Texas basketball coach laments transfer portal after Iowa State mass exodus
· Yahoo Sports
PHOENIX ― Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer could barely speak when he was recently asked about Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly and the mass exodus he's experiencing with his program.
Visit afnews.co.za for more information.
On Thursday, Cyclones center Audi Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal. Crooks' departure marked the 10th Iowa State player to reveal they will be leaving the team to pursue other options. A large number of players switching teams isn't uncommon in the transfer portal era, but Fennelly's program has been hit particularly hard in recent days.
When Schaefer was asked about what Fennelly is experiencing from a coach's perspective, he paused, shaking his head and rubbing his hands together, deep in thought and visibly emotional. Eventually, he gave a heartfelt response to on-site media in the room ahead of Texas' Final Four matchup on Friday against UCLA (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
"I mean, you're talking about somebody that's literally given his life to this game. It is hard. I'm obviously friends with Bill. His whole family has given so much to this game, to so many young women," said Schaefer.
"It's just not the same. It's just not the same job it was five years ago, certainly not what it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. It's just way different. ... There was a thing called the dinosaur a while ago. What happened to them? They couldn't figure it out. What happened? They became extinct. We better figure it out, or we're going to become extinct. That's just the way it is."
Ultimately, Schaefer later admitted that he was saddened by what was happening to Fennelly.
"I'm so disheartened and disappointed, especially for him, because I know what he's given to this game his whole life," Schaefer said.
Fennelly released a statement on Thursday, sharing how much college basketball has changed and reassuring fans that Iowa State would move forward.
"It goes without saying that college sports have undergone tremendous change the past few years, and our program has obviously been impacted by the current landscape this spring. While I am sad and disappointed that some of our players have chosen to pursue other opportunities, I want to thank them for their time at Iowa State and wish them all the best as they move on," Fennelly said.
"I look forward with enthusiasm to next season and promise you, we will have a team that represents all of you the Iowa State way."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas coach gets emotional over Iowa State's transfer portal struggles