Lindsay Gottlieb has high praise for Talia von Oelhoffen

After a remarkable turnaround last season, going from a 6th-seed in the Pac-12 to a 2-seed with a 29-6 record, as compared to 21-7 in 2022-23, the USC Trojans are looking to build on this with another strong recruiting class.

A big-time addition came in with California nagging Talia Von Oelhoffen off the transfer portal. A four-year veteran of the Oregon State Beavers, Oelhoffen drew special praise from head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who believed her style would fit seamlessly into her system.

“Talia is an all-conference player who led her team to an Elite Eight. Her basketball IQ is off the charts, and she’s incredibly versatile. I think we’ll see her thrive in an uptempo system, and she’s gifted at making those around her better.”

In particular, it was the leadership that the new #22 on USC showcased that made her invaluable to the team going into the upcoming season.

“She’s coming to USC to help us win at the highest levels and will provide leadership that’s so important to any team with championship aspirations. I cannot wait to have her in a Trojans uniform.”

Talia, 5-foo

t-11, has taken on the combo guard role for quite some time, with her playmaking chops improving by the year, culminating in a 5 apg season in 2023-24, alongside 10 points.

Her shooting numbers have seen a significant drop-off, from 43.4% as a freshman to 31.7% this past season from long range. But, a steadily improving free throw number, up to 88% from 81% in the same timespan, indicates that the 3-point shooting dip might be an anomaly.

On an uptempo offense, as Coach Gottlieb predicts, the Washington native could improve her efficiency back to her freshman-year standards.

The recruiting class for Lindsay Gottlieb and the USC Trojans

Lindsay is entering her fourth season and the Trojans program has been hard at work on improving the roster, which last season finished with the school’s first Elite Eight appearance in nearly three decades.

The squad will have six players returning, giving the coach some continuity to her squad, especially with star freshman JuJu Watkins, who finished the year with the most points by a freshman in NCAA history ever.

Alongside Watkins, the following names are also returning to USC:

C Rayah Marshall (Senior): Finished her second-straight year, averaging a double-double.
C Clarice Akunwafo (Senior): Aiming for a larger role after nine career starts through her first three seasons.
G Dominque Darius (Redshirt Junior): Steady rotation member in the second half of last season.
G Malia Samuels (Sophomore): After just one start in her freshman year, Samuels will be looking for an expanded role going into Year 2.
G Aaliyah Gayles (Redshirt Sophomore): A former No.8 overall recruit, Gayles will have a larger role to play going into Year 2.

The biggest coup for the Trojans comes in the form of their high-school recruiting class, where they’ve managed to snag three McDonald’s All-Americans and six players in the Top 100 of ESPN rankings for next year’s class.

G Kennedy Smith: The 6-foot-1 guard is a five-star McDonald’s All-American who was the No.6 overall ranked player in the nation last year, averaging over 20 points while adding close to 2 steals and blocks apiece.
G Kayleigh Heckel: Another guard, the No.13 overall prospect was also a McDonald’s All-American, averaging 16.6 points with elite playmaking at 8.3 apg, while adding 3.1 steals per contest.
G Avery Howell: The third guard joining the recruiting board, 6-foot Avery Howell was another McDonald’s All-American, who ranked 16th in the nation, after leading Boise HS to a 24-2 record, with averages of 21.2 points and 10.6 rebounds, while posting 3 steals per game.
F Vivian Iwuchukwu: The 6-foot-3 Montverde Academy star was a four-star prospect ranking 47th in the nation, with averages of 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds, led the way for her team as they finished the year with a 26-1 record. Her size makes her a presence on the interior, allowing her to bang in the post at will, joining Marshall and Akunwafo down low.
G Rian Forestier: The 54th-ranked recruit in the nation, was an all-around superstar on the court. Her averages of 25.8 points and 13.9 rebounds belie her 5-foot-11 frame, with 4.4 assists making her a valuable ball-handler on the court. Defensively, her numbers jump off the page, with averages of 4.1 steals and 2.5 blocks a night.
F Laura Williams: The 6-foot-1 92nd-ranked recruit had a part to play in Paul VI HS extending their state title streak to 16 years, as she added 11.8 points and 5.9 rebounds to their total.
G Brooklyn Shamblin: The only unranked player in USC’s recruiting class, 5-foot-9 Brooklyn was a three-star recruit, who won the 2022 CIF Southern Section Player of the Year as a freshman and earned a McDonald’s All-American nomination in 2024.

On the transfer portal side, the Trojans have made two major transactions. The aforementioned Talia von Oelhoffen became the second, joining the top player in the portal, Kiki Irafen.

The 6-foot-3 forward had a phenomenal year at Stanford, where she led the team with 19.4 ppg on 54% shooting while adding 11 rebounds a night. Irafen’s performance earned her the Pac-12 Most Improved Player award, as the LA native is finally coming home for her final year.

Do you think USC had the best recruitment class of the year? Let us know in the comments below.