Rutgers Women's Basketball has made its first transfer portal addition.
Per multiple reports, the Scarlet Knights have landed a commitment from former Stephen F. Austin guard Faith Blackstone for her final season of eligibility.
Blackstone helped lead the Ladyjacks to the NCAA Tournament in 2024 and will be playing her sixth season of college basketball at Rutgers. She averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 33 minutes per game in her fifth season.
"I chose Rutgers because it feels like home," Blackstone said in a release. "Being closer to my roots means everything - but what truly moved me was the head coach Coquese Washington. I've never been coached by a woman before, and the way her vision and values aligned with mine made a deep impact. I knew this was where I belonged."
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"Faith is a proven and versatile scorer who will have an immediate impact on our team," Washington said in the release. "She is an experienced player and has had tremendous success at all levels. She brings a winning pedigree with postseason participation to our locker room, along with a strong work ethic. We are delighted that Faith Blackstone is joining our family."
A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Blackstone started her collegiate career at Syracuse after becoming an All-State player and the second-leading scorer in Hillside High School (NC) history. With the Orange, she played in six games, averaging 2.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. After a coaching change, Blackstone opted to enter the transfer portal.
She then landed at North Carolina A&T for her sophomore season, moving closer to where she played her high school ball. She saw a jump in production, playing in 22 games and starting 11, averaging 5.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 18 minutes per game.
Blackstone played some of her best basketball in Big South play after being inserted in the starting lineup, recording all four double-digit scoring games in conference play, including a career-high 16 points in a win over Radford.
She then went to the JUCO level for her junior year, deciding to transfer to CCBC Essex in Baltimore, Maryland. Blackstone had her breakout season with the Knights, being named the NJCAA National Player of the Year after averaging 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.4 steals per game and leading CCBC Essex to a 36-1 record and NJCAA National Championship. She recorded a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double in an overtime win over Richard Bland College in the title game.
"Once I got to JUCO my junior year, that’s when things started popping off for me," Blackstone told FOX43 before this year's NCAA Tournament. "I gained my confidence, [and] I found myself. I just saw who I wanted to be in the mirror on that basketball court."
Blackstone went on the move again as a redshirt junior, transferring to nearby Coppin State in Maryland. She continued her trajectory in her fourth season, earning MEAC Sixth Player of the Year and All-MEAC First Team honors after averaging 11.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, starting 16 games. She was also named a BOXTOROW Second Team All-American, a list of HBCU All-Americans.
For her fifth season, Blackstone went down to Texas to play for Stephen F. Austin. She had another big season with the Ladyjacks, averaging 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in 22 games, all starts. She scored a career-high 26 points against San Diego State in December, and even faced her former Coppin State team, scoring 24 points and leading the Ladyjacks to a 21-point win.
The 6-foot guard also earned All-Southland First Team honors, scoring the second-most points in the conference and also ranking in the top ten in field goal percentage (48.4%) and free throw percentage (75.8%). She also made 39 three-pointers at a 36.4% clip.
Stephen F. Austin finished third in the Southland's regular season but went on a run in the conference tournament with upset wins over second-seeded Lamar and top-seeded Southeastern Louisiana in the Southland Tournament semifinal and final to clinch its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022. As a 14 seed, they fell 106-54 to third-seeded Notre Dame, where Blackstone scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds facing off against the Fighting Irish star guard duo Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles.
Blackstone excels at getting to the basket, attempting the most free throws in the Southland Conference, shooting 37 more than the next-highest player. According to CBB Analytics, 66% of her field goal attempts came from inside the paint or at the rim, where she shot 53% on those 214 attempts. Only 40% of her two-point field goals were assisted, meaning she was able to create her own shot plenty of times. On the other end, 75.8% of her three-point attempts were assisted as a spot-up shooter.
As with many players who transfer into the Big Ten from the mid- and low-major levels, there will likely be an adjustment period but Blackstone has the pedigree as one of the top options on an NCAA Tournament team from the Southland Conference.
Here is how the rest of Rutgers' roster currently shakes out (years of eligibility in parentheses):
Guard: Mya Petticord (1 year), Deja Young (1 year), Kennedy Brandt (2 years)
Wing: Antonia Bates (1-2 years), Faith Blackstone (1 year), Zachara Perkins (3 years)
Forward/Center: Janae Walker (2 years), PreciousGem Wheeler (4 years)
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