Poffenbarger will land in Arkansas

The No. 30 prospect in ESPN’s 2021 HoopGurlz recruiting rankings joined the Huskies as an early enrollee in January for the second half of the 2020-21 season. She played in just 12 total games for Connecticut, scoring six points and pulling down four rebounds. The 6’2 guard announced her intent to enter the transfer portal the day after the Huskies defeated Poffenbarger’s new team, Arkansas, 95-80 in UConn’s season opener.

“After talking to my family, I decided it’s in my best interest to enter my name into the transfer portal,” Poffenbarger said in a statement earlier this month. “I’m grateful for my teammates, coaches, support staff and the fans for welcoming me to Storrs, and I wish them the best.”

Poffenbarger was competing for playing time on a deep and talented Connecticut roster. In addition to reigning AP Player of the Year Paige Bueckers, UConn’s roster includes five other guards including freshmen Azzi Fudd and Caroline Ducharme, sophomore Nika Mühl, and seniors Christyn Williams and Evina Westbrook. Poffenbarger’s mother, Amy, shared with The Frederick News Post that her daughter’s decision was about more than basketball or playing time, however.

“It’s been a conversation, and it’s not all basketball,” Amy Poffenbarger said. “The academic [side] wasn’t super-engaging, there wasn’t much to the campus life, and there wasn’t the ability to get out and meet a lot of people. Unfortunately that part of college life … that part wasn’t happening for her.”

Poffenbarger will remain at UConn throughout the remainder of the fall semester. But will no longer participate in the basketball program. She can transfer to Arkansas and practice with the team starting in January. She will be eligible to compete in games for Razorbacks starting next fall. Due to the NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to all winter athletes, she retains four year of eligibility.