The recent news of Mark Trakh’s retirement as head coach at USC could impact Arizona’s program in two significant ways, including the potential transfer of All-Pac-12 point guard Endyia Rogers to the Wildcats.
Rogers reportedly entered the transfer portal on April 16 before Trakh’s retirement last week.
Coinciding with Trakh leaving USC, Adia Barnes hired Trojan assistant Erin Grant to fill a vacant assistant coaching position after Jackie Nared Hairston left to Oregon. April Phillips was also hired back to Barnes’ staff after she left to Cal for two seasons. Grant and Phillips were hired after the departures of Hairston and Tamisha Augustin, who left to Mississippi State.
The Wildcats have redshirt junior Shaina Pellington and freshman Derin Erdogan returning at point guard in 2021-22.
Rogers averaged 14.8 points, 4.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game this season as a sophomore. She was a two-year starter who also is an 85-percent free throw shooter.
Rogers also has a background in Dallas with former Arizona standout Jason Terry, who was retained by new coach Tommy Lloyd as part of the men’s coaching staff. Rogers hails from Dallas, where Terry has operated his Lady Jets club basketball team.
The Athletic rates Rogers as the fourth-best available player in the transfer portal and mentions, “Could there be a spot at Arizona, where her former USC assistant coach Erin Grant landed? Or will Rogers make her way outside of the conference? With the coaching carousel still turning, there will be plenty of coaches landing in new spots with needs on their roster that Rogers could fill.”
Presently, Arizona’s roster is at 14 players with one scholarship spot to spare.
Since the conclusion of the season, Barnes has added forwards Koi Love (Vanderbilt transfer) and Ariyah Copeland (Alabama) and shooting guard Taylor Chavez (Oregon).
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
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