Vanessa Johnson is leaving

[22jack]

This came from TV's twitter page.

Guard Vanessa Johnson has left the SDSU women's basketball team after two injury-plagued seasons. She likely will play elsewhere.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Had a feeling this was coming.

[propar80]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Yes, doesn't really surprise me either. What did suprise is how highly regarded she was coming out of HS...at least to the SDSU coaches...and never really looked the part when she did get on the court. Just goes to show how much injuries can play a part...really puts an athlete behind the 8-ball.

Go luck to VJ wherever life may take her.

Go Jacks!!

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Will be interesting to see what they will do with this open scholarship. Do you sign someone who might be out there in the 2010 class, look for a Juco who might be able to play a role or save the scholarship for next year. I think they will do the latter, but the Juco route might be best to balance the classes and put another junior on the roster.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Will be interesting to see what they will do with this open scholarship. Do you sign someone who might be out there in the 2010 class, look for a Juco who might be able to play a role or save the scholarship for next year. I think they will do the latter, but the Juco route might be best to balance the classes and put another junior on the roster.

Not saying its impossible, but when is the last time SDSU brought in a player from a JUCO for the women's team? I can't think of any in recent memory.

[jackmd]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Not saying its impossible, but when is the last time SDSU brought in a player from a JUCO for the women's team? I can't think of any in recent memory.

I can't either but a little birdie told me it is a distinct possibility. Rumors are just that but the birdie told me she would play point. I haven't heard anything since the Summit Tourney so maybe it fell through.

Best of luck to Vanessa, I thought she showed some promise at times but injuries prevented her from being at her best.

[zooropa]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Now that they've got a vacancy that could be used on Ashley, it's a shame she's committed to Augie.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Now that they've got a vacancy that could be used on Ashley, it's a shame she's committed to Augie.

so why even bring it up?

[zooropa]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

so why even bring it up?

To point out the vagaries of timing.... VJ quits the team right after the season ends and perhaps we have a different outcome on the Ashley situation (perhaps).

[filbert]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

To point out the vagaries of timing.... VJ quits the team right after the season ends and perhaps we have a different outcome on the Ashley situation (perhaps).

Seems like there is an assumption of facts not in evidence, to whit: That AJ was unaware that Vanessa was possibly/likely to leave the team at the end of the season and caught flat-footed by her departure.

This strikes me as a fairly strong assumption to make.

It is also possible that absolutely nothing recruiting-wise would have changed--or that how recruiting was actually done this year took into account Vanessa's possible departure.

I suppose somebody could actually ask AJ. This approach has an assumption, too, of course--that AJ would actually tell you how they go about current and future player-personnel planning and recruiting . . .

[zooropa]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Hence the 'perhaps' weasel-word.

I'm aware that AJ may have kept VJ's departure under wraps in order to avoid pressure on the Ashley front because he had no intention of offering her a scholarship, but consider what that would've entailed:

It would've required that AJ instruct VJ not tell a soul about her decision, or tell as few people as possible, swearing them to secrecy, and telling her either:

1) You can tell people after Ashley signs somewhere else =or=

2) You can tell people when I say it's okay

And all that predicated on the notion that AJ wouldn't want Ashley even if he had a sudden opening on the roster for a guard, which is based on the notion that he'd rather have an empty spot on the bench than Ashley.

Which, if you assume all that, means that AJ -also- didn't have the forthrightness to deal honestly with Ashley.

---

Now it could be that VJ told AJ she was leaving the team a while back, and asked -him- not to release the information, and I could see AJ and VJ sitting on the information for any of a variety of other reasons...

But the notion that he sat on the info to avoid dealing with Ashley head on just seems fraught with complexity, and it certainly doesn't fit AJ's character as a recruiter or as a coach.

[JamesJacks]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Good luck to Vanessa in the future. I wish her the best. Question: Does every thread have to include some discussion about the guard who will be attending Augustana?

[MikeHenriksen]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Good luck to Vanessa in the future. I wish her the best. Question: Does every thread have to include some discussion about the guard who will be attending Augustana?

Surprised it took as long as it did! Where are the backers of the Chadron State guard?

Injuries are a son of a gun. Johnson was a heck of a prospect. Hope she is healthy at her next school.

[zooropa]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

Good luck to Vanessa in the future. I wish her the best. Question: Does every thread have to include some discussion about the guard who will be attending Augustana?

Ashley's a guard, and VJ's a guard--there's a bit of a connection there.

Certainly more of a connection than there was between the departure of Cala & Ashley's future.

[SDHoops]

Re: Vanessa Johnson is leaving

I hope VJ has success wherever she goes. A very classy young lady who was a joy to watch at the state tournament during her senior year. Her behind the back crossovers were especially fun to watch and were effective in high school.