Report: LSU Transfer Hailey Van Lith Remains in Transfer Portal, Not Committed to TCU

Van Lith reveals she has not committed to TCU and remains in the portal after a pair of visits.

Apr 1, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; LSU Lady Tigers guard Hailey Van Lith (11) controls the ball the Iowa / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

LSU women's basketball transfer Hailey Van Lith remains in the NCAA Transfer Portal despite recent reports stating she has committed to TCU, according to her statement to the Associated Press.

Last week, it was announced by several outlets that Van Lith had shutdown her recruitment and revealed a commitment to the Horned Frogs.

Now, she has made her first public statement since and has refuted her commitment to TCU.

"I did take a visit to TCU and am very interested in them, but I took visits to other schools and was very interested in them too," Van Lith told The AP. "I haven't made an official commitment, but I'm very close. The ink has not touched the paper for any school."

Originally, it was announced she had made the decision to team up with several stars at TCU, including Haley Cavinder. Now, Cavinder revealed she is headed back to Miami with her sister Hanna.

"It's a non-factor to me," Van Lith said to The Associated Press. "If she had stayed and I did go to TCU, I'd have loved to play with her."

The former Louisville star, who took America by storm with her elite-level scoring ability, hit the market once again after transferring to LSU a season ago.

After a disappointing lone season in Baton Rouge, the former All-America honorable mention became a coveted name on the market for her final season of eligibility. Van Lith will exercise her COVID year after already playing four seasons of college ball.

A prominent figure in the NIL space, Van Lith is the face of the Adidas women's basketball campaign, and will certainly draw attention whichever program she selects.

She decided not to enter the WNBA Draft while electing to remain in college. A player who believes she has the intangibles to succeed at the next level, she is looking for a program that will allow her to be her on the floor and boost her draft stock once again.

“You have to kind of look at what type of player you are,” Van Lith said. “There’s some people that have to capitalize in college because they’re not a pro-type player. Their likability is going to stay in college. And I think for me, that’s not the case. I’m a pro-type player. The deals will follow, like Angel said. The one downfall is visibility. And the amount of times we play on ESPN and ABC and all these major television channels, that becomes a lot less when you go to the WNBA where it’s at right now. You’re not going to be in the media as much, but from a brand aspect, as long as you do what you need to do and keep up that part of your life, then brands, they’re going to follow you when you go to the league.”

Van Lith remains on the market after taking a pair of visits this offseason. Along with checking out TCU in April, she also took an official trip to Starkville to meet with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Former Louisville assistant coach Sam Purcell, who is now the head coach of Mississippi State, is in pursuit of the coveted transfer guard.

Now, Van Lith remains in the NCAA Transfer Portal with a pair of frontrunners it appears.

Other LSU News:

Kim Mulkey, LSU In Contact With High-Profile North Carolina Transfer Deja Kelly

LSU WBB: Kim Mulkey, LSU Set Visit Date With Top Transfer Guard Ruby Whitehorn

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