November 16, 2021
Georgia Tech’s Loyal McQueen enters the transfer portal
McQueen had started in all three games for the No. 18 Yellow Jackets this season, her departure leaves their backcourt thin
The 2021-22 women’s college basketball season may have started, but transfer season never stops.
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Georgia Tech guard Loyal McQueen entered the transfer portal on Tuesday, a source close to the situation confirmed to The Next. A Georgia Tech spokesperson confirmed to The Next that McQueen has indeed entered the portal.
McQueen’s motives for transferring are unknown, and seeing her leave the No. 18 Yellow Jackets just three games into the season is surprising considering she has started and played significant minutes in each contest this season. McQueen played 26 minutes against Central Michigan, 27 minutes against Kennesaw State, and 25 minutes against Belmont.
Across the Yellow Jackets’ 3-0 start, she is averaging 4.6 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal per game.
McQueen was one of the first recruits Fortner signed, as the Florence, South Carolina native inked her NLI just seven months after Fortner was hired in Atlanta. Tabbed as a four-star prospect by ESPN, McQueen was ranked as the 69th best player in the 2020 class.
Before signing with Georgia Tech, McQueen had previously verbally committed to North Carolina but reopened her recruitment in April of 2019 after longtime Tar Heels’ coach Sylvia Hatchell resigned. She also held offers from N.C. State, Ole Miss, Purdue, Clemson, Kentucky, East Carolina and Virginia Tech. McQueen’s father Derrick played at Wake Forest, where he started 105 games.
Last season, McQueen started in 21 of the 25 games she appeared in, finishing fourth on the team in scoring with 8.8 points per game. With McQueen’s help, Georgia Tech made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament for just the second time ever. Her career-high in points and assists — 17 and seven — came in a Feb. 2 win over Clemson.
The loss of McQueen could sting for Georgia Tech and it makes the Yellow Jackets’ backcourt depth even thinner. The Yellow Jackets are already without Kierra Fletcher, who was second on the team in scoring and assists last season. Fletcher, a fifth-year guard, is redshirting this season for medical reasons.
Georgia Tech is aiming for its fourth win of the season on Wednesday when it travels to ETSU.
