Early NLI Signing Period 2024 Class

[Soonercuda]

The early signing period starts today and lasts for a week. As far as I know Zya Vann is our only recruit for this period. She announced she would sign at noon today.

With Liz Scott likely coming back for her 6th year, Kennady Tucker is the only player that will complete her eligibility this year. So we will have 12 scholarship players eligible to come back plus Zya…realistically a couple of the 12 likely will enter the portal. So we probably will want to get a portal player or two in the spring.

 

[Soonercuda]

 

[Soonercuda]

Recruiting rankings for the 2024 class from ESPN:​

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No. 24 Oklahoma​

Highest-ranked commit: G Zya Vann (No. 46)

Coach Jennie Baranczyk has added two of the best in state prospects to the Oklahoma future in this class.

Vann is a scoring guard who can really catch fire. She is quite effective off the dribble and finds creative ways to score in the mid-range and at the rim. She will bring instant offense.

• No. 72 Caya Smith is a slashing athlete who brings a defensive intensity to the floor. She is a threat to score with the way she runs the floor and attacks the rim hard off the dribble on direct drives.

 

[jdizzle34]

OU needs to start getting higher-ranked classes. I don't get why OU isn't in the top 12 to 15 now, with a proven coach and a really good last 2 years.

Hopefully Jennie can breakthrough and get a top 10 to 15 class soon. Those type of game-changing commits have eluded OU for a long time.

 

[MsProudSooner]

OU needs to start getting higher-ranked classes. I don't get why OU isn't in the top 12 to 15 now, with a proven coach and a really good last 2 years.

Hopefully Jennie can breakthrough and get a top 10 to 15 class soon. Those type of game-changing commits have eluded OU for a long time.

I think we only had room to take the two players we took. We had to leave an open slot for the transfer portal or we couldn't have gotten Beers. You are never going to have a highly ranked class when you only have 2 players in the class.

 

[jdizzle34]

I think we only had room to take the two players we took. We had to leave an open slot for the transfer portal or we couldn't have gotten Beers. You are never going to have a highly ranked class when you only have 2 players in the class.

Top 15-20 players seem to elude OU. That was more what I meant. My apologies.

 

[Soonercuda]

I think you need to demonstrate getting past the first weekend of the tournament or have a top 20 player in your backyard to get those players out of high school. Those top 20 players are choosing from offers from the perennial powers and it is just hard to sell your potential to them as opposed to proven success. Jennie got Sahara on a version of player in your backyard from the Iowa connection. For 2025 we have Lofton from our backyard and are trying hard to get Keeley Parks.

Jennie has also used the portal the last 2 years to get Verhulst and Beers who are former top 20 players and difference making level players. So with all the experienced talent we have it is important for the 24/25 team to get past the first weekend...and prove to recruits that we are a threat to make annual deep tournament runs.