Women's Hoops Hello: Sam Trammel
Kim Barnes Arico and the Michigan women's basketball program just received a very nice Christmas present: a verbal commitment from Sam Trammel, a 6-1 power forward out of Eastview H.S. in Apple Valley, Minnesota, who also plays AAU ball for a top squad—North Tartan. Trammel, who was in Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit in early October, is ranked #40 in the 2015 class according to Prospects Nation. That recruiting service offered this scouting report on her in a June 2013 rundown:
Trammel embodies everything that most basketball fans would want out of a power forward. Her strength on the defensive glass and her offensive presence in the lane make her a centerpiece on nearly any squad. What was impressive for us to see in game play was Trammel’s ability to play in the “two-man” game system with a play-making guard. She creates mismatch opportunities because of her ability to set solid screens while also being a threat to score the ball. Look for the 6-1 forward to be an ELITE 100 prospect in the 2015 class.
Trammel is also included in espnW's top 100 watch list for 2015, currently rated a three-star and the #13 forward in the country in that class. Here's their brief take on her posted on her profile page:
Strong, physical insider competes on glass, finishes in key; interior footwork with average mobility in transition; defends in block.
Wake Forest, Iowa, Denver, and Valparaiso are among the other schools who have expressed interest in Trammel.
Michigan's 2015 class is shaping up to perhaps top the 2014 class, which has been ranked among the top 25 classes in the country. With the full rankings for 2015 not yet available, all four of Michigan's 2015 commits are ranked in the top 100 nationally by at least one recruiting service. Here's a quick rundown of the other 2015 commits:
- Lauren "Boogie" Brozoski, 5-5 point guard, Long Island Lutheran HS (Hello post)
- Naomi Davenport, 5-11 wing, Mount Notre Dame HS (Cincinnati) (Hello post)
- Nicole Munger, 5-8 guard, Central Bucks West HS (Doylestown, PA (Hello post)
December 26th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
December 26th, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^
December 26th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
Here's what Michigan's 2015-16 roster looks like at this point:
| Name | Position | Hgt. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Ristovski | PG | 5-10 | Sr. |
| Halle Wangler (walk-on) | G | 5-9 | Sr. |
| Rebecca Lyttle | F | 6-0 | RS Jr. |
| Kelsey Mitchell | F | 6-0 | RS Jr. |
| Paige Rakers | SG | 5-11 | Jr. |
| Siera Thompson | PG | 5-7 | Jr. |
| Danielle Williams | G | 5-9 | Jr. |
| Maria Backman | W/F | 6-2 | So. |
| Jillian Dunston | G/W | 6-0 | So. |
| Katelynn Flaherty | PG | 5-7 | So. |
| Emoni Jackson | W/F | 6-1 | So. |
| Terra Stapleton | C | 6-4 | So. |
| Lauren "Boogie" Brozoski | PG | 5-5 | Fr. |
| Naomi Davenport | W/F | 5-11 | Fr. |
| Nicole Munger | G | 5-8 | Fr. |
| Sam Trammel | F | 6-1 | Fr. |
As this shows, the commitment of Trammel leaves Michigan will all 15 scholarships accounted for in the 2015-16 season. Obviously, spots could always open up through future attrition. Michigan recently had Adut Bulgak on campus for a visit; she's a 6-4 juco center playing her second season at Trinity Valley CC, the juco that Wolverine junior Shannon Smith attended. ASGR ranks her as the #1 juco prospect in the country. Also, earlier this month, 6-6 center Theresa Ekhelar (Life Center Academy, Burlington NJ) included Michigan in her final 14, along with Georgia Tech, Louisville, Ole Miss, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Georgia, Baylor, Kentucky, Miami, Syracuse, Rutgers, and Virginia. She's in the 2015 class. Also, last month, Arike Ogunbowale, a 5-9 guard out of Divine Savior Holy Angels HS (Milwaukee), included Michigan in her top 11, along with Connecticut, Duke, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford, UCLA, and Wisconsin. She's a top 10 prospect in the 2015 class.
December 26th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
...this question, but any projected fifth years likely to move on?
December 26th, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
I'm with you in not really liking to speculate about that. But there aren't any fifth years projected to be on the 2015 roster. There is one next year—Val Driscoll—but the way she's been playing lately, she could be a good player to have on the roster next season. If Adut Bulgak decides she wants to come to Michigan, I'm sure the coaches will find room for her, but I'm not that optimistic about Michigan's chances with her. Unless Michigan adds Bulgak or someone else to the 2014 class, there will still be room for Driscoll next year.
December 26th, 2013 at 1:59 PM ^
Per Melanie Moore at the last Chalk Talk, they are not expecting Val back at this time.
December 26th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
December 26th, 2013 at 1:45 PM ^
It's very hard. Credit transfers are the problem and while I think it'd be a big help in football to get a JUCO in there, it's hard to ask guys to come here and not take any of their credits. They'd be juniors eligibility wise, but freshmen when it comes to academics. Hard to ask someone to pretty much start over.
Now maybe this school is one that has most of their credits transfer, so it's feasible to recruit kids from that school. But if the school isn't producing quality football recruits at a position of need, nothing we can do about that.
December 26th, 2013 at 2:48 PM ^
December 26th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^
There is also a huge difference in the amount of general students and BCS caliber football prospects.
Now, looking at the top 100 rankings of JUCO players on Rivals, there are more B1G commits than I though. 11 are going to B1G schools. So maybe it is more strategy on our part. But you gotta remember that alot of these guys are non-qualifiers out of high school. Almost 30 of the top 100 are going to SEC schools. And 21 of the top 50 are going to SEC schools. That conference has slightly lower standards than the B1G as well.
I'm only in favor of getting JUCOs when it's a position of dire need. I really wish we would have have a JUCO OL or two to help with experience and competition. But not how it worked out and even if we explored the option, I don't think it's likely we land someone. Michigan and N'W are the two academic flagships of the conference. Not sure about N'W and JUCOs, but I doubt they've had many if any at all, and we've only had 2 in the last 20 years IIRC.
December 26th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
From Twitter, here's a scouting report on Trammel from a Minnesota girls basketball recruiting expert, who has her ranked #4 in the 2015 rankings for that state:
PROFILE: Sam Trammel 2015 F. Developed low post gm. Versatile impact player and gm changer. Rebounds & defends. pic.twitter.com/4KbgpdGf27
— Gary Knox (@gPrep) October 23, 2013
December 26th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
but seems like we're recruiting well with a solid coach. Bright future for the team?
Seems fairly parallel to how baseball is going right now
December 26th, 2013 at 1:46 PM ^
Definitely some parallels right now between baseball and women's hoops. There are some stark historical differences, though. Bakich looks like he has the baseball program on track to return to its former glory, whereas Barnes Arico seems to have her program poised to reach heights never before attained. The women's basketball team has never won a Big Ten regular season or tournament title, has never gotten past the second round of the NCAA tourney, and has 0 banners hanging in Crisler. Those are three things that now seem like possibilities under Barnes Arico.
December 26th, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^
Raoul, major props for the women's bball update. Coach Kim is relentless, and is doing a wonderful job building the program. Hopefully, this will translate to more fans attending games.