St. John's women's basketball was waiting for a player like Lashae Dwyer
Lashae Dwyer of St. John's women's basketball team during the Big East media day at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. Credit: Errol Anderson
It’s said that timing is everything and that was certainly the case with Lashae Dwyer and the St. John’s women’s basketball program.
Dwyer had finished her third season playing at the University of Miami last spring and had been contemplating t a transfer. When she finally decided to put her name into the NCAA transfer portal, it was almost like the Red Storm was waiting for the opportunity.
“It was literally three minutes later and St. John’s was on the phone,” Dwyer said. “I didn’t know what to expect when my name got uploaded. St. John’s was right there. They were first in line.”
There was also something that felt right about the Red Storm being first. The 5-6 guard had strongly considered St. John’s coming out of high school. Her decision came down to the Storm, Miami and Arizona. The idea of the Hurricanes and playing in the ACC, however, proved more alluring.
This second chance for them has some kismet in it. Dywer had been used in more of a supporting role for the Hurricanes and was looking to take on something bigger and more central. The Red Storm, which went 19-15 last season, took third place in the Big East with an 11-7 mark, and played two games in the WBIT (formerly the women’s NIT) had lost its two top scorers, Unique Drake and Jillian Archer, who accounted for 29.7 points on a team that averaged 60.4.
“[Dwyer] was surrounded by other players at Miami who carried most of the offensive load, but we see her as able to take a lot on,” Storm coach Joe Tartamella said. “She has the prototypical stature of what we like in the guards that have been successful here. She's quick. She can shoot mid-range. She can shoot the three. She can be dynamic in transition. And defensively she hunts steals and that’s one of her big strengths.”
St. John’s also will have some scoring punch in Ber’Nyah Mayo, a 5-6 guard who averaged 10.9 points last season. It also adds 5-9 guard/forward Ariana Vanderhoop, who transferred from Monmouth.
“Ariana could have more scoring opportunities because we have guards who can break people down and get her catch-and-shoot looks,” Tartamella said. “And she isn’t going to be the first option like she was at Monmouth, with everybody game-planning to stop her.”
In Dwyer the Storm is also getting a player who knows what it takes to reach the NCAA Tournament. She was on two Hurricanes teams that got to the Big Dance including the 2023 Elite Eight team.
And she seems to be ready to step into this new role as a focal point on the Storm. In last week’s exhibition game win over Division II Pace, she scored a game-high 22 points.
“She has fit in with the team well and, after pushing her to shoot the ball more, she is accepting that this is what we are going to need to go where we want to go,” Tartamella said.
ABOUT THE
RED STORM
Coach: Joe Tartamella (13th season, 223-158)
Last season: 18-15, 11-7 Big East, lost Big East quarterfinal to Georgetown, 51-43; Reached second round of the WBIT.
Preseason forecast: 4th in coaches poll.
Top returning players: Ber’Nyah Mayo, grad., 5-6, G: 10.9 ppg, 3.5 apg.; Jailah Donald, Jr, 5-7, G: 5.8 ppg, 35.2 3-pt fg%.
Top newcomers: Lashae Dwyer, Sr., 5-6, G, (at Miami) 6.7 ppg, 30.6 3-pt fg%; Ariana Vanderhoop, Grad, 5-9 G-F: (at Monmouth): 10.8 ppg, 4.4 reb., 33.3 3-pt %.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.