Buffs’ Whittaker to pursue pro career
Charlotte Whittaker had the option of coming back for one more season with the Colorado women’s basketball team.
Yet, after five-and-a-half seasons, multiple hip surgeries, a degree and a lifetime of memories in Boulder, she’s looking forward to a new chapter.
One of six players to go through the senior day ceremony on Saturday after the Buffaloes’ home finale, Whittaker is eyeing a professional career overseas.
“I think just where I’m at in my life and my basketball journey and just coming off as many injuries and being here as many years … there was a lot of factors that went into it,” the 6-foot-3 center from Cust, New Zealand said. “I love this place so much and it’s always gonna be a second home to me, but I feel like I was ready to kind of spread my wings and move on to the next chapter of my life, which I’m very excited for.”
The longest-tenured current Buff, Whittaker came to CU in January of 2019 and redshirted the rest of that season. A key reserve the next two seasons, she averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in those years.
Whittaker missed the entire 2021-22 season after multiple hip surgeries and returned last year, but wasn’t back to her usual self. She averaged just 7.6 minutes per game off the bench, scoring only 26 points all season.
This year, however, she’s been an integral piece of the puzzle off the bench for the No. 18 Buffs, averaging 12.0 minutes, 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds.
Because the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all players from the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Whittaker could have come back to Boulder next year. It took several stressful months for her to decide to pursue her pro career instead. She’s hoping to find a team in Europe, but is open to Australia, New Zealand and other options.
Whittaker will always cherish her time with the Buffs, however.
“They mean so much to me here,” she said. “But I feel like I’m ready for next steps. I was very, like, back and forth (with the decision) … trying to just weigh out what was best for me. I’m very, very grateful to have been here this long and to have been accepted into this Buff family. It’s been great.”
Academic star
Senior point guard Jaylyn Sherrod was named the Pac-12 women’s basketball scholar-athlete of the year on Monday.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology in three years with a 3.83 GPA, Sherrod will
graduate with her third degree this spring. Last year, she earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership and she’s now working on a second master’s degree in criminal justice. She has had a 3.82 GPA in graduate courses, including 3.93 this season.
Sherrod is the 10th CU student-athlete to earn scholar-athlete of the year honors and the first since lacrosse player Eliza Cahill in 2021.
“Those 3 degrees paying off,” Sherrod posted on social media in response to the announcement of her award.
Sherrod has earned Pac12 Academic Honor Roll recognition three times.
Rankings
CU fell five spots to No. 18 in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25, but remained in the rankings for the 24th consecutive week dating back to last year.
South Carolina is still the unanimous No. 1 and the only undefeated team in the country. Stanford moved up two spots to No. 2 and Iowa jumped three spots to No. 3. Ohio State slipped two spots to No. 4 after losing to Iowa. Up two spots to No. 5 is USC, making its first appearance in the top five since February of 1994.
In addition to CU, Stanford and USC, three other Pac-12 teams are ranked: No. 7 UCLA, No. 13 Oregon State and No. 22 Utah.
Notable
On Monday, Stanford’s Cameron Brink was named the Pac-12 player of the week for the fifth time this season and the 12th time in her career. USC’S Juju Watkins was named the freshman of the week for the 14th time in 17 weeks this season. … CU will be the No. 5 seed for just the second time in 42 conference tournament appearances (also in 2022). The Buffs’ most common seeds are No. 3 and No. 9 (six times each). The least common is No. 7 (once, in 1984).