Joni and staff have added two national top 50 players in the past week to our recruiting class that will be on campus for the 2026-27 season.

This information is noted in another thread here about this year's roster but I thought it deserved its own thread so as to not get buried.

PG Rieyan DeSouze from the Dallas area
#38 nationally per ESPN
#45 nationally by 247
#6 national PG by 247

F Jayda Porter from Missouri
#29 nationally per 247
#9 national power forward by 247
#49 nationally per ESPN

Well this is a sight for sore eyes! Glad to hear it. There will be lots of time next year

Do we think having Darius on staff is helping with recruiting, OR is this a direct result of more $$ being filtered to the program (or both). Either way, thank you for some good news!

aggiedrjdub said:

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Do we think having Darius on staff is helping with recruiting, OR is this a direct result of more $$ being filtered to the program (or both). Either way, thank you for some good news!

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That is a great question as those two items are the new dynamics in play in the program. I don't have any insight into the answer. I kind of hope it is a bit of both.

Darius's presence/experience is incredible for a college program!

In the NIL age, money is going to continuously (and increasingly) play a huge factor. There has only been increasing interest & expanding audiences for college sports, which is incredible! More tv deals than before, more big corps taking notice.

It's very encouraging that talented athletes are continuing to feel drawn to this program, as it is a NATIONAL CHAMPION program. NCAA Women's basketball overall has gone from 0 to 100 as a rate of change the last few years. The top PG in TX, Rieyan DeSouze, committing truly feels like a classic Blair recruit. Excited for Joni and staff to take on this new season as a new beginning!