Arlen/Yackley to Transfer

[ms3765]

In what has been an oddly surprising day after a nice Easter weekend and phenomenal ISU women's basketball season, I have gotten wind from my daughter that Ashley Arlen and Alexis Yackley are both transferring. It is very clear that Arlen/Yackley/Rockall are all friends, so I can only imagine this selfish decision has been hashed out with the 3 of them.

What makes me and others ticked off is to think of the great opportunity these young people were given to only think of themselves first, especially Arlen, a player who would see SIGNIFICANT playing increased minutes with the departure of the 4 ISU post players who are seniors. Yackley just isn't very good. Now the 3 incoming girls will be challenged to contribute immediately, which isn't a bad thing for the Cyclones.

An even more difficult thought is what this TEAM accomplished (ELITE 8) and this decision does not happen overnight. These players and their families had been stewing over this for more than just days and weeks and during one of the greatest runs in women's basketball history.

Best of luck ladies. Not many players who have left ISU mid-career have had mighty success.

 

[cstrunk]

Someone's a wee bit upset, eh?

Tough to hear about this. We needed Arlen to give us production down low this coming season.

 

[PGreen ISU '92]

Not good -- looks like BF has a big rebuilding job ahead. He can do it. Go Cyclones!

 

[jay moe]

Interesting....I will believe it when I hear it from Fennelly.

 

[IcSyU]

I'm shocked on Arlen leaving. She was going to see a lot of playing time next year with the departures.

Yackley I'm not terribly surprised. She's never really seemed happy here when I've seen her on campus or talked to her on weekends.

Best of luck to both in the future even though I'm sad to see them go.


Oh, by the way, the fact that you take digs and say Yackley isn't good and Arlen turned it over everytime on purpose are really classy.

 

[06_CY]

In what has been an oddly surprising day after a nice Easter weekend and phenomenal ISU women's basketball season, I have gotten wind from my daughter that Ashley Arlen and Alexis Yackley are both transferring. It is very clear that Arlen/Yackley/Rockall are all friends, so I can only imagine this selfish decision has been hashed out with the 3 of them.

What makes me and others ticked off is to think of the great opportunity these young people were given to only think of themselves first, especially Arlen, a player who would see SIGNIFICANT playing increased minutes with the departure of the 4 ISU post players who are seniors. Yackley just isn't very good. Now the 3 incoming girls will be challenged to contribute immediately, which isn't a bad thing for the Cyclones.

An even more difficult thought is what this TEAM accomplished (ELITE 8) and this decision does not happen overnight. These players and their families had been stewing over this for more than just days and weeks and during one of the greatest runs in women's basketball history. No wonder Arlen turned it over every time she touched it; maybe she had large coin on the games.

Best of luck ladies. Not many players who have left ISU mid-career have had mighty success.

Wow, someone's bitter...if Yackley isn't very good as you state, why does it matter to you if she leaves?

 

[CyDude16]

Did they happen to turn you down when you asked them to go on a date?

 

[C.John]

I'm shocked on Arlen leaving.

She showed great promise during the season. I enjoyed watching her play. Count me in as someone who will be disappointed if she is leaving.

That said, good luck to these girls in their college careers, either here at ISU or somewhere else.

 

[Wingback]

If true, a couple of thoughts:

1. What is it with today's young people? Does no one any more understand what it means to honor a commitment? Unfortunately, adults (coaches, in particular) have set a bad example in this area, but players transferring in college athletics has become an epidemic. If I don't get the amount of playing time I think I deserve, I'm outa here!

2. Where do these three young ladies think they can go to a). play for a better coach than Bill Fennelly, and b). play for a program with the consistency of the ISU women's program?

Unfortunately, there are probably some parents living vicariously through their kids who are behind the situation. It's just a shame for the young ladies, if true. There is no question, this will turn out to be their loss.

 

[benjay]

Their loss. what it is.

 

[PGreen ISU '92]

Arlen and GMac are both from Cascade -- probably his fault she's leaving.

 

[greatshu]

I liked Yackley

 

[Clonehomer]

If true, a couple of thoughts:

1. What is it with today's young people? Does no one any more understand what it means to honor a commitment? Unfortunately, adults (coaches, in particular) have set a bad example in this area, but players transferring in college athletics has become an epidemic. If I don't get the amount of playing time I think I deserve, I'm outa here!

2. Where do these three young ladies think they can go to a). play for a better coach than Bill Fennelly, and b). play for a program with the consistency of the ISU women's program?

Unfortunately, there are probably some parents living vicariously through their kids who are behind the situation. It's just a shame for the young ladies, if true. There is no question, this will turn out to be their loss.

I don't know about Arlen, but with the recruiting classes getting better as of late, who knows how much playing time Yackley would have gotten. I understand that the players made a commitment, but they only get so long to play college basketball. Why waste those years on the bench when you can play somewhere else?

I hold no ill will towards any player that leaves for the right reasons and wish them the best in their careers.

 

[d4nim4l]

Yackley isn't too surprising but losing Arlen is going to be very troublesome I think.

 

[Haverhill]

Who is the source? I'll believe it once it hit's Cyclones.com

 

[akaclone]

How do you know they are gone ,for sure ????...alot of things get said and until ISU announces it...its all he said she said....hope it's not true

 

[mwitt]

Arlen was going to see major minutes as a post next year? Isn't 6'1" pretty small for a female post?

 

[CyValley]

Arlen/Yackley to Transfer - so, what's the problem?

Shocking that some of you guys criticize the decisions to transfer so many college players are making.

Isn't the prevailing social ethic these days to prize individual action and self-aggrandizement at the expense of the community? Isn't one for all (that is, team goal and group effort) seen as a liberal or (gasp) socialistic ethic? In the 19th century, when country families would flock to one site to raise a barn (teamwork!) in one day's time – many families benefiting one family – really, wasn't this an incipient gathering of Communists? (Post-1848, I guess.)

How can anyone who believes in a social ethic that values unrestricted capitalism and individual, entrepreneurial self-action as the strongest foundation for today's America complain about players' decisions to abandon their teams and move on to what they see as greener pastures? After all, such action is the accepted American way, is it not? Is it not the case that our young people have well learned the lessons taught them by we 21st Century citizens?

If there is a fault here, is it young people's, or more correctly, is it ours?

(I DO NOT intend to make political party comments, yet, politics in general is a reflection of human behavior and social organization, so how does one strip away the flesh and sinew of politics from the decisions made by flesh and sinew human beings, particularly when those decisions happen to concern ISU athletes? [One definition of politics: "The often internally conflicting interrelationships among people in a society."] Please note that I have not mentioned political parties, and I have not mentioned political figures. I'm just intrigued by what, it seems to me, is a contradiction in prevailing national values where college players are concerned.)

 

[mred]

I hold no ill will towards any player that leaves for the right reasons and wish them the best in their careers.

Agreed. This isn't MBB where players are usually transferring for more playing time. Since I've started following basketball in 97-98, 22 players have left the program before exhausting their eligibility. The breakdown:

Div I basketball (7): (note indicates career post-ISU)
Amanda Bartz (UIC) -- part-time starter
Alyssa Shriver (Tulsa) -- starting post
Kate Bauman (UCSB) -- generally a backup post
Megan McCracken (Illinois State) -- part-time starter
Jane Horkey (Drake) -- only played one season
Megan Ebel (UNC_Wilmington) -- never played
Rachel Pierson (DePaul) -- this was her first season playing there - only played 10 games, all off the bench (injury?)

Lower Division / Non-NCAA basketball (7):
Mindy Sywassink (was a one-season walk-on for us)
Melanie Bremer
Nina Smith
Tegan Stuart
Seirra Dawson
Gillian Bjerke
Claire Rockall

Remained at ISU -- different sport (3):
Sara Stribe (volleyball)
Ada Anderson (track and field)
Susan Sherman (track and field -- only walked on for one season for emergency post depth)

Remained at ISU -- no sports (3):
Jessica Jackson (chronic injuries)
Lisa Bildeaux
Brittany Lange (chronic injuries)

Not Sure (2):
Rhonda Fisher
Tanisha Brewer

 

[mred]

Arlen was going to see major minutes as a post next year? Isn't 6'1" pretty small for a female post?

Most of her time (will likely be? / would have likely been?) at power forward. A 6'1" PF isn't that small, particularly one as physical as she is.