Syracuse, N.Y. — Nicole Sanfilippo, a combo guard in the Class of 2022 from Ardsley High School in New York, has de-committed from the Syracuse women’s basketball program.
Sanfilippo, who will be a senior this fall, said the reason she won’t attend SU is that she felt like the program wasn’t the best fit for her. She declined to elaborate on why Syracuse wasn’t a good fit.
Sanfilippo verbally agreed to join the Orange on Feb. 9, making her the first player from her high school to receive a scholarship offer from a Power Five school, according to her AAU coach, Dan Melious. She was also SU’s first recruit from the Class of 2022 to commit to the program.
She sent an email to Orange coach Quentin Hillsman on May 20 to inform him of her decision.
“He was very understanding about the whole situation,” Sanfilippo said. “He didn’t try to change my mind. He understood and respected my decision completely.”
Syracuse had a massive roster turnover this offseason, with 11 players entering the NCAA’s transfer portal. She said that played a “small factor” in her decision.
“I was worried about the transfers because I didn’t want to go to a program where it appeared other players were unhappy,” Sanfilippo said.
When asked about her thoughts on the allegations of abuse against Hillsman and the external investigation of the SU women’s basketball program, Sanfilippo declined to comment. The accusations, reported by The Athletic, were published on June 29, more than a month after Sanfilippo’s decision to de-commit.
Syracuse will welcome five new players from the Class of 2021 this fall, highlighted by Toronto natives and teammates Latasha Lattimore and Shayeann Day-Wilson, along with three other players ranked in the ESPN HoopGurlz Top 100.
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