The University of Florida announced the transfer of 5’9 guard Yasmeen Chang from Miami on Tuesday.
Chang, who played with the Hurricanes for one season, will have to sit out one year per NCAA rules, but will be eligible for three more.
Chang saw minutes in 18 contests last year and scored seven points three times despite limited playing time in a veteran heavy backcourt rotation.
The Naples, FL native attended Gulf Coast High School for three years. As a senior in 2018-19, Chang averaged 17.5 points on 50% shooting from the floor and 36% from three point range.
In an interview with ChompTalk.com, Chang spoke about her relationship with the UF coaches, “I go way back with the Gators, they have always been big on me…Coach [Cameron Newbauer] is a great person and I’m honored to call him my head coach.”
She also praised associate head coach Kelly Rae Finley stating, “she’s been by my side the entire recruiting process, I am so thankful to have those two in my corner.”
While Newbauer and Finley had previously built a relationship with Chang, it was the staff’s two newcomers that made quite the first impression. Assistant coaches Erika Lang-Montgomery and Julian Assibey separately reached out to Chang to express their excitement and to welcome her to the program.
While Chang is sitting this season, she will have the opportunity to learn behind a veteran backcourt at Florida. The Gators feature seniors Kiara Smith and Danielle Rainey and sophomores Lavender Briggs and Nina Rickards. Chang explained her excitement, saying that her new teammates are “going to make me ten times better, I’m just so excited thinking about it.”
“I am just so blessed for this opportunity and being a Gator means everything to me. Representing the state of Florida, where I am from, is all I can ask for…I can’t wait to be on campus with [my teammates] soon.”