tight roster of 11-12 scholarship players, Tara keeps the pantry well=stocked with recruits. Transfers haven't been an issue because of the allure of a Stanford degree and a realistic view of their professional prospects (i.e., the Stanford players that lack playing time plan to pursue a career in something other than basketball).

Tara has already filled her 15 scholarship allotment for next season, so Marta had to move on. How did that happen? When Haley Jones committed to the Cardinal last November, that sealed Marta's fate. She either had to:

(1) use her last season of eligibility (her preseason hand injury was only expected to keep her off the court for 6-8 weeks, making her projected return to the court no later than early December, as the injury occurred around October 10th: see link below),

(2) or save it and grad-transfer after the season. I'm not sure if the injury rehab took much longer than expected, or Marta figured a year as a grad-transfer would be a great way to show her stuff (as opposed to 2/3 of a season as a back-up as Williams, who had taken her position in her absence).

• Click here for link at https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/Stanford-w

..if ND might benefit from recruiting more of the kinds of players who would be happy to enter the "40 year" benefit of Notre Dame. You hear some of recruits mention it (Abby P. and Sam come to mind).

Right now, we seem to be setting our sights very high and carrying fewer people. When transfers or injuries occur, we've reached out to walk-ons. Maybe find folks that would stay the course? I know it's a slippery slope, but you've got to figure there are some folks out there (take advantage of a legacy like Hannah Huffman...).

Kudo's to Tara for succeeding at this approach.

really turned the old way of doing things upside down the past 3-4 years. I think you have her standard mode of operation correct, but I also think she is in process of changing her standard model to account for the dramatic shift in how rosters have to be managed in this new world of grad transfers and regular transfers -- not to mention she has lost 2 players to the draft early now and I am 100% certain now pays a lot of attention to the age of her players as part of roster management.

for grad transfers who are playing their sport for just one more season. I believe that this is the degree program Lili Thompson completed.

Dillon's remarks on her potential playing situation at Stanford are accurate.

- She missed last year and during that time Kiana Williams moved over to the point and led the team in assists. She played well...
- So well, that star recruit and point guard Jenna Brown didn't get that much playing time. Brown is still coming back, as is...
- Anna Wilson, who spelled Williams during our game in Chitown.
- And there's another point guard, Hannah Jump, who is a great outside shooter coming in.

Plus Stanford has a lot of excellent passers at the other guard/wing positions, including the Hull sisters and Ms. Haley Jones, the #1 2019 recruit.

As for academics, I know Sniezek will graduate with a degree in American Studies from Stanford. I don't know what she'll pursue at ND, but ND has built up a solid Am. Stud department over the years (my daughter, Class of 2018, got her B.A. in Am. Stud.)

Lili Thompson...

even after her injury. She may have encouraged Marta to make the jump.