Former Maryland women’s basketball center Jenna Staiti announced via Twitter on Sunday she will transfer to Georgia.
“I am BEYOND excited to announce I will be coming home,” the Cumming, Georgia, native said in the tweet. “They always say home is where the heart is.”
In March, Maryland announced Staiti, along with guard Destiny Slocum and forward Kiah Gillespie, would transfer from the program. Slocum announced she would join Oregon State, while Gillespie has yet to choose a new landing spot.
Though Maryland recently signed four-star class of 2017 point guard Channise Lewis, the only member of its 2017 recruiting class, Staiti’s departure remains a impactful loss for the Terps.
A five-star recruit, Staiti was a significant reason Maryland’s freshman class was ranked first in the country last year.
“I have made a decision, due to personal family issues, that being closer to home is in the best interests of our family,” Staiti said in a press release at the time.
However, Staiti saw little playing time in her rookie campaign. The 6-foot-six-inch center played in 25 games, averaging 5.6 minutes. She scored three points per game and grabbed two rebounds per contest.
Last year, Georgia went 16-15, including a 7-9 record in the SEC. The Bulldogs lost to South Carolina, 72-48, in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.
