BYU’s Richie Saunders has entered the transfer portal
Mark Pope’s exit from BYU continues to plague his now-former program.
Cougars guard Richie Saunders has entered the transfer portal, he announced in an Instagram post Sunday.
“Due to the uncertainty of the coaching situation, I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal,” Saunders wrote. “My heart hurts because of this unanticipated change with the coaching staff. With that being said, I would like to be proactive about exploring what is best for my wife and I as we move forward.
“I love BYU and am forever grateful for the experiences I have had. I can’t thank the coaches, staff, and fans enough for these experiences. Thank you Cougar nation, for everything.”
Saunders became a fan favorite during his two seasons with the Cougars due to his tenacious hustle and overall scrappiness coming off the bench as one of the nation’s premier “glue” guys.
The Wasatch Academy product averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest on 52.3% shooting this past campaign, scoring in double figures on 15 occasions.
In 68 total games at BYU, Saunders posted averages of 7.6 points and 3.3 rebounds.
Saunders is the third Cougar to explore portal opportunities following news of Pope’s departure, joining point guard Dallin Hall and center Aly Khalifa.
While more transfers are expected in the coming days, Saunders and his teammates could possibly return to BYU depending on who is hired to replace Pope.
