Chattanooga head coach Shawn Poppie shouts to his team during the first half of a first-round college basketball game against North Carolina State in the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, March 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
New Clemson women’s basketball coach Shawn Poppie has welcomed former Alabama starting point guard Loyal McQueen into his program, adding an experienced and skilled player to the team. The announcement of McQueen’s signing was made by the school recently.
McQueen, a 5-foot-8 senior hailing from Florence, South Carolina, initially started her college journey at Georgia Tech before transferring to Alabama. At Alabama, she made significant contributions, starting in 34 games in the previous season and averaging 9.8 points per game. Her performance helped the Crimson Tide achieve a 24-10 record and make it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Poppie, who had previously recruited McQueen during his time as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, expressed his excitement about reuniting with her after she decided to depart from Alabama. He believes that McQueen’s leadership qualities and playmaking skills will be valuable additions to the program, especially in his inaugural year at Clemson.
Poppie emphasized McQueen’s potential for further achievements, stating, “I believe she is the perfect fit here at the perfect time. She has had a phenomenal college career up to this point, but I truly believe she has much more to accomplish.”
