According to The Next Hoops women’s college tracker, FAU leads all American Athletic Conference (AAC) programs, with six players entering the transfer portal. The biggest name is sophomore guard Aniya Hubbard, who averaged 17.2 points per game this season.
On Jan. 5, the UP investigated Hubbard’s noticeable absence from the program in late November. She missed nine games before returning with a heavily-wrapped hand. The athletics program did not specify why she was absent from the team, simply stating that her absence was an “internal team matter.”
Before Hubbard’s absence, the team went 3-3 in their first six games. They’d go 2-7 in that nine-game span she missed. When Hubbard eventually returned to the team in FAU’s home matchup against Tulsa, the Owls continued their 8-game losing streak before snapping it with a 63-56 win on the road against Wichita State University on Jan. 27.
Subsequently, the Owls fell to the Wichita State Shockers in the first game of FAU’s AAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, 64-50. The Owls finished 11-19, their second-worst record under head coach Jennifer Sullivan.
Hubbard announced her transfer on her Instagram on March 19, “Though I have decided to enter the transfer portal, I am immensely grateful for the unwavering support as I spent time here. I am honored to have represented FAU and will forever cherish the memories and friendships forged during my tenure here. Thank you for the invaluable lessons, unforgettable experiences, and the opportunity to wear the FAU jersey with pride. Though I may be moving on, the impact of this program will always hold a special place in my heart.”
With her 17.2 points per game, Hubbard had 85 total rebounds, 39 assists, and 40 steals. Hubbard was the 2022 Conference USA Freshman Player of the Year.
The other players in the portal are senior guards Devyn Scott and Allie Tylka, sophomores forward Carlie Vick and center Dyllan Hanna, and freshman guard Kayana Armbrister.
Scott finished the season averaging 4.0 points per game, 49 rebounds, and 51 assists. Tylka averaged 3.6 points per game and 44 rebounds. Vick averaged 0.8 points per game and nine total rebounds. Hanna averaged 4.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, leading the team with 22 blocks. Armbrister played four games in her freshman year, averaging 0.5 points per game.
With senior guard Jada Moore, graduate guards Alexa Zaph and Rose Caverly and graduate forward Janeta Rozentale all playing their final year with the program, the Owls have four players projected to stay with the team.
The four remaining players for the upcoming 2024 season are freshman guard Kristina Godfrey – who saw some gametime, junior forward Maria Myklebust, freshman center Evie Van Der Woude – who made appearances on the starting lineup, and sophomore guard Mya Perry, who is second on the team in scoring 11.0 points per game.
Maddox Greenberg is a staff writer at the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email him at [email protected] or DM him through Instagram @maddoxblade04 or X @MaddoxGreenberg.
