Missouri women’s basketball lands Texas center in transfer portal

Robin Pingeton has her center.

Missouri women’s basketball has landed 6-foot-4 center Tionna Herron, who announced her decision to commit to the Tigers’ 2024-25 team via X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter, on Friday. Herron is the fourth player to transfer to Mizzou this offseason.

Herron, a DeSoto, Texas native, was originally committed to play for Kentucky out of high school, committing to the Wildcats as the No. 69-overall prospect in the Class of 2022. But according to her UT athletics page, Herron underwent open heart surgery prior to the season and did not play in the 2022-23 campaign.

The center spent the 2023-24 campaign as a true freshman at Texas, where she appeared in 11 games off the bench. In 39 minutes of total court time, she had 16 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for the Longhorns.

The state of Texas has been productive recruiting grounds for Pingeton and the Tigers this offseason.

DeSoto High also is the home of incoming Mizzou guard Ma’Riya Vincent, who is part of a two-person freshman Class of 2024, which also includes guard Londyn Oliphant — both of whom hail from the greater Dallas area.

The Tigers also have landed Dallas native Nyah Wilson out of the portal. Wilson, a 5-8 junior guard, joined the Tigers from New Mexico. Mizzou also has secured commitments from Presbyterian guard Tilda Sjökvist and Southern Illinois forward Laniah Randle.

Pingeton is entering the final year of her current contract with Missouri. Mizzou lost point guard Mama Dembele to the transfer portal, as well as starting forward Hayley Frank to eligibility.

Size and rebounding has been an issue for Missouri in recent years. The Tigers ranked 13th in the SEC last season with 35.2 rebounds per game; last in offensive rebounds per game (8.4); and last in blocks per game (2.0).

Herron should help with that cause. At 6-4, she immediately becomes one of the tallest players on the Mizzou roster as the Tigers look to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

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This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri women’s basketball lands Texas center in transfer portal