Colorado Transfer Gabby Simpson Likely to Redshirt 2017 with Kansas

  0 Derek Johnson | September 26th, 2017 | Big 12, College - Women's Indoor

Two-time All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention selection Gabby Simpson is likely to redshirt the 2017 season at Kansas after transferring into the program from Colorado.

A senior right side and setter, Simpson came to Lawrence as a true senior who hasn’t utilized a redshirt season yet, giving her the availability to do so this year. And to this point, Simpson has yet to appear in a set of action for the 2017 Jayhawks.

“Gabby right now we are projecting as a redshirt,” Kansas head coach Ray Bechard told reporters at a recent media availability. “It will be highly unlikely we will see her compete this year. There’s a number of reasons for that; for her health – not that she’s injured – but we’re trying to get her back to where she can be 100 percent all the time. Just from a position standpoint, her being so new to the program, we think this is going to give her the best chance to have a great senior year – but that’ll probably be next year.”

Nothing is finalized on the redshirt trail because if Simpson were forced to play due to an emergency elsewhere it would cancel it out, but it seems to be plan A. That plan seems to be a good one too considering Simpson plays setter and right side – both positions that Kansas has two-time All-Americans occupying. Not to mention both of those players, Ainise Havili and Kelsie Payne, are seniors that Kansas will be looking to replace in 2018.

Beyond that, Simpson has a year to get fully healthy, something Bechard alluded to a bit that shortened her 2016 season. Assuming she does officially get that redshirt, Kansas will essentially be getting a fifth-senior transfer with a year in the program who plays two needed positions.

In her three seasons at Colorado, Simpson logged 1,216 assists and 818 kills. In her junior and sophomore seasons she was named All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention even with that injury-shortened year in 2016. Over that year, she still managed to put up 16 double-doubles and seven triple-doubles in just 22 matches as Colorado was 12-10 with her on the court but just 2-6 without her.

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