TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama women's basketball program inked a dynamic and up-tempo guard in Loyal McQueen, a sophomore transfer from Georgia Tech, head coach Kristy Curry announced Friday. McQueen, of Florence, S.C., will enroll in January and she will be eligible to play in fall of 2022.
Loyal McQueen
5-8 | Guard | Florence, S.C. | Wilson High School | Georgia Tech
McQueen, who was a four-star recruit and the top ranked guard out of South Carolina in the class of 2020, according to ESPN.com, has announced she will transfer to the University of Alabama and enroll in classes next spring and be eligible to compete next fall.
McQueen played in 25 games, making 21 starts, as a freshman at Georgia Tech last season. She averaged 8.8 points per game, while shooting a team-best 36.8 percent from long range. She also dished out 2.16 assists per game in 2020-21. McQueen tabbed Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Week honors on Dec. 14, 2020 after helping the Yellow Jackets jump out to a 2-0 start in league action, recording five straight games in double figures.
Perhaps her best game of the season came against Clemson on Feb. 4, 2021, leading the team to a triumph on 17 points and seven assists. She followed up that performance, logging 14 points and six assists against top-ranked Louisville on Feb. 11, 2021. McQueen helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the 2021 NCAA Sweet 16, where she recorded a combined 19 points in her rookie stint at the tournament.
The explosive and athletic guard played five seasons at Wilson High School, capping her high school career being named the 2019-20 South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, 2019-20 South Carolina Miss Basketball, 2019-20 South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association 4A Player of the Year, 2019-20 Max Preps South Carolina Player of the Year and 2019-20 USA Today Southeast Player of the Year.
She averaged 20.4 points per game, 6.1 assists per game, 4.6 rebounds per game and 2.6 steals per game in five seasons (110 games) at Wilson High School. In her senior season, she eclipsed 2,000 career points (2,252). McQueen had six 30-point games, including a 51-point game, which featured 11 3-pointers, that season.
McQueen is the daughter of Derrick and Hope and the sister of London. Her father is a four-year letterwinner on the Wake Forest men's basketball team.
Due to NCAA transfer rules, McQueen will sit out in the spring of 2022 and be eligible to compete at the start of the 2022-23 season. McQueen is expected to join the team following the holiday break, and she will be eligible to practice with the Crimson Tide immediately.
Curry on McQueen:
"Loyal is a dynamic, up-tempo, lead guard who will excel in our system of play. She is a well-rounded student-athlete who has a great support system around her, and we are so excited to have her and her family joining our Alabama family. She has been an impact player at each stage in her career, and we are excited to coach her as she will make an immediate impact in our program."
