Vermont adds Rhode Island transfer Ileri Ayo-Faleye

Next year's team is taking shape. 

Vermont dipped into the transfer portal once again to add 6-7 forward Ileri Ayo-Faleye from Lebanon, PA. Ayo-Faleye redshirted during the 20-21 season, played only 42 total minutes last season, and will have 3 years of eligibility left. This is a high upside addition by the Vermont staff. Ayo-Faleye has tremendous athleticism with great length and body control. Using long strides he glides through the open court and finishes with authority at the rim. He is going to have some highlight reel plays in a Catamount uniform. Adept in the midrange with great rise in his jumper, he is still growing his game and rounding out his offensive skill set. He had a strange recruiting arc where he entered his senior year with no offers at all and by the end of the season he still only had a handful of Division II offers. Then he announced that he would complete a prep year and the Division I offers began to pour in. Rhode Island brought him on with the intention of redshirting him and he never ended up going to prep school. Vermont is getting a player who has tremendous untapped potential that has already been in college for two years with college level practice reps and strength training. The upside here is huge on both sides off the ball and he immediately brings the ability to make game changing plays. He will have his first opportunity to prove himself at the college level with the Cats and he is entering an ideal situation. There are huge minutes available in the frontcourt and he will have every opportunity to make an impact. The Vermont coaching staff has adjusted to the new recruiting world by adding both immediate impact and high ceiling players to the Vermont roster. Keeping the program ready to compete for a title next season and beyond. 

Vermont adds Bellarmine star Dylan Penn

Big day for Vermont. 

The Cats added their most heralded transfer ever in Dylan Penn, a 6-3 guard from Evansville, IN who just completed a 4 year career at Bellarmine. It cannot be overstated how significant this is for the Vermont program. This is the type of one year transfer that almost universally goes to a Power 5 school. In fact the list of the other schools that inquired about Penn was littered with Power 5 programs. He has been Bellarmine's best player for the last few seasons, which included the schools first two in Division I. Penn led his team to the Atlantic Sun championship and was named the tourney MVP. Unfortunately Bellarmine was ineligible for the NCAA tourney due to their transitioning status.  He was an all Atlantic Sun selection in both of his years in the league. Should I go on? Can you tell that I am giddy with excitement? Penn also happens to be a very unique player who led the country in scoring in the 9-10 foot range from the basket. He is a kind of a throwback/"post player in a guards body" type scorer who makes up for a lack of outside shooting with an array of moves in the paint. Hooks, floaters, layups, push shots with either hand are his bread and butter. An incredibly ambidextrous player who despite shooting left handed loves to spin back to his right in the lane for one of those half hooks from 9 feet.  He is going to fit perfectly in the Vermont system coming from a Bellarmine program that is also a team oriented, work the ball for the best shot system. To go along with the scoring ability Penn also does a little bit of everything. Just check out these four year totals: 1260 points, 346 assists, 334 rebounds, 38 blocks, and 92 steals. A true star player who will immediately be one of the favorites for the player of the year in the America East. The battles with conference newcomer Bryant, who have also made some big transfer additions are going to be fierce this season. Another incredible job by the coaching staff and I have to think a little help from the fellow Evansvillians? Evansvillers? the Duncan's. The butterfly effect of Ernie Duncan committing to the Cats almost ten years ago continues to change the Vermont program. 

Evan Guillory becomes the third Catamount in the portal

Evan Guillory becomes the first Catamount who played significant minutes to enter the portal. Guillory earned some minutes with his physical presence on defense and on the boards. When Becker talked about Guillory prior to the season he referred to him as "a part of the future of the program" so this is significant. I liked his game and he looked like a player that could grow into a larger role each year. As we have seen across all levels of college basketball, roster turnover is going to be more a part of the offseason cycle now. With players having the freedom to move they are able to make a thoughtful decision about where they want to continue their playing career without having to weigh sitting out a year. With more players in and out each season, instead of being able to project team makeup or minutes long term, it is going to be more of a year to year assessment by players and coaches. That changes the whole recruiting process and the whole pitch when talking to potential recruits. It is as likely to see a significant rotation player leave as it is to see one enter from the portal. These early few years of the new rules are going to see a lot of player movement as programs and players adjust to the new options that each has. Especially with continued extra years for players until the all of the extra COVID years cycle through. I am sad to see Guillory go but wish him the best in finding the right place to continue his career.