That's a surprise. I didn't expect to see Squire choose to transfer. Players also enter the transfer portal to test the waters and see what kind of offers they might receive and then choose to stay put if nothing materializes. I'm not sure how that would sit with the coaching staff and the team though.

Well the "hoping we don't lose anyone else" didn't last long. Kennedy Koehler entered the transfer portal. I'm a bit surprised on this one, too, as he only has one year of eligibility left. We'll rely on Angiwe in the middle, and hope that Bora and Murphy develop. Definitely feels like at least one transfer will be coming in.

that one is a surprise. He left one school, UCSD, already. At least that one was for a step up in competition.

Squire is a puzzle. Averaged over 30 minutes a game.

I wonder if some of this is driven by COVID and feeling a bit isolated from their families. Hope it works for them

First Squire and now Kohler...yikes! This makes me wonder about what is really going on? Both of them were solid contributors in the shortened season and both would have been starters this fall. I hope there isn't some level of discontent going on within the team and/or with the coaching staff. This just doesn't seem to be a good indicator of the overall team chemistry at the moment....??

It's hard to tell if this is a reaction to some larger issue going on within the program, or simply two guys independently making the best decision for themselves. Certainly the first time we've lost two starters to transfers in the same year, but then again, it's a lot easier to transfer now, so hopefully this is just guys taking advantage of the new rules. There's game minutes to be had now so it's time for others to step up.

I read Koehler is entering as a grad transfer so this might be driven by academics. Needs to find a school he can enroll in a masters program in order to use that bonus year of eligibility.

So w Frosh Ran Pehka, that makes 3 transfers out?

Yep, 3 out and 2 in (transfer Milling and 6'6" freshman commit Cameron Niles.) Not sure if that frees up a scholarship for a new commit or if it was given to a current walk on like Ba.

Agreed, it's hard to tell. My instinct, however, is that this is a reflection of some new norms in college basketball in general, as well as specific circumstances. It's speculation, but after a decade or so of following the social media messaging of dozens and dozens of college hoopers, the prevailing opinion of a majority of them is, "if you're not playing as much as you think you should, hit the portal." I don't agree with their perspective, but that's how it reads to me.

Pehka . . . the young man is a lonnnng way from home. Sometimes it's just too much to overcome. Kennedy? I agree that its a grad school thing - he'll probably play his bonus year where he is admitted. I didn't think Kennedy would return anyway, so ... (shrug). Squire? No idea, frankly. He's in a tough spot, with regards to position, available minutes, role, etc. He's a PG and Manjon is not giving up that position for the foreseeable future. He's not a natural #2 and there are folks in the wings that are going to be vying for minutes. He also has other significant interests outside of basketball (particularly, music) and he may be interested in playing in a location that provides more exposure in that regard. Whatever the reasons, I'm sorry to see any Aggies go.

I think you're spot on. I had forgotten that Squire is big into music, so moving to some place that might offer more options in the music scene than Davis makes sense.

Low transfer rate at Irvine & Santa Barbara.

Hey, we still have a field hockey team! Is it safe? Is baseball safe? According to the Washington Post 75 DI sports have been cut in the last year ostensibly due to the pandemic and resultant loss of income. Most if not all are “none-revenue sports” or “Olympic” sports. Most recently Minnesota and Iowa cut men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis and indoor track and field. Only 12 men’s gymnastics program are left in the entire country. Are these cuts truly necessary? Not according to Knight Commission CEO Amy Perko. Minnesota has an athletic budget of $130M. These cuts totaled $1.6M are are minuscule next to the total deficit of $65M. What is more? Most of these cuts have wound up in increasing the coaching salaries of the “revenue sports” i.e football and MBB. Some members of congress are rightly very concerned that that we may soon be non competitive in the Olympics because we rely on colleges to supply the athletes, not the federal government like most other countries and the colleges are bailing out on this. See Stanford’s recent cuts: all Olympic sports. Maybe we are lucky being mid-major? We dont need a $100M+ athletic budget to survive. So, its “give week” and I am directing my donation to: FIELD HOCKY!

Former Berkeley AD Sandy Barbour, w Teresa Gould as a top aide, put Berkeley under mammoth debt and they may cut multiple sports. $100+ Million budget, and Under Armour canceled contracts w them and UCLA.

The interpretation of gender equity is also hurting Olympic sports, especially w the over representation of female students (upwards of 60% on many campuses). Young men are hurting.

In a significant move, NCAA committee recommended last Thursday that the transfer portal for MBB and WBB be eliminated. Any player can transfer to any team one time without sitting a year. It pointed out that 30% of most teams have players in the portal looking for a new team. It is expected to pass easily. Frankly, if passed for MBB and WBB, I don’t see how the transfer portal rule can Stand up for all the other sports. I would guess that Aggie MBB would not be effected much by this, but WBB could benefit from this rule change. Why? Players love great coaches and want to play for them. We have one!

I must be missing something? If the change results in allowing any player to transfer without sitting a year, how different is this from the transfer portal? It looks like the only change is to eliminate the one year of not being able to play. Isn't the benefit of the portal to allow players to declare their intention to transfer then move to any school that wants them?

thats how I read it. Portal is a means of putting your name out there so schools can recruit, rather than it being the player’s job to find a school (assuming NOBODY would ever pouch players!)

I agree. I was (mis)using the term “transfer portal” to mean the one year mandatory sit rule. And, also, reading the NYT article it appears the new rule will apply to all D-1 sports, not just BB.

I have the same issues with the transfer portal as I have with the post-freshman eligibililty for the NBA.

For the coaches, it really cuts into their ability to develop a player within a certain scheme and enjoy that development under their tutelage. College level coaching is much more of a teaching role than the NBA and many freshmen who leave suffer from a lack of being well taught. For transfers, a coach must accommodate his teaching within the framework of what a colleague has already taught. It must really be a challenge to do so and the best coaches now must certainly be able to adapt to that.

For the team and for what my ideal of basketball is, it undercuts a major value of the sport--teamwork. I used to watch Aggie teams evolve under Bob Hamilton to a lose group of guys to a set of mind-readers on the court. I cannot believe a one and done situation, whether it be frosh or transfers, to be as good as having the same players together for two to five years.

For the fans, at least speaking for myself, it is certainly disappointing to see a player leave before their eligibility is up and to have trouble even remembering from year to year who is on the team. I much prefer to see the same players over the years. I think it fosters loyalty.

For the players, well, I suppose most of them like it, but I would like to know why they decide to transfer, especially seniors. I wonder how many of them suffer academically? I see where it makes sense for a graduate transfer, but for those not bound for the NBA, it could likely lead to a longer time to finish a degree. I note that Matt Bradley left Cal for San Diego State and it is no slam on SDSU to suggest that Bradley's degree from Cal would have been a much stronger credential (assuming he might need it one day).

So Squire is transferring to Portland St. interesting change for him. Hope he finds what he is looking for.

that seems like a step down in several ways, academics in particular. Too bad to see him leave. I see that former Ag Gio Nelson is there also. Maybe his connection

As for transfers, I thought it was only football and basketball that had the one year eligibility rule. This puts all sports on the same level

The Big West is a better basketball conference overall than the Big Sky so I agree with Mike that this is a step down for him as far as the level of the conference competition.

If being closer to a great music environment is a priority for him then he's made a good choice. Portland has a tremendously creative music scene for up-and-coming musicians and the same is true in nearby Seattle.

I hear Portland is a riot.

ouch. We went up for football in 2019 and we didn’t enjoy the city. Columbia River is beautiful. Downtown Portland was a little scary back then

Imagine now. I don't think the MSM covers it much, but writer / blogger Andy Ng (?) does, and certain sections look like a war zone. Apparently most of the politicians support what is going on in one way or another (staying quiet). How can businesses survive?

A few years ago my wife and I rented a nice little place in a quiet neighborhood not far from the city center. We really enjoyed walking to really good neighborhood restaurants and shops and taking the convenient, public transportation to the more downtown areas. The waterfront development was great. Just like any big city it has its problems but we thoroughly enjoyed Portland very much and would gladly go back. That was our experience.

I wouldn't say baseball is safe from being cut at some point. There are some warning signs that the program@UCD may have been operating very frugally for years out of necessityand the pandemic and are in some degree of trouble.

-lack of travel, and what there is mostly west coast. Apparaently per the D-I baseball website UCD was telling prospective opponents they could only travel within CA. Part of that is due to the pandemic but money is a huge factor.

-Vaughn's contract seems to have been leaked online and it seems he voluntariy took a pay cut at some point in the past. Coaches don't typically do that unless they absolutely have to avoid cuts If that's for real he is underpaid for a D-I coach

-With football and bball if the teams were losing this many of their games the coach would have been replaced. Baseball only gets a new coach when someone retires or qujts. I think softball would get a replacement first.

-The Big West admitted two baseball-playing members giving them an odd number, and an insanely high number of conference games. For scheduling purposes they probably wouldn't be too broken up if they lost trips to Davis and could play an extra non-conference series.

-The team is not very competitive in conference play. Sac State used to be an affiliate member and were asked to leave. The official reason was they didn't want affiliate members but everyone knows it was because the hornets sucked back then.

-Lack of recruits from out of state.

I'd really like to be wrong about this, but even more successful programs are struggling financially. If I had to guess I think they'll end the program when Vaughn's contract is up as he is the biggest personnel expense. Due to the transfer portal making things easier to move on they might take the Boise State approach there. Again,I hope I'm wrong. I'd much rather see baseball flourish than one of the niche women's sports.

Go, MLB is struggling big time. Attendance way down. Only 7% of under 18s even watch the sport. The over 70s are the most loyal and dying fast. How on earth could a mid major and poor BB team like UCD do any better? I would bet on Equestrian or Field Hockey over MBB to survive this predicament. Please note: Title IX. . . . I am also very sorry. I was a die hard Giants fan back in the day. I loved going to the Stick. Cold and blowing wind to see Gaylord and Juan pitch. It was great!

Major league baseball (and others) didn't help themselves by taking a knee for the mob. Angering 40-50% of your fans is a very poor decision.

Meanwhile, executives and players like Lebron back Communist China ... who hold Millions of ethnic slaves in 'reeducation' prisons.

I'm more upset about what the All-Star game re-location says about the people in charge. When I heard about that I immediately cancelled a trip to Denver. They don't need my tourism now..

69aggie The virtue-signalling on the Giants is suffocating. Everytime something happened Gabe Kapler had to have his condemnation of it up on the internet. He manages a mediocre baseball team-who cares what he thinks ?

69aggie. There was a pitcher they had last year-Sam Coonrod- who refused to kneel during the national anthem for religious reasons. The players and coaches made this big production about how accepting they were of his choice, as if they were the most open-minded people in the world. But then he was traded to Philadelphia for a minor leaguer who probably won't make it to the majors. They spun it off as an opportunity to obtain a minor league prospect. More likely they were getting rid of the turd in the punchbowl.

How did a discussion about offseason basketball turn in to politics in the MLB? Urgh... I'd like to think this forum is a place to focus on Aggie athletics, and not somewhere to vent about politics. At least take it over to the OT Board.