Tag: Quay Miller

Quay Miller, Jaylyn Sherrod featured in ESPN’s last-minute WNBA mock draft

ESPN projects two Colorado players to be drafted tonight

Colorado women’s basketball stars Quay Miller and Jaylyn Sherrod are both projected to find homes on Monday evening in arguably the most highly anticipated WNBA draft ever.

ESPN released a very last-minute mock draft on Monday morning that featured Miller going No. 23 overall to the New York Liberty and Sherrod landing No. 36 to the Las Vegas Aces, last season’s WNBA champs. With only 12 teams (for now) in the WNBA, the draft is three rounds long, meaning Sherrod was the final pick in ESPN’s projection.

Longtime Colorado forward Charlotte Whittaker also declared for the 2024 draft, but she was not featured in ESPN’s mock.

However, as we saw with former Buff Mya Hollingshed in 2022, even first-round picks aren’t guaranteed much in the WNBA due to the limited number of available roster spots. Hollingshed recently signed a training camp contract with the Phoenix Mercury, though.

As expected, ESPN projects the Indiana Fever to select Iowa star Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 overall pick.

The 2024 WNBA draft kicks off Monday at 5:30 p.m. MT on ESPN.

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Quay Miller, Charlotte Whittaker up for WNBA draft consideration

Two more Buffs have entered the WNBA draft pool

Now out of college eligibility, Colorado women’s basketball forwards Quay Miller and Charlotte Whittaker have both joined the 2024 WNBA draft pool, according to a release. Point guard Jaylyn Sherrod announced her professional intentions earlier this week, giving the Buffs three draft candidates.

Miller played the final three seasons of her college career at Colorado after transferring from Washington in 2021. Along with earning the Pac-12 Sixth Player of the Year as a junior, she totaled 1,077 points and 712 rebounds as a Buff in 99 games played.

Whittaker, a native of New Zealand, spent her entire six-year career at Colorado after joining the Buffs midway through their 2018-19 campaign. She played in 33 games this past season, averaging 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds.

The 2024 WNBA draft is scheduled for April 15 at 5:30 p.m. MT (ESPN).

According to BuffZone’s Brian Howell, at least 11 of Colorado’s 17 total players from this past season are moving on. Those who’ve entered the transfer portal in recent days include Shelomi Sanders, Jadyn Atchison, Ruthis Loomis-Goltl, Lele Tanuvasa, Briana McLeod and Mikayla Johnson.

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Looking back at Quay Miller’s three seasons at Colorado

Quay Miller has been a force for Colorado over the past three seasons

Back in April of 2021, the Colorado women’s basketball program received a massive boost via the transfer portal when former Washington Huskies Quay Miller and Tameiya Sadler committed to the Buffs.

With the NCAA Tournament coming up next for Colorado, the two veterans are hoping to extend their college careers as long as possible.

For Miller, her post presence will be key for the Buffs if they want to make another deep March Madness run. The durable forward from Renton, Washington is averaging 9.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this season.

Take a photographic look back at Miller’s Colorado career:

Quay Miller reveals why she’s riding with Colorado for final college season

Quay Miller discussed why she’s staying in Boulder for one final ride next season

The Colorado women’s basketball team had a terrific season in 2022-2023. With the offseason here, Quay Miller decided that she’ll be returning to the Buffs for one more season to finish out her collegiate career.

The Buffs made their first Sweet 16 in two decades and Miller was named first-team All-Pac-12, and she admitted why she decided to return to the Buffs (h/t Brian Howell of BuffZone):

“I think what really ignited me to stay was just seeing how far we went and seeing the progress we made from last year with losing major keys,” Miller told BuffZone. “I guess it’s my belief in this team to go even further next season. I think that’s what just really influenced my decision to come back.”

Miller finished with career-highs in points (13.1) and rebounds (8.9) and hopes her final season in college will be her best.

Both of Colorado’s basketball teams look to be dangerous next year after the men’s team landed Cody Williams in a massive recruiting addition. Add in the fact that Deion Sanders has quickly changed the football program, and CU athletics is back in business.

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CU Buffs women’s basketball 2022-23 season in review

We were treated to a magical 2022-23 CU women’s basketball season

The 2022-23 season was a magical one for the Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team. JR Payne’s squad well exceeded preseason predictions and danced all the way to the Sweet 16.

Colorado seems primed to build upon this success as its core remains intact, and another wave of talent is set to join the team next season. But fans would do well to take a few minutes and relish in the memories that were made this past season. It had been 20 years since Colorado pushed that far into the postseason and the Buffs accomplished this by defying the odds all season.

Read on to see our review of the 2022-23 CU women’s basketball season:

Colorado makes ESPN’s way-too-early women’s basketball top 25

Colorado was well-positioned in this way-too-early top 25

The Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team is getting some national love after its impressive showing in the NCAA Tournament. ESPN writer Charlie Creme ranked Colorado at No. 20 in its way-too-early top 25 for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

Head coach JR Payne and the Buffs shocked most of the women’s basketball world this last season after being picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 preseason polls. The Buffs shot all the way up to third when the season ended and captured a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament where many thought No. 11 Middle Tennessee State would get the first-round upset.

CU would dominate MTSU and upset the Duke Blue Devils in the second round to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 20 years before falling to eventual national runner-up Iowa in a hard-fought contest that saw the Buffs hold a halftime lead.

Colorado will not be sneaking up on anyone this year as ESPN points out the returning core and Payne’s recent contract extension as major factors (h/t ESPN and Charlie Creme):

20. Colorado Buffaloes

After the Buffaloes’ first Sweet 16 appearance in 20 years, coach JR Payne was rewarded with a five-year contract extension. It also looks like she will have most of her veteran team back for another run. The top four scorers — Quay Miller, Aaronette Vonleh, Frida Formann and Jaylyn Sherrod — are expected to be back next season. This season marked the second time in 27 years Colorado had won as many as 25 games, and the third-place finish in the Pac-12 was the program’s best since joining the conference in 2011.

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CU women’s basketball forward Quay Miller announces plan to return for final season

CU women’s basketball All-Pac-12 forward Quay Miller is running it back for one final season in Boulder

We’ll be getting one more season of Quay Miller in Boulder.

Fresh off a first-team All-Pac-12 campaign, the Colorado women’s basketball senior forward announced via Instagram on Friday that she’ll be taking advantage of her extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A former Washington Husky, Miller transferred to the Buffs prior to the 2021-22 season, one in which she was named the Pac-12 Sixth Player of the Year. She then followed that up by averaging 13.1 points and 8.9 rebounds last season en route to helping the Buffs reach the Sweet 16.

“First, I would like to give a huge thank you to Buff Nation for the unconditional love and support during my time at Colorado,” Miller wrote in her post. “It has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and I’m not ready to let that go. Plus, we have some unfinished business to take care of. Let’s run it back!”

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NCAA women’s basketball tournament: Colorado stuns Duke, punches Sweet 16 ticket

The Colorado women are dancing into the Sweet 16 for the first time in 20 years

The Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003. CU advanced by taking down the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils on their home court in overtime on Monday night, 61-53.

The No. 6 Buffs were not fazed by being a significant underdog, racing out to an early 15-2 lead. Duke was able to battle back, narrowing the gap to 32-26 at the half. The third quarter almost did the Buffaloes in as Duke outscored CU by 10 to take a 43-39 lead into the fourth quarter.

Colorado’s defense carried the Buffs late as they held Duke scoreless for over six minutes to begin the fourth quarter. Neither team could find separation in the final few minutes of regulation as both CU and Duke missed chances to take the lead in the final seconds. The game entered overtime tied at 50.

Colorado dominated overtime and even held Duke scoreless from the field, with the Blue Devils only able to muster three free throw makes in the extra frame. Along with the stellar defense that was played by the entire team, Quay Miller was the MVP for the Buffs, pouring in 17 points to go along with 14 rebounds. Jaylyn Sherrod scored a gutsy 14 points and Aaronette Vonleh had 12.

Colorado will play the No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes in Seattle on Friday with a chance to advance to the Elite Eight.

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Colorado women’s basketball Pac-12 Tournament recap: No. 3 seed Buffs hold off Oregon State

Colorado passed its quarterfinals test and will face Washington State in the Pac-12 semifinals

Upsets were the theme of the first two rounds of the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament as Utah, USC and Arizona had all fallen to lower seeds. Through the majority of the first half, it looked like No. 3 seed Colorado might be added to that list.

Oregon State played really well in the first half, at one point holding a nine-point lead over CU built mostly on the back of hot shooting from beyond the 3-point line. The Buffs were able to tie the game at the half thanks to a 9-2 run late in the second quarter.

CU had a trio of double-digit scorers in Frida Formann, Jaylyn Sherrod and Aaronette Vonleh, accounting for 16, 12 and 15 points, respectively. Quay Miller had a rare off-night, scoring two points and missing all nine of her field goal attempts.

Colorado will be right back at it as they take on another upset-minded squad in No. 7 seed Washington State on Friday at 9:30 p.m. MT in the semifinals. The Cougars are responsible for ending No. 2 seed Utah’s tournament run.

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Four CU Buffs women earn Pac-12 honors

These four #cubuffs were given some hardware

Winning brings respect and with a 13-5 record to wrap Pac-12 play, four CU Buffs women took home a total of six conference awards.

As announced Tuesday, Jaylyn Sherrod and Quay Miller earned a spot on the All-Pac-12 team while Frida Formann and Aaronnette Vonleh were honorable mentions. Vonleh was also named co-most improved player of the year along with Arizona’s Shaina Pellington, and Sherrod made the all-defensive team.

Colorado, which was ranked No. 20 in the latest AP college women’s basketball poll, finished third in the Pac-12 and will enjoy a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The No. 3 seed Buffs are set to challenge either No. 6 USC or No. 11 Oregon State on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

After the Pac-12 Tournament, Colorado is essentially an NCAA Tournament lock for the second consecutive season.

“I’m so proud of every member of our team for all that they have poured into our program all year long,” head coach JR Payne said. “It is truly an honor for several members of our team to be recognized as all-conference players. The Pac-12 is full of incredibly talented young women. For our players to be recognized in such an elite group speaks to the talent that we have here at Colorado and the amount of time that they have poured into their craft.”

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