FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas freshman guard Aaliyah Wilson plans to transfer, she said on her Twitter page Wednesday.
Wilson said she has requested a full release and is awaiting approval from the Razorbacks' athletics department. The former McDonald's All-American from Muskogee, Okla., averaged 4.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 26 games off the bench this season.
"First I would like to say that I am more than thankful for the opportunity that I was given here at the University of Arkansas, which would not have been possible without God," Wilson wrote. "It was definitely a learning experience and decision that I don't regret. I would like to thank the student-athlete development department, the Razorback fans and my teammates for the continuous guidance and support.
"With that being said, after re-evaluating my future endeavours and talking it over with my parents and loved ones, I have decided to take my education and talents elsewhere."
Wilson is the third player to transfer away from Arkansas in the past four months. Guard Jordan Danberry, a former Arkansas high school player of the year, transferred to Mississippi State earlier this semester and guard Briunna Freeman quit the team in December.
Wilson's decision to transfer comes less than two weeks after Jimmy Dykes resigned as head coach of the women's basketball team. Dykes' resignation came two days after he told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he planned to coach the team again next year.
In his first public interview since his resignation, Dykes said Wednesday on the radio show Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly that the controversy surrounding six players kneeling for the national anthem in the preseason began a series of events that wrecked the season. Arkansas finished on an 11-game losing streak and with a 2-14 record in SEC play - the program's worst since it joined the league.
"In August, September, October, we were an NCAA Tournament team in how we practiced, the talent that we had, the accountability we had in the program," Dykes said. "And then we had some things that really kind of derailed the season, detoured the season and gave us major hurdles in the season.
"It started with the national anthem and all the things that went into that; the divisiveness. Then we had injuries and we lost a lot of close games. Once you lose and you lose again, you start finding ways to lose instead of finding ways to win."