Analyzing Coach Quentin Hillsman's Recruiting

An analysis of Syracuse Women's Basketball Recruiting Under Head Coach Quentin Hillsman

Quentin Hillsman is the winningest head coach in Syracuse women’s basketball history, posting a remarkable 304-160 overall record in the 14 seasons he has coached at Syracuse. Apart from the in-game adjustments and drawing up plays in crunch time, one thing fans do not get too appreciate as much is his ability to lure in the best talent in the country. The recruiting under Hillsman has improved tremendously since he joined the program ahead of the 2006-07 season, as he has put together consecutive top-25 classes, including 11 of the last 12 years, among them, have been six McDonalds All-Americans, the only ones in the history of the program. Hillsman’s first nationally recognized class came in 2010, in which the recruits as a whole were ranked inside the top on most major websites. Since then, he has scored multiple recruiting classes in the top 10, including in 2017 and 2018.

In the last year or so, Hillsman has turned up the heat even more. Recruiting has simply been one of the best in the country for the Orange, and not just in the top 25, rather the top five as Syracuse competes with the elite schools for the best high school talent. The phenomenal Class of 2020 is ranked no.4 nationally (https://cuse.com/news/2019/11/13/orange-sign-no-4-recruiting-class-in-the-nation.aspx), featuring the highest-ranked player the program has seen in 6-foot-6 forward Kamilla Cardoso, ranked no.1 at her position along with another top 10 player in guard Priscilla Williams. The class also features a four-star recruit Faith Blackstone, and multiple three-star recruits in Maud Huijbens, Khamya McNeal, Laura Salmeron, and Kiara Fisher.

The Class of 2021 is already turning into one of the best in the nation, as Hillsman is proving once again why no program is in Syracuse’s league as far as recruiting international players is concerned. The class is highlighted by five-star commit Latasha Lattimore and her Canadian teammate Shyean Day-Wilson, a top 20 point guard in the cycle and a four-star recruit. The class also stars the top 100 players in Nyah Wilson and Amani Bartlett (not currently ranked because of a recent injury which she has fully recovered from) and dynamic scorer Juliana Walker.

Hillsman has turned the women’s program around since he took over as head coach, posting only one losing season, that being his first one in 2006-07. Recruiting and development are an instrumental part of winning games at the collegiate level, and Hillsman has gotten help along the way. He has found a niche in recruiting players overseas through his former hire and French player, Adeniyi Amadou, who is considered the best international recruiter in the nation. Syracuse women’s basketball has the most predominant international players across the country, through networking provided by those players and the coaching staff at Syracuse, the recruiting will grow to no end. The future looks bright orange in Central New York.