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UPDATED: March 30, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.

Syracuse guard Kiara Lewis, centers Amaya Finklea-Guity and Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi and forward Digna Strautmane have reportedly entered the transfer portal as of Monday. The four join Emily Engstler, Taleah Washington, Faith Blackstone, Maud Huijbens and Khamya McNeal as the nine Syracuse players from this year’s roster who reportedly entered the portal in the last week. 

Head coach Quentin Hillsman’s team will also lose fifth-year point guard Tiana Mangakahia, who declared for the WNBA draft on Friday.

SU is now in a position where it could potentially need to replace 10 of its 15 players from this season, including all its rotation players from the NCAA Tournament except Kamilla Cardoso.

Lewis led SU in points per game (14.0) and minutes per game (37.1) during the 2020-21 season. She and Strautmane were the two SU players who started in every game. Strautmane averaged 7.4 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Finklea-Guity averaged 2.9 rebounds per game and 10.9 minutes per game. Djaldi-Tabdi averaged 2.7 rebounds per game and 16.1 minutes per game. The two centers often filled in for Cardoso, and Hillsman often turned to their veteran status during crunch time. 

Engstler, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Co-Sixth Player of the Year, reportedly entered the transfer portal on Friday. She led the team in rebounds per game and steals. 

Former Syracuse guard Lauren Fitzmaurice, who played for SU during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, is also reportedly in the portal. 

The Orange added USC transfer and 3-point sharpshooter Shalexxus Aaron on Friday night. Syracuse’s season ended on Tuesday with a 36-point loss to No. 1 UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

This post has been updated with additional reporting.

Published on March 29, 2021 at 1:11 pm

Contact Roshan: [email protected] | @Roshan_f16