Hannah Stines is on the move again, and it looks like her time with Washington is over.
The former Huskies guard entered the transfer portal after being granted a fifth year of eligibility, putting an end to the uncertainty that followed an end-of-July court ruling. A U.S.
District Court judge in Colorado issued a class-wide injunction against the NCAA, and that decision opened the door for Stines to get another season. The ruling also gave football players Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei and Grady Gross a fifth year, though the 10th District Appeals court later filed a stay against the injunction.
That left many players, including Uiagalelei and Gross, unable to practice.
Stines, however, was among the players who followed suit in their respective states, which made her exempt from the class-wide ruling and still eligible to pursue another year.
Her departure would close the book on a key piece of Tina Langley’s rebuild at Washington. Stines was part of Langley’s first recruiting class after the former Rice coach took over ahead of the 2021-22 season, and she became one of the most dependable players in the program’s turnaround. She started 98 of 130 games in her UW career.
Last season, Stines averaged 6.8 points while shooting 37.2% from the floor in 33 games, including 32 starts. She also chipped in 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
On the court, Stines filled a useful role as a secondary point guard. She could handle the offense when first-team All-Big Ten guard Sayvia Sellers was off the floor, and she also helped direct things when Sellers was more focused on scoring.
Even with the fifth year available, a return to Montlake never seemed certain. Washington has added multiple players through the transfer portal, including players who fit the same role Stines once held. With the roster retooled and the Huskies pushing forward, Stines appears set to find her next stop elsewhere.
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