In men's basketball, the National Association of Basketball Coaches says it has talked with the NCAA about whether transfer rules need to be reformed.
Athletes who transfer are required to sit out one academic year at their new school. But there are exceptions. For example, a waiver is granted when an athlete transfers because his or her sport was discontinued at his or her former school.
The NABC says it is concerned waivers are being granted too liberally for players who offer personal reasons - such as an ill family member - for switching schools.
"As coaches, we certainly understand the empathy one would have for someone transferring because, say, a parent was terminally ill or something of that nature," said Jim Haney, the NABC's executive director. "But the concern is that once you open the door, then those extreme, rare cases become increasingly common."
The NCAA didn't have publicly available data on numbers of transfers, spokesman Chris Radford said.
But Olson, who annually compiles lists of transfers in women's basketball, said the numbers appear to be up this year.
"Last year I did the list and it didn't seem like there were nearly as many" as now, said Olson, a former coach who evaluates and ranks players. "You've got a lot of pressure on these kids that has continued to go higher and higher for them to produce. In their younger years, they may make decisions that maybe aren't the best."
Strickland started 23 games for the Terps last season and averaged nearly nine points. But her playing time decreased from her freshman season. "She actually just sat down and expressed an interest in leaving," her mother, Joanna, said in April. The younger Strickland could not be reached for comment through her parents or the University of South Carolina.
Asked about Strickland and Mingo, Frese replied: "We wish them all the happiness."
Toliver and Coleman were first-round WNBA draft picks.
"We were in the same situation last year when we lost Crystal Langhorne and Laura Harper in the first round" of the draft, Frese said. "The biggest thing you always say is, 'Who is going to bring the level of consistency that Toliver and Coleman bring to the table?' "
Maryland also lost two assistant coaches. Longtime assistant Erica Floyd left after her fiance got a position with LSU. Daron Park left for Louisiana Tech. Marlin Chinn, a former Seton Hall assistant, and David Adkins, an ex-DeMatha and Montrose Christian boys basketball assistant, filled the vacancies.
The Terps return two starters from a 31-5 team - forward Dee Liles and center Lynetta Kizer, the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year.
The backcourt will be largely new. Among those competing for playing time will be incoming freshman point guard Dara Taylor from Wilmington, Del.
"She's probably the fastest guard we've ever had in the program," Frese said.
