The UConn women’s basketball team just got a little more shorthanded.
Sophomore Mir McLean has entered into the NCAA transfer portal, she confirmed to the Courant on Monday. The news was first reported by Russell Steinberg of The Next.
She is the second player to transfer midseason from UConn in four weeks. Freshman Saylor Poffenbarger announced she was transferring to Arkansas last month.
“Mir is extremely smart and athletic and she has a lot of potential,” coach Geno Auriemma said in a statement when the school confirmed the move later Monday. “We wish Mir and her family the best as she continues her collegiate career.”
McLean, a 5-foot-11 forward, played sparingly this season, recording just eight minutes in three appearances while going scoreless and collecting two rebounds. Even when the Huskies were down to eight players against Georgia Tech on Thursday, she saw just two minutes of action.
She played more as a freshman, averaging 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 24 appearances and even saw 11 minutes against Arkansas on the road.
The Baltimore native arrived in Storrs as the No. 25 overall recruit in the class of 2020 and a McDonald’s All-American.
“Mir can offensive rebound and defensive rebound. So if we can get Mir to do more of that, otherwise, we’re playing five on four on offense,” Auriemma said after the Huskies beat Seton Hall last week. He also added he would like to see more physical and mental toughness from her. “We need to figure out a way to get Mir to do more than just be someone who goes to go rebound. Believe me, there’s a place for that. I’ve got to find a way to get her a little more versatile.”
The Huskies will be down to 12 players on their roster with four of them out due to injury.
While McLean may not have made a big impact on this year’s Huskies, her departure makes the return of Aubrey Griffin all the more important. Griffin and McLean shared some of the same athleticism, ability to crash the glass and knack for the ball that few others on the team offer.
Alexa Philippou can be reached at aphilippou@courant.com