Kelsey Joens in Portal

[ICCYFAN]

Very much yes on Nova.

I think this is a great placement for both parties. Villanova lost 76 "starts" to graduation and another 36 to the transfer portal. Sophomore Guard Maddie Webber took the most 3 point attempts last season, started 36 games and signed with Illinois in the transfer portal. Graduate Guard Cassidy Bronagh-Powers started 29 games and had the highest 3 Pt %. Kelsey slots nicely into what Villanova needs.

This past season, Villanova won 21 games and made the WBIT semifinal. They return two of their top three scorers, namely Freshman Guard Jasmine Bascoe and Junior Forward Denae Carter. I can't recall who they signed earlier, but they got a post in this portal period. Lastly, for those of us who have ESPN+ to watch Big XII games, the Big East will also be televised there next season. Her family will potentially be able to see travel games at Marquette, Creighton, DePaul & Butler. Go Kelsey!!!

 

[jspeels]

Good landing spot for her. She will get minutes and be an asset.

 

[swclone11]

Thought the Big East would be a good fit for her. Wish her all the best and will have a reason to cheer for Villanova every now and then!

 

[carvers4math]

I’m a new Villanova fan! Have a close friend in Philly so maybe we can catch a game.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Very much yes on Nova.

Think that's about as good a landing spot as she could wish for. Really good school academically.

 

[Jimbo ISU]

Best of luck to Kelsey. She will always be a Cyclone in our hearts.

 

[acoustimac]

Both the school and the player offer what the other needs. Wish her all the best…happiness and success.

 

[JP4CY]

Nova has some of the cleanest unis in sports.

 

[ICCYFAN]

Will you have a chapter in the book on the transfers from the WBB program? I'm especially interested in Kelsey. She seems like everything that I would want from a Cyclone player.

I'm going to say this one last time and then move on. Kelsey loved ISU and her team - she didn't want to leave. In her end of season meeting, CBF indicated he planned to recruit over her and if she stayed, wouldn't play more than ten minutes per game. When that didn't work, he turned up the pressure. The Fennelly faithful who say it was ultimately "her decision" and he didn't non-renew her scholarship are "talking out their @sses". It's a harsh business - for whatever reason, Bill wanted Kelsey elsewhere and he got what he wanted.

 

[mj4cy]

I'm going to say this one last time and then move on. Kelsey loved ISU and her team - she didn't want to leave. In her end of season meeting, CBF indicated he planned to recruit over her and if she stayed, wouldn't play more than ten minutes per game. When that didn't work, he turned up the pressure. The Fennelly faithful who say it was ultimately "her decision" and he didn't non-renew her scholarship are "talking out their @sses". It's a harsh business - for whatever reason, Bill wanted Kelsey elsewhere and he got what he wanted.

I've heard similar. Sucks on the surface but that's the demand of college sports anymore.

 

[nfrine]

I'm going to say this one last time and then move on. Kelsey loved ISU and her team - she didn't want to leave. In her end of season meeting, CBF indicated he planned to recruit over her and if she stayed, wouldn't play more than ten minutes per game. When that didn't work, he turned up the pressure. The Fennelly faithful who say it was ultimately "her decision" and he didn't non-renew her scholarship are "talking out their @sses". It's a harsh business - for whatever reason, Bill wanted Kelsey elsewhere and he got what he wanted.

Okay.

 

[Clonefan32]

I'm going to say this one last time and then move on. Kelsey loved ISU and her team - she didn't want to leave. In her end of season meeting, CBF indicated he planned to recruit over her and if she stayed, wouldn't play more than ten minutes per game. When that didn't work, he turned up the pressure. The Fennelly faithful who say it was ultimately "her decision" and he didn't non-renew her scholarship are "talking out their @sses". It's a harsh business - for whatever reason, Bill wanted Kelsey elsewhere and he got what he wanted.

That's been the book on Bill for years. I know someone who had a similar situation. Once he doesn't have a use for you the "family" non-sense he's always talking about goes out the window.

It's a tough landscape out there and I know Bill is far from the only one pushing people out. But I've definitely heard that he makes it very hard for people who aren't a part of his favored few.

 

[kcdc4isu]

Bill is no different than any other coach at a major school as you can see some of the players in this years portal from successful teams. You win or you are gone as a coach. While I don't agree that Kelsey should only be getting 10 min. or less if that was what she was told and she wanted more glad she found a new place to play. My only hope is she gets the playing time she deserves/wants as many times players transfer and then play less than they were. Kelsey will always be a player I enjoyed watching play for her hustle.

 

[isucy86]

Wish Kelsey the best at Villanova. I am sure it will be a great chapter to her life.

It would be interesting to understand how much the modern era of college sport with portal eligibility and NIL play into roster composition. And there is probably subtle or maybe not so subtle differences between FB vs BB because of roster size. And even how TJ approaches vs. how CBF approaches.

I look at the Cyclones an we seem to have distinct groups of players:

1. All Conference Level Players: Crooks, Brown, Jada Williams
2. Role Starters/Core Bench: Jackson, Hare, Harris, Alisa Williams
3. Roster Potential: Tanke, Wilson & Taulelei
4. Recruit Potential: Beaty & Jensen

So with the House Agreement fewer scholarship players results in the ability to pay individual players more. Could we see CBF stay at just 12 scholarship players? Also comparing MBB vs. WBB, with WBB they have a men's squad to practice against. So is it less important to have a 13th player or even 12th?

Obviously, from a House Settlement & NIL Collective Iowa State is more limited than Big10, SEC schools. And a decent percentage of Big12/ACC schools. So it's a matter of doing more with less. So a hoops coach like Bill Fennelly is going to take an NBA approach and have a big 3 roster. Then its a matter of filling the roster with establish role players. And lastly, it's adding players with high upside- the "potential" buzzword. And for that potential to be realized, there has to be a path for playing time in practice and games.

 

[Tpups21]

Makes no sense to push Kelsey out if they aren’t going to add another solid player. Ceiling might not be any higher for next season’s team if the roster is already set.

 

[Cyclad]

I'm going to say this one last time and then move on. Kelsey loved ISU and her team - she didn't want to leave. In her end of season meeting, CBF indicated he planned to recruit over her and if she stayed, wouldn't play more than ten minutes per game. When that didn't work, he turned up the pressure. The Fennelly faithful who say it was ultimately "her decision" and he didn't non-renew her scholarship are "talking out their @sses". It's a harsh business - for whatever reason, Bill wanted Kelsey elsewhere and he got what he wanted.

I believe this. It was also a mistake imho.
If he is going to recruit over her he better get started! Multiple players still on the team who will never be as good as Kelsey.
This remains head scratcher to me.

 

[isucy86]

Makes no sense to push Kelsey out if they aren’t going to add another solid player. Ceiling might not be any higher for next season’s team if the roster is already set.

But Hare will be healthy, so she is essentially a 2025 portal add. Hare is the equivalent of the old-fashioned sit-out transfer. Plus I have to believe Williams will have more of an impact than Emily Ryan. So IMO the ceiling is higher than 2024/25 with the 12 we have.

The staff has to project opportunities for Tanke, Wilson, Jensen & Beaty for playing time. Because they'll need to make a similar decision as they did with Kelsey Joens in the next year or two.

Another way to look at it, based on the existing 12 person roster. If Kelsey Joens played her first 2 years at Villanova and was in the portal- would CBF look to sign her? I don't think so, if we add a 13th player, its probably a women who can play the 3/4 spors.

 

[clonedude]

I believe this. It was also a mistake imho.
If he is going to recruit over her he better get started! Multiple players still on the team who will never be as good as Kelsey.
This remains head scratcher to me.

I understand in this day and age that players get pushed out…. but we had darn well be a lot better next year then. Kelsey always played with the most hustle and intensity of anyone on the court. We shall see if the team misses that next year or not?

 

[NWICY]

I'm going to say this one last time and then move on. Kelsey loved ISU and her team - she didn't want to leave. In her end of season meeting, CBF indicated he planned to recruit over her and if she stayed, wouldn't play more than ten minutes per game. When that didn't work, he turned up the pressure. The Fennelly faithful who say it was ultimately "her decision" and he didn't non-renew her scholarship are "talking out their @sses". It's a harsh business - for whatever reason, Bill wanted Kelsey elsewhere and he got what he wanted.

Well unless they do better than last yr I think the fan base is going to get grumpy with the coaching staff, injuries hampered last yrs team a lot but chasing off Kelsey (one of your better players IMO) is certainly a plan. Last year was pretty marginal results wise figuring the hype going into the season. At least this yr there isn't much hype going into the season IMO.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Well unless they do better than last yr I think the fan base is going to get grumpy with the coaching staff, injuries hampered last yrs team a lot but chasing off Kelsey (one of your better players IMO) is certainly a plan. Last year was pretty marginal results wise figuring the hype going into the season. At least this yr there isn't much hype going into the season IMO.

We already have some posters downplaying the hype for next season and I am 100% convinced the coaches will vote us Big 12 title favorites. If we don't win it the likely excuse will be that Baylor or someone else "cheated" and bought a bunch of players. We won't be able to use the "we are so young" excuse again. Barring injury to one of the big three, not grabbing the title will be a big fail. We have our best roster in forever and the league is historically weak sauce.