The next time Maryland women’s basketball fans will watch Diamond Miller on the court is in a WNBA uniform.
Miller, a 6-foot-3 senior shooting guard for the Terps, on Thursday declared for the WNBA draft, which is scheduled for April 10. She is projected to go as high as No. 2 overall, trailing only South Carolina 6-5 forward Aliyah Boston.
Miller, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and a second-team All-American by the Associated Press this past season, led the Terps in points (19.7), rebounds (6.4) and steals (2.1), ranked second in minutes (28.6) and was tied for second in assists (2.9). Her scoring average was the most by a Maryland player since Brionna Jones also scored 19.7 points per game in 2016-17.
Miller capped a stellar four-year career at Maryland by finishing 10th in program history in all-time scoring with 1,706 points and seventh in NCAA Tournament scoring with 180 points. She set a single-season record for free throws made with 201 and moved into fourth in points with 671.
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Miller, the only returning starter from last year’s squad that went 23-9 and reached the Sweet 16, helped Maryland forge a 28-7 record and collect a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling to overall No. 1 seed South Carolina, 86-75, in the Elite Eight on Monday night. In that setback, she scored 19 of her game-high 24 points in the second half and added five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
When coach Brenda Frese pulled Miller from the game with 79 seconds remaining in regulation, the two shared a long embrace on the sideline with the coach speaking to the player. After the game, Frese shared what she said to Miller.
“Just how much I loved her, how proud I was of her,” Frese said. “Just, thank you. It’s been an incredible journey that she trusted to this coaching staff, and to continue to be here at Maryland. Had nothing to hang her head about. She left everything out there and poured into it for us this entire season.”
Senior guard Abby Meyers and graduate transfer guard Elisa Pinzan also declared for the draft. The 6-foot Meyers, a Princeton transfer and Potomac native, was named second-team All-Big Ten after averaging 14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in her lone season in College Park. The 5-8 Pinzan finished her five-year career at South Florida and Maryland with 1,031 points, 644 assists, 376 rebounds and 171 steals.
Miller and Pinzan had the opportunity to return to Maryland for another season after the NCAA in 2021 granted every winter sport athlete an additional year of eligibility as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to Miller’s impending departure, three of the team’s four freshmen have announced they will enter the transfer portal.
Late Thursday, Gia Cooke, a 5-9 point guard who averaged 2.2 points and 0.6 rebounds, thanked the program, her family and friends for their support.
“We didn’t quite reach our goals[s] this year, but your constant support was truly appreciated, and there’re so many things I can/will take away from this season that will be forever inspiring to me,” she said via Instagram. “... With this said, I will be entering the transfer portal to see where my journey leads me next.”
Ava Sciolla, a 6-foot guard who averaged 0.4 points and 0.6 rebounds in 16 games, posted her decision on Twitter earlier in the day.
“I am grateful for my experience and role in this year’s run to the Elite 8,” she wrote. “However, I am moving on with the intention of joining a program where my skills, competitiveness, and basketball IQ can enhance and complement another successful culture.”
Mila Reynolds, a 6-3 forward, appeared in 22 games and averaged 1.0 points and 0.9 rebounds. She made her announcement public Wednesday morning.
“Thank you to all those who have supported me through the ups and downs of my freshman year at Maryland, especially my family,” she wrote via Twitter. “I’ll be looking for a home and opportunity to leverage all I’ve learned over the past year. Somewhere I can use my gifts and abilities to help win games and make a community proud.”
Later on Wednesday, 6-0 point guard Amiyah Reynolds, Mila’s younger sister and four-star recruit who is a member of the incoming class of freshmen, announced she had decommitted from the Terps and will seek a new destination.
“Due to recent events and changes in circumstances, I’ve decided to open up my recruitment as of today,” she said via Twitter. “I’ve been released from my NLI contract with the University of Maryland and will be moving forward in finding a new home that I believe fits me in all aspects.”
The departures leave the Terps with seven returners and four incoming freshmen. Shooting guard Bri McDaniel is the only current freshman on the roster.