Clay’s Take: Georgia Tech
Nell Fortner inherits a program that has been a pretty consistent fixture in postseason play over the past decade. Fortner, who last coached at Auburn in 2012, has the ties to the southeastern region that should let her be effective in recruiting immediately. She’s stayed around the game broadcasting with ESPN during her coaching hiatus. Though two of the top five scorers in 2018-19 have transferred out due to the coaching change, Tech was able to retain enough firepower to be a factor in the always competitive ACC next season.
Key Returners:
Lorela Cubaj, Jr.: 7 pts, 7.3 rbs
Kierra Fletcher, Jr.: 8.9 pts, 5.8 rbs
Francecsa Pan, Sr.: 12 pts, 3.9 rbs
Key Departures:
Elizabeth Balogun (Louisville transfer)
Elizabeth Dixon (Louisville transfer)
Final Outlook:
For Fortner’s Yellow Jackets, the 2019-20 season will be all about holding the program together while building for the future. Tech has the scholarship space to make a play for a fifth-year transfer late and then to add at least three if not four quality pieces in the 2020 recruiting class. Look for newly hired assistants Tasha Butts and Blanche Alverson to hit the ground running with over 20 available four-star prospects in the class located within a five-hour drive of the Atlanta-based campus.
Brandon Clay serves as the WNBA Director of Scouting for ProspectsNation.com and owns The JumpOffPlus.com International Report, which is picked up by more than 150 colleges and universities nationwide. He serves as the Executive Camp Director for the Elite Basketball Academy Camps. He serves on the Naismith Trophy Men’s / Women’s College Player of the Year Academy and is chairman of the HS Boys / Girls Board of Selectors and is on the McDonald’s All-American Selection Committee. He also is the publisher of PSBPopCulture.com.
