Purdue women's basketball sees another player exit the program today, as sophomore guard Rashunda Jones has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, a source confirmed to Boiler Upload. On3’s Talia Goodman was the first to report the news.
Jones came to Purdue as a part of the highly anticipated 2023 recruiting class, including Amiyah Reynolds, Mary Ashley Stevenson, Sophie Swanson, Emily Monson and McKenna Layden. All but one of those 2023 signees is set to play elsewhere next season, with Layden being the lone remaining Boilermaker on the roster.
The South Bend Washington product was an Indiana All-Star as a senior and came to West Lafayette as a four-star prospect, over offers from the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Pitt and others.
Jones emerged as perhaps Purdue's best player this season, averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 47% from the field. The 5-foot-9 guard led the Boilermakers in assists and was second in scoring, behind only Destini Lombard.
Jones took a step forward down the stretch for the Boilermakers, averaging 14.2 points, five assists and four rebounds over her final nine games. That stretch included her career-best outing, a 32-point, eight-assist, six-rebound outburst in Purdue's win over Penn State to end the season. After injuries to Jordyn Poole and Amiyah Reynolds throughout the year, Jones was tasked with being Katie Gearlds' primary ball handler for much of the season.
Purdue has been hit hard by the transfer portal this off-season, with Jones becoming the sixth Boilermaker to enter the portal thus far. Jones joins the likes of Sophie Swanson, Jordyn Poole, Amiyah Reynolds, Mila Reynolds, and Jayla Smith.
The latest departure out of that group now leaves the Boilermakers with just six players on the roster for next season, at the time of this writing. Only incoming freshman Keona Douwstra and returning senior Madison Layden are set to be in the backcourt for Katie Gearlds and company in 2025-26, but the Boilermakers are aiming to revamp the roster via the transfer portal.
