I think Stephens will be awesome! Some of these recruits/transfers are much better! Where were we going with Slinker? And yes, she will lose some of her recruits! This always happens with teams on the rise.

I'm concerned, but still optimistic about Stephens. Hopefully we see some improvement this year.

When Todd Dodge was God, the ones who left the team were demonized, but when Stephens' players leave-her inexperience and inability to get along with players get the blame.

Of the five players that have left, Mansa El is the only one that most likely would have been in the rotation. Even she might have faced reduced playing time.

They may have left to get more playing time. There is no evidence that anyone left because of conflicts with the coaching staff. Mimi Goodman will be a student assistant this season. So we know that at least one is still on good terms with the coaches.

I hate to see Mansa El leave and I hope the APR doesn't suffer, but otherwise I am looking forward to a good season.

It may take several months to come together as a team, and there may be some early season disappointments ahead. But I look for NT to be much improved by the end of the season.

Is anyone thinking about the fact that El's Sister was removed from the roster?... That may have had an impact on her decision to move on.

Playing time, personnel changes, expectations - could have all played into everyone's decision to part ways. SS is not the first coach in the very near past that has revamped their roster. She has 5 yrs to make a point - I would assume she is taking no prisoners! Having a group that buys into the system is crucial to the program's success.

And, there is no need to dwell on what we don't have - more so on what we are working with - which, on paper - is a better quality of players with a much more diverse basketball background (D-1 Transfers, JUCO recruits, Prep school, and HS Championship level teams). Take into consideration the size of the incoming players too. Also, at least 5 of the girls were being recruited by Major D1 programs.

I hope many of you are right and SS builds a powerhouse. I don't know how anyone though could deny she is off to a rocky start. As for as her recruiting better players than Slinker that also remains to be seen. I don't see anything on the surface that tells me that SS has recruited that much better than Tina. Slinker in the lamest of lame duck years managed to snag a couple of heralded recruits Green and El. Both who are no longer on the team. Amber Jackson was an all state Indiana player. In one class Slinker recruited the foursome of Sanetra Jackson,Jo Hall, Tricia Lee and Ashley Vation. All these girls were rated in the top 35 in Texas.

I think Stephens has recruited well, I particularly think that Cuffee, Hughes and Calvin may turn into big time players. Obviously, she has recruited a great quantity of recruits. It kind of reminds me of Trilli who bought in about 13 players in one class but frankly I don't see any players SS has recruited that are comparable on paper to Chris Davis or a Dexter Tennell. I certainly hope that is the only way that Stephens can be compared to Trilli.

I definitely think it was time for a change from Slinker. I like what I hear from Stephens and enjoy her style of basketball. But frankly, I am concerned when she found it necessary to suspend about half the team at one time or another, end a brilliant career of Amber Jackson on a very sour note, and has thus far lost Green, Thompson, Bailey and El. Many believe that she is just cleaning up Slinker's mess and getting the players with right attitude and attributes. I don't buy that at all, Slinker as much as any coach recruited players with character. I just think a young coach made a lot of freshman mistakes manageing a team and I sincerely hope that she learned from it and is on her way to success.