Blue White Illustrated

she's one of their coaches, she likes to tell those players, "You can't get away from me." Wyatt sees her connections in the South as an asset for Penn State. "I think that's one of the reasons why Coquese brought me here," she said. "I started out in the AAU circuit. I have a lot of friends in AAUs. I actually helped run a lot of tour- naments in the South when I was coming out of college, so a lot of my connections are through that. I imagine that's one of the reasons she asked me here." A former assistant at East Carolina, where she helped the Pirates assemble back-to-back top-100 recruiting classes, Wyatt had gotten to know Washington through coaching conventions and her own networking efforts. She had spoken several times at the "So You Want To Be a Coach" seminar at the NCAA Women's Final Four and also at a couple of Nike- sponsored coaching clinics, and hers was one of the names that quickly came up after Walseth left. "Obviously, Itoro got that position," Wyatt said. "Coquese had been talking to me about that one, and then when Fred left, she called me back and said, 'Hey, really liked you before, really wanted you for the first position.' But obviously with Itoro having head coaching experience, you can't be mad at that hire. She's kinda awesome and she'd been here before. So after Fred left, she said, would you be in- terested? I said absolutely. Couldn't pass it up." Washington had been following Wyatt's career since she was a graduate assistant working for longtime Georgia coach Andy Landers and was eager to bring her to Penn State to complete the team's recon- figured staff. "I've always been impressed with her work ethic and her giving spirit," Wash- ington said. "She's a hard worker, and she's a fantastic and dynamic recruiter. I just watched her grow over the years, and when the oppor- tunity came for me to be able to bring her on board, I really didn't hesitate." ■ Former UConn guard transfers to PSU Brianna Banks left Connecticut in May because, as she said at the time, "I feel like I need a fresh start closer to home." A resident of Newnan, Ga., Banks won't be a lot closer to home now that she has transferred to Penn State, but she'll definitely get that fresh start she was seeking. Lauded by coach Coquese Washington as "an electric and energiz- ing player," the 5-foot-9 guard will have one more year of eligibility after sitting out the upcoming season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. "Brianna is an outstanding athlete and truly a welcome addition to our pro- gram," Washington said. "She brings tremendous talent and skill to our perimeter play, especially with her speed and scoring ability." Banks played on two national champi- onship teams in her three seasons with the Huskies, seeing action in 90 games and averaging 4.4 points per game. She averaged a career-high 7.3 points as a sophomore, but that season ended two months early when her right ACL was torn in a Feb. 2 game at St. John's. Returning to action last season, Banks started eight of Connecticut's 37 games, averaging 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists. She averaged 14.2 minutes per game, but her playing time declined late in the season. With four freshman guards set to join the Huskies this com- ing season, their backcourt will be even more crowded than it was this past year, so Banks decided to explore her options. Penn State had a connection to Banks in that Washington had known her step- father while growing up in Michigan. "He and I talked, and she expressed that she would have some interest and want- ed to learn about Penn State," Washing- ton said. "So we started recruiting her, and here we are." Coming out of Fayette County High School in 2011, Banks was ranked 15th nationally by the All-Star Girls Report and 24th by ESPN Hoopgurlz. Following her senior season, in which she averaged 16.2 points, 5.5. rebounds, 5.1 assists and 5.0 steals per game and led the Tigers to a state championship, she was named a McDonald's High School All-American and a WBCA honorable mention All- American and also received Georgia Miss Basketball honors. She is one of three former McDonald's All-Americans on Penn State's roster, joining junior center Candice Agee and sophomore guard Sierra Moore. – M.H.

• Cover