All articles tagged with #recruiting
North Carolina has hired Chuck Martin, a longtime recruiter and Malone’s former colleague, as Associate Head Coach, a high-profile staff addition expected to boost the Tar Heels’ recruiting and transfer-portal push.
UNC's new coach Michael Malone is already hitting the transfer portal, targeting three dream additions—Juke Harris (Wake Forest), Donnie Freeman (6-foot-9 frontcourt), and Markus Burton (Notre Dame)—to boost scoring, rebounding, and playmaking, while Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar’s potential return could shape next season; with thousands of portal entries, Malone must move quickly before targets slip away.
Tennessee women's basketball is parting ways with assistant coach Gabe Lazo after two seasons. He was a key recruiter for Kim Caldwell’s initial signing class (including Mia Pauldo and Mya Pauldo, Deniya Prawl, Jaida Civil and Lauren Hurst) and led the signing of five-star Oliviyah Edwards, while also helping Tennessee secure a top-ranked transfer portal class praised by multiple services, contributing to back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes.
Duke’s Elite Eight loss to UConn ends their 2026 run and kicks off a pivotal offseason: Cameron Boozer is poised to enter the NBA draft (potential No. 1 pick), while the futures of Sarr, Ngongba II and Isaiah Evans remain uncertain; Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Nik Khamenia and Darren Harris are expected back to provide experience. A powerhouse recruiting class (Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr., Bryson Howard, Maxime Meyer) arrives to reshape the roster, with the option to add a transfer if needed depending on NBA decisions.
South Carolina landed a rare international upgrade in 6-8, ~300-pound Neff Giwa, a rugby standout from Ireland’s PPI Recruits who has never played organized football. After visiting USC twice and receiving an offer on March 20, he committed within 10 days for the 2026 cycle (originally listed for 2027), becoming the fourth offensive lineman in the class and enrolling this summer. 247Sports has him at No. 199 among 2026 OTs; he hails from the program that produced Justin Okoronkwo, and USC has also offered fellow PPI OL Julius Odenthal.
Illinois reached the Final Four after betting on European talent—headlined by 7-foot-2 Croatian-born Tomislav Ivisic and his Serbian twin Zvonimir, plus Mihailo Petrovic and other Balkan players—and by transforming roster roles (Keaton Wagler moving to point guard) for a size‑ and skill‑driven pro‑style attack. The win over Iowa capped Brad Underwood’s first Final Four after a long coaching career, underscoring Illinois’ bold, overseas recruiting strategy.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule spoke after the final spring practice ahead of the Red-White Spring Game, emphasizing a new 4-2-5 defense under Rob Aurich and the importance of tackling, outlining a game format with color-coded teams and green-jersey quarterbacks, and stressing the recruiting impact of the weekend while noting a smooth return from spring break and strong fan support alongside no changes to player availability.
Bryan Hodgson was introduced as Providence's new men's basketball coach on a five-year deal after leading South Florida to the NCAA Tournament; his introductory news conference went viral when he quipped about recruiting abilities—'just look at my wife Jordan'—with wife Jordan Norris in the front row and their son Jett watching, highlighting Hodgson's reputation as a relentless recruiter as he begins his third head-coaching stop in as many years.
Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart says USC will not unretire his No. 11 jersey for a top recruit, calling the idea unacceptable and noting he wouldn’t wear it again for a random player who might transfer. He would only consider it for his son(s) at USC, and money isn’t the issue—the retired number should stay retired in the NIL era as college football becomes more professional.
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg said Kentucky offered him about $7–$9 million before he chose Michigan, a decision that kept him with the Wolverines amid a high-profile recruitment.
The 2026 NCAA college basketball transfer portal runs a condensed 15-day window from April 7 to April 21, opening after the national championship. Entering the portal is not a commitment to a new school, and recruiting visits are allowed from April 10–April 30, followed by quiet periods into May. Most transfer activity is expected to wrap up by mid‑May. The NCAA does not provide public portal access, but trackers like Verbal Commits and 247Sports offer real-time updates on portal entries.
A proposed 9.9% millionaire tax in Washington, set to take effect in 2028, could affect Seahawks recruiting by reducing top players’ after-tax pay and making the state less attractive versus tax-friendly locales; GM John Schneider said it would sting from a recruiting standpoint as teams compete for talent.
Mike Evans said George Kittle was the main recruiter for his move to the 49ers, praising Kittle's honest pitch about the team culture and ownership-backed support aimed at winning a Super Bowl. Evans will be the 49ers’ No. 1 wide receiver with Ricky Pearsall as the No. 2, while San Francisco eyes potential upgrades beyond Demarcus Robinson, possibly Jacob Cowing or Jordan Watkins.
Queens coach Grant Leonard said an Auburn assistant sat courtside at an ASUN tournament game to recruit a Queens player, a claim Auburn called permissible; Leonard plans to raise the issue at the Final Four after Queens earned its first NCAA berth by beating Central Arkansas. The episode underscores the ongoing tension around recruiting and the transfer portal, even as Leonard supports NIL and player mobility.
Oklahoma surged to No. 1 in Rivals’ team recruiting rankings after a Saturday that added four commitments—Seneca Driver (KY four-star TE), Jamison Roberts (AL four-star QB), Jaylen Scott (AL four-star safety) and Tyson Ross (OK three-star OL)—raising the Sooners to 18 total commits and vaulting past Texas A&M and Ohio State. The haul also features in-state standouts Cooper Hackett (five-star OT), Kaeden Penny (four-star OT), Luke Wilson (three-star OT) and Cooper Witten (four-star LB), underscoring Brent Venables’ ability to land top talent nationwide as the signing period approaches.