According to her social media profile, Sarah Linthacum, a junior forward for Missouri Women’s Basketball, has decided to enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility still remaining. She follows Mama Dembele, another Missouri player, in seeking a new team after a disappointing 11-19 season. Dembele has already committed to South Florida for her last year, but Linthacum’s decision is yet to be announced.

This development comes as quite a surprise. The Linthacum trio, hailing from Jefferson City High School, has deep ties to the Missouri Tigers, with a family legacy spanning four generations of allegiance to the black and gold. Each generation, including Sarah’s father, former tight end Larry Linthacum, has proudly represented the Tigers in football. Sarah, the middle sibling, joined her older sister Micah and younger sister Hannah on the Tigers’ roster. With Micah graduating this year and Sarah’s decision to transfer, only freshman Hannah remains on the team.

Sarah concludes her time at Missouri with an average of 6.8 minutes per game, contributing 1.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per game with an impressive 55.6% field goal percentage. Just shy of reaching 100 rebounds in her career, she leaves a notable mark on the court.

While the exact reasons behind her decision remain uncertain, it’s worth noting the shift in her playing time. After a promising sophomore season where she played in 30 games and started six, her role decreased significantly this season, appearing in 23 games without any starts. Compared to the 276 minutes she logged in her sophomore year, this season saw a notable decrease to 104 minutes. Despite limited playing time in her final season, she managed to contribute 13 points and 25 rebounds in an average of 4.5 minutes per game.

With Sarah’s departure, the Tigers now have at least five available scholarships. This leaves the team with only three upperclassmen, two of whom were sidelined last season due to redshirt or injury statuses.