Sports360AZ
By Jeff Metcalfe
Once Marley Washenitz made her not-easy decision to transfer for her final season of college women’s basketball, she stuck to a guiding principle in sifting through a dozen or more suitors.
People make the place.
Molly Miller and her assistants ultimately were the deal maker for Washenitz in choosing Arizona State even though the Sun Devils are transitioning with a new staff and she will be moving across the country from her three-year home at Pitt.
“I kind of had my non-negotiables,” Washenitz said. “Location wasn’t really a part of that. Environment was No. 1 on my list. I wanted to make sure I was surrounded with a great staff and great teammates. The second thing was style and fit. I’m an aggressive guard and coach Molly’s system is awesome.”
From Fairmont in north central West Virginia, where the 5-7 guard was two-time state high school Player of the Year, Washenitz fully intended to have a one-stop college career.
She almost made it, remaining at Pitt (90 miles from Fairmont) through a coaching change after her freshman season and two more years under current coach Tory Verdi. Playing time wasn’t an issue – she started 78 of 91 games – but losing became one. The Panthers were a combined 31-63 in the last three seasons.
“I was split,” Washenitz said. “I wanted to continue and finish my four years and get my degree from Pitt. But after evaluating and following God’s path for me, I decided to enter the portal. I was a little hesitant because the portal is a little scary. But everything happens for a reason.”
She compares her three weeks in the portal to speed dating. Limitless NIL assisted Washenitz to sort through inquiries from a broad range of schools including home state West Virginia. She visited Wisconsin and ASU before making her decision.
While at Pitt, Washenitz played against two of Miller’s now ASU assistants – Stephanie Norman at Louisville and Daniel Barber at Clemson. That two-way familiarity and her belief that Miller’s success at Drury (Division II) and Grand Canyon will translate at ASU, which last had a winning season in 2019-20.
“It’s always a challenge coming in with a first-year head coach,” Washenitz said. “It may look hard, but in today’s day and age with the portal, it’s a lot easier to rebuild a team really quick and turn it around in one year.
“Because they are such a great and experienced staff, turning it around (immediately) isn’t going to be a surprise or shock because I know they’re capable of doing that. Molly has proven she can win.”
Washenitz averaged 9.3 points and 2.6 assists as a junior, shooting 35 percent from 3-point. ASU’s outgoing transfers include leading scorers Jalyn Brown and Tyi Skinner (combined 34.8 ppg) so there will be ample opportunity for her and others to fill the void.
Other known ASU incoming transfers are guards Jordan Jones (from Denver), Gabby Elliott (Penn State) and Last-Tear Poa (LSU) and forward McKinna Brackens (UNLV). There are four returning players from a 10-22 team.
The Australian Poa was a key rotation and periodic starter in three seasons at LSU including on the Tigers’ 2023 NCAA championship team.
“It’s been a little overwhelming but at the time I’m so grateful for it all,” said Washenitz, who has pro aspirations and an interest in coaching. “It opened my eyes and gave me a little bit of reassurance of who I am as a player and as a person. To see other coaches saw things in me that maybe I didn’t see myself was reassuring.”
