Cavinder twins to leave Miami and end college basketball careers for 'new chapter'
Haley and Hanna Cavinder of the Miami Hurricanes will forego their fifth year of NCAA basketball eligibility for a "new chapter," the twins announced Tuesday.
“What started as us playing basketball 16 years ago has turned into something bigger than we could ever imagine,” the two wrote in a statement issued via social media.
The senior transfers from Fresno State both assisted in Miami's historic run to the Elite Eight last month. They had great success at both universities with securing major name, image and likeness deals. In 2020, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to collegiate athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This would have allowed the twins to return to Miami or another university for an extra year.
The twins garnered substantial social media followings on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms during the pandemic, which paved the way for their first deal with Boost Mobile in 2021. Playing for Fresno State at the time, they were placed on a billboard in Times Square as part of the deal, establishing them as NIL standouts.
According to NIL marketplace Opendorse, the Cavinders were already top five in NIL earnings for women's sports and among the top 10 across all sports when they transferred to Miami ahead of the 2022-2023 season. Some of their brand partners have included WWE, Champs Sports, LifeWallet, Under Armour and Victoria’s Secret PINK.
Since the twins' announcement came the day after the WNBA Draft, it doesn't seem likely they'll pursue that avenue.
They transferred to Miami with hopes to play in the NCAA tournament, a realized goal that saw the No. 9 Hurricanes upset No. 1 seed Indiana in the second round and Villanova in the Sweet 16.
During that stretch, the twins bolstered their visibility and even gained the support of rapper Lil Wayne.
Haley started all 35 games for Miami. She earned an All-ACC second-team selection, averaging a team-high 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 30.9 minutes per game.
Hanna came off the bench and averaged 3.8 points, 1.6 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game.
Their season, which ended in a loss to eventual national champion LSU in the Greenville 2 regional final, was not all smooth sailing.
Miami coach Katie Meier was found to have violated NCAA rules while recruiting the Cavinders. Meier served a school-imposed three-game suspension, while the program received a year of probation and incurred a $5,000 fine — the first known penalty for violations of the NCAA's new NIL rules.
According to ESPN, The Cavinders plan to remain in Florida to focus on business ventures, including a deal with a media company that has yet to be released.
