Purdue WBB: Senior Jayla Smith Enters NCAA Transfer Portal
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Purdue guard Jayla Smith has announced that she will enter the NCAA transfer portal to pursue other opportunities. The Indianapolis native spent four years with the Boilermakers and went through Senior Day ceremonies in the team's final home game against Indiana earlier this month.
Smith suffered an injury during the 2024-25 campaign that kept her sidelined most of the year. She played in just two games for the Boilermakers, scoring seven points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out two assists.
"The journey through life is filled with celebrations, challenges, special moments, and memories that define our experiences and craft our purpose. I am thankful to my coaches and teammates and abundantly grateful for the Boilermaker community, my family, and friends for your unwavering support. I've gained lifelong connections that I will always cherish," Smith wrote on social media.
"With that said, I've decided to enter the transfer portal to begin a new chapter in my journey. Thank you Boilermakers, always!"
Thank you Boiler Nation!! 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/0QHcJpp2a9
— Jayla Smith (@_JaylaSmithh) March 19, 2025
Smith played in 92 career games while in West Lafayette, averaging 5.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Her best season came in 2022-23, when she posted 7.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
Because Smith suffered an injury and played in just two games last season, she can appeal to the NCAA for a medical hardship waiver for the upcoming year.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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