the NCAA should watch out for Middle Tennessee!

Follow up to auto correct: Should be 2.6 blocks/game.

 

[MTOleBlue]

Her dad is also an MTSU alum. She would be an outstanding addition. Glad we got her here on a visit.

 

[MTFAN61]

On today's podcast coach Matt brought up the 3 commits listed above for 2025, but said he doesn't feel we're done just yet. He discussed the hopes of adding 2 possibly 3 more players to that group. Not outside the realm of possibility we could still add both Jenna McClendon & Emily Hunter to the 2025 roster before things are done.

 

[Shayne_Pickering]

On today's podcast coach Matt brought up the 3 commits listed above for 2025, but said he doesn't feel we're done just yet. He discussed the hopes of adding 2 possibly 3 more players to that group. Not outside the realm of possibility we could still add both Jenna McClendon & Emily Hunter to the 2025 roster before things are done.

Could be hard to land two 5s when both have other mid major offers

 

[jakeboldenbrp]

Offers:

• Lauren Hurst, 6'3" PF from Cleveland HS (Cleveland, TN)
  • #1 in TN, #31 Nationally, 2024 (Volleyball) TN Gatorade Player of the Year
  • Most Recent Offers: Florida, Tennessee (re-offer), Clemson, North Carolina, NC State

• Reese Beaty, 5'8" PG from York Institute (Jamestown, TN)
  • #2 in TN, decommited from Clemson, 2024 Class 2A Miss Basketball Finalist
  • Most Recent Offers: Cleveland State, West Virginia, TCU, Marquette, Pittsburgh

• Channah Gannon, 6'3" C from Coffee County HS (Manchester, TN)
  • #19 in TN
  • Most Recent Offers: Buffalo, Stephen F Austin, East Tennessee State, Samford

• Emily Hunter, 6'8" C from TPLS Christian Academy (Woodlake, VA)
  • #12 in VA
  • Most Recent Offers: Florida, Syracuse, Providence, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern

Your Monday update with some MT targets getting some attention from Florida (Hurst and Hunter).

Beaty continues to roll in offers -- this weekend from mid-major Cleveland State after a 29-6 season in a top-heavy Horizon League

Gannon receives an offer from middling-MAC program Buffalo. Lady Bulls desperately needing size at center (Just 2 players at 6'2" on '25 projected roster).

 

[jakeboldenbrp]

Offers:

• Harmonie Ware, 5'9" SG from Bradley Central HS (Cleveland, TN)
  • #5 in TN, #96 nationally
  • Most Recent Offers: Kennesaw State, Southern Miss, FAU, James Madison, Furman

• Channah Gannon, 6'3" C from Coffee County HS (Manchester, TN)
  • #19 in TN
  • Most Recent Offers: Toledo, Buffalo, Stephen F Austin, East Tennessee State, Samford

• Emily Hunter, 6'8" C from TPLS Christian Academy (Woodlake, VA)
  • #12 in VA
  • Most Recent Offers: Ole Miss, Marquette, North Carolina, Florida, Syracuse

Off the Board:

• Lyriq Mastin, 5'6" PG from Blackman HS (Murfreesboro, TN)
  • #12 in TN, verbal commit to Tennessee Tech

Another player off the board for the Lady Raiders as Blackman product Lyriq Mastin verbally committed to Tennessee Tech on Friday.

In regards to open offers, I'm afraid word is slowly getting out on the 6'8" center Emily Hunter as she picked up 3 more P5 offers from Ole Miss, Marquette, and top-25 mainstay North Carolina. In regards to MTSU's pursuit, her only visit thus far has been to Murfreesboro.

Manchester, TN native Channah Gannon picks up an offer from mid-major Toledo this past week. I firmly believe getting one from the collection of center offers (Hunter, Gannon, or McClendon) is paramount to this signing class from a B to A/A+.

Lastly Bradley Central standout Harmonie Ware receiving love from ESPN's national rankings sliding into their updated Top 100 (#96). Surprisingly, I haven't seen much traffic in regards to her recruiting -- last offer was from Kennesaw State just over a month ago and still no P5 offers.

 

[MTOleBlue]

Absolutely believe that us getting the first visit for Emily Hunter is going to pay dividends in addition to her family being alums. Would not be surprised if we pull off a major coup and get her when all is said and done.

 

[MTFAN61]

In addition, we need to solidify our NIL base when attempting to acquire players like Hunter who are also being recruited by multiple power prrograms.
The idea of 3rd party naming rights to the Murphy Center could be huge in this area if deemed legal. If a 3rd party agreed to a $500,000 annual naming rights contract to MT for the Murphy Center could they not also deem they would request a substantial amount of that income to go to NIL for the men's & women's players? For example if the 3rd party could successfully request $150k each go to the men's & women's NIL program annually out of the naming rights contract that would play a huge role in recruiting players the status & potential of an Emily Hunter.
With what we already have arriving in 2025, adding someone like Hunter to its class could ultimately propel MT to top 20 status, & with that having a much better chance of a coveted top 16 seed in the NCAA playoffs.