Rylie Stephens knew entering the NCAA transfer portal could be a harrowing experience but the changing dynamic at the University of Evansville forced her to find a new opportunity.

Following a sophomore year where she saw limited action with the Purple Aces women’s basketball program, Stephens found a nice fit in the University of Indianapolis. Then the phone rang.

“She called me and was like I have some really bad news,” said Stephens of the call she got from Indianapolis head coach Kristin Wodrich. “She told me she was not with the team anymore; that she was going to Butler (University). She told me I could go look at other schools and still have UIndy if I wanted to go there.”

Wodrich was hired as the assistant coach at Butler which left Stephens once again part of a basketball program bringing in a new coach that knew nothing about her game.

Stephens believed Evansville was the right fit for her after graduating from Triton Central in 2020. In her first game as a Purple Ace, she scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had two steals in a loss to Murray State. It was a sign of things to come from the five foot, 11-inch guard.

Stephens played nearly 21 minutes per game her freshman year and averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds over 23 contests, but Evansville finished a disappointing 6-18 and the coaching staff was let go.

“My coaches saw a lot in me my freshman year,” explained Stephens. “It was a good relationship with them but the season didn’t go how it should have went and they ended up losing their jobs.”

With the coaching staff change came a roster shakeup. Only six players were left from Stephens’ first season and new players recruited by a new coach arrived on campus.

“It was a hard year for me,” admitted Stephens. “I went from being a freshman that was getting good stats to never seeing the floor at all no matter what I did.”

Stephens averaged just five minutes per game her sophomore year, averaging 1.3 points over 14 games. The Purple Aces went 8-22.

Stephens finished out the season after already seeking advice about transferring. She knew she needed a fresh start.

“It was tough,” she said of the decision. “I liked Evansville, the team and the school. I didn’t go there just to play basketball.”

Stephens was already familiar with UIndy from attending youth camps there and her first go round in the recruiting process. Her visit to the Indianapolis campus went well and she felt wanted by the coaching staff.

“I went on the visit and I really loved it,” she said. “The coaches were like, ‘We want you here.’ The campus is nice. The players are nice. All that happened and the coach left.”

Stephens opted to give the new coach a chance. She wanted his assessment of her game and how it fit into the system he was bringing to Indianapolis.

“I did not vibe (with the new coach) at all,” she said.

There were too many red flags in her mind but there also was limited time to find another school. Then Samford University found her.

An assistant coach contacted Stephens to see if her recruitment was still open. That lead to a phone call, a quick visit to the Alabama campus and a whirlwind recruiting trip.

Samford, a Division I basketball program located in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood, saw what the Evansville coaching staff saw when it first started recruiting her at Triton Central.

“They don’t have big guards,” said Stephens. “They really liked my pull-up jumper. They set a lot of ball screens and roll to the post. I fit perfectly into their offense.”

Stephens, who received a full-ride scholarship to Samford, still has three years of eligibility left. She will continue to pursue a degree in Communications then add a master’s degree in Business.

Stephens leaves for her new campus this week with a refreshed viewpoint on college basketball.

“When I went to Samford, nobody tore anybody down. It was a complete culture difference than what I’ve seen,” said Stephens. “At Triton Central, we had that culture a little bit. The majority of the times at TC it was uplifting but we had that winning mentality culture, and so does Samford.

“I hope it brings that sense because I know how good it can feel to be on a team like that. I am excited to go back and see. I think that is what I am most excited for, bringing the fun and culture back … and obviously playing again.”