Pitt women’s basketball junior college transfer Mia Simpson is no longer on the roster, as her profile is not on the roster listed on the team website.
There is currently no reason for why she is not on the roster that Pitt stated, but there are always changes to roster over the offseason. For instance, Pitt just landed Greek forward Ioanna Chatzileonti, who after transferring from Kansas, originally chose to go to Oklahoma State before choosing Pitt in the end.
Simpson was the second transfer to join new head coach Tory Verdi and his staff at Pitt, after forward Jala Jordan committed first.
She starred at the JUCO level for Morton College in Cicero, Ill. She averaged 17.2 points per game last season as a sophomore, while leading the country with an incredible 71.2 shooting percentage. Simpson also averaged 11.5 rebounds and 4.3 rebounds per game, and World Exposure Report named her the Sophomore Player of the Year.
Simpson had 26 double-doubles last season and scored 1,005 career points for Morton College, third most all-time in program history. Simpson also helped Morton College to a 34-1 record, which included a 32-game winning streak, and a fifth-place finish at the National Tournament.
Pitt currently has 11 players on the roster, with the departure of Simpson and the addition of Chatzileonti. Nine players have left the program this offseason following the dismissal of head coach Lance White and Class of 2023 recruit Hannah Mills-Watson decommitted, making it 10.
Here is the Pitt Roster listed for the upcoming 2023-24 season and also the departures from the program below it.
2023-24 Pitt Roster + eligibility
Guards
Junior Bella Perkins: two years (USC)
Sophomore Marley Washenitz: three years
Sophomore Aislin Malcolm: three years
First-year Aaryn Battle: four years (UMass)
First-year Jasmine Timmerson: four years
Forwards
Graduate Jala Jordan: one year (Seton Hall)
Senior Ioanna Chatzileonti: two years (Kansas)
Senior Gabby Hutcherson: two years
Senior Liatu King: two years
Junior Rapuluchi Ayodele: two years (Eastern Florida State/Indian River State (JUCO))
First-year Lauren Rust: four years
Pitt Transfers/Decommits
Guard
Graduate Dayshanette Harris: one year (Clemson)
Graduate Emy Hayford: one year (Fordham)
Graduate Destiny Strother: one year (Niagara)
Senior Sandrine Clesca: two years (Monmouth)
Senior Taisha Exanor: two years (Monmouth)
Sophomore Avery “Ace” Strickland: three years (Tennessee)
Forward
Graduate forward Amber Brown: one year (St. John’s)
Redshirt senior Cynthia Ezeja: two years (Loyola Marymount)
Junior Maliyah Johnson: two years (Houston)
First-year Hannah Watson: four years (Toronto Metropolitan)
