EXCLUSIVE: UW Huskies WBB 2021 Recruiting Class “Wait & See” On Their New Coach

(Olvia(in order, Olivia “Liv” Pollerd; Avery Van Sickle; Jess Finney; AJ Marotte; Marisa Davis-Jones)

UDUBWBB.com has confirmed that four 2021 Washington Women’s Basketball recruits — i.e., AJ Marotte (Texas), Marisa Davis-Jones (Arizona), Avery Van Sickle (Colorado), and Olivia Polllerd (Australia) — are all taking a “wait and see” approach to the firing of former UW WBB head coach Jody Wynn.

In speaking with all players — or in one case, the mother of a player — all expressed surprise and disappointment at the move announced by the Washington Athetics Department on Monday, March 15th.

However, all indicated that they do not have any plans to reopen their recruitment, at this time.

UDUBWBB.com was unable to speak with the fifth 2021 recruit, Jess Finney (Arizona).

Finney, a 6’0″ guard, left high school to enroll early at the University of Washington for the Winter semester 2021. Finney played in 14 games this season, beginning January 1st on the road against Colorado.

Washington’s 2021 recruiting class had the most high-ranked players in UW Women’s basketball history with Marotte (#63); Davis-Jones (#76); Van Sickle(#85); and Finney (#94) all ranked as 4-star recruits in the ESPN Top 100 players list for 2021.

The fifth player, Pollerd of Australia, was ranked #22 among international players in the 2021 Global Rankings per World Wide Hoops/Premier Basketball.

Olivia Pollerd, a 6’3″ Australian sharpshooter, was not part of the ESPN Top 100 Rankings for American players, however, Pollerd is easily a Top 100 talent in the 2021 recruiting class.

It is now up to the UW Athletics department to make this women’s basketball coaching hire in a manner that keeps the entire 2021 recruiting class intact.

Recent history suggests this may be a tall task.

UW Athletic Director Jen Cohen’s 2017 firing of Washington Men’s Basketball head coach Lorenzo Romar — and subsequent hiring of Mike Hopkins, resulted in UW losing all but one of the incoming UW recruits from a class previously ranked #1 nationally.

Washington will need a better result from their new coach, if the Huskies are to turnaround this program any time soon.

#GODAWGS