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Evina Westbrook’s transfer request is denied

By Matt Ward

Connecticut guard Evina Westbrook, here on October 18, 2019, is a transfer from Tennessee and the Huskies are still awaiting word on her eligibility for the upcoming season. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Connecticut guard Evina Westbrook, here on October 18, 2019, is a transfer from Tennessee and the Huskies are still awaiting word on her eligibility for the upcoming season. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /
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UConn’s Evina Westbrook’s transfer request is denied. The Huskies and Westbrook will appeal.

The NCAA has finally made a determination on Evina Westbrook’s transfer request, and unfortunately for her, Geno Auriemma, and the UConn Huskies, the result wasn’t a good one. The NCAA has denied Westbrook’s request, which means she will be ineligible to play this season. UConn will appeal the decision. The decision was first reported by Alexa Philippou.

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Westbrook transferred to UConn after spending her first two seasons at the University of Tennessee. Last year, Westbrook averaged 14.9 PPG and 5.3 APG for the Volunteers. As a freshman, she averaged 8.4 PPG and 4.3 APG, and was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team.

Westbrook decided to transfer to UConn after former Tennessee head coach, Holly Warlick, was let go this past March.

As far as a “reason” for transferring and having a transfer request be accepted, a coaching change has come with mixed results. In June, the NCAA changed up their waiver requirements, which led many to believe that obtaining a waiver from the NCAA, particularly as a part of a coaching change, would prove to be more difficult than before.

UPDATE 4:50 PM EST: UConn athletic director David Benedict issued a lengthy statement on Friday, saying in part: “UConn fully supported her. Her former school did not oppose the waiver. In fact, to its credit, it expressed appreciation for Evina’s contributions there and wished her well. It made clear that she was in good academic standing, had not been dismissed from that team, and – but for the extenuating circumstances causing her to seek a fresh start and new environment via a transfer – would have remained on full scholarship there.

“We recently learned that the NCAA denied Evina’s request. I was surprised for many reasons but mostly because the NCAA talks to us about serving the best interest of the student. It recognizes that there are situations in which a student shouldn’t have to sit out a year. It tells us what those are and what is required to prove it. And then you provide that – without opposition from the prior school – and you get denied.”

Unfortunately for the Huskies, that proved to be true. Westbrook would have added an added scoring threat for the Huskies–a team who will be searching for ways to replace the scoring of Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier.

UConn will now await an appeal process, while preparing to open their season next week.

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