Caitlyn Harper, WAC Player of the Year, visiting Purdue women's basketball
WEST LAFAYETTE - One of the Purdue women's basketball team's targets from the transfer portal is visiting this weekend.
Caitlyn Harper, who completed her redshirt sophomore season at Cal Baptist, will be on campus starting Friday.
Last season, the 6-foot-1 Harper was the WAC Player of the Year. Harper, a Wisconsin native, averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and shot 53% from the field.
As of Friday, coach Katie Gearlds has seven returning players from last year's roster still with the program. Cassidy Hardin announced she'll return for her COVID-19 season and defer her acceptance to the IU School of Medicine until 2023.
Gearlds has signed three players from the 2022 recruiting class and was expected to add one more but that situation could have a last-minute change.
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Zenia Thomas, a power forward from Warrensville Heights, Ohio, was scheduled to sign with Purdue but Kentucky has made a late push to land her. Arizona State offered a scholarship on April 11.
She played with 2023 commitment Rashunda Jones from South Bend Washington during an AAU tournament last weekend.
I was hoping someone caught this play with me and @rashunda_jones thank you @inthegymhoopsW 🧡💚 #sportscityu #aau #LBIspringshowcase pic.twitter.com/2r2EPObPkE
— Zennia Thomas (@ThomasZennia) April 13, 2022
The Boilermakers have seen five players enter the transfer portal, but Jeanae Terry and Ra Shaya Kyle are the most significant losses. Senior Brooke Moore wasn't going to return, even though she can use her COVID-19 season. Moore will do that at Mississippi, she announced earlier this week.
Kyle might follow Moore to Mississippi but North Carolina and Syracuse are possible options. Although Terry put her name in the portal, there's a good chance she'll return.
Harper would give the Boilermakers more of a presence inside to go with Rickie Woltman and Ava Learn.
Gearlds would have room to add more transfers even if Harper decided to join the program.
Purdue did pursue Sydney Parrish, Indiana's 2020 Miss Basketball who left Oregon, but she opted to attend Indiana. The Boilermakers also looked at Notre Dame transfer Sam Brunelle, who returned to her home state of Virginia to play for the Cavaliers.
Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @carmin_jc
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women's basketball | Caitlyn Harper | WAC Player of the Year
