How Payton Verhulst's transfer to OU women's basketball paying off on and off court

When Jennie Baranczyk got the OU women’s basketball coaching job in April 2021, the seed was planted for Payton Verhulst.

“It kind of always was in the back of my mind,” Verhulst said.

But by that time, Verhulst was locked in on going to Louisville.

Three years later, Verhulst will be playing for Baranczyk and the Sooners when they open the NCAA Tournament against Florida Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. Saturday in Bloomington, Indiana.

Verhulst has thrived in Norman, entering the tournament second on the Sooners in scoring (12.9 points per game), rebounds (5.9) and assists (4.0).

More importantly, Verhulst is having fun doing it.

By last November, basketball was no longer fun for Verhulst.

She came to Louisville as a consensus five-star prospect and was a McDonald’s All-American.

More: What OU women's basketball coach Jennie Baranczyk said about facing FGCU in March Madness

Payton Verhulst's early success at Louisville

As a freshman, she played a role off the bench as the Cardinal made a Final Four run in 2021.

But early in the next season, Verhulst was miserable.

“It was really tough for me,” Verhulst said. “I really loved Louisville, the school, I had a lot of friends that went there. Unfortunately, just wasn’t the right fit for me basketball-wise and I think I needed to do what was best for me and focus on my mental health and so I knew stepping away from there, I knew I wanted to play for Jennie.”

Verhulst knew little about the Sooners on the court, but she knew Baranczyk well.

When Baranczyk was at Drake, she regularly recruited from Verhulst’s club team in the Kansas City area.

The team regularly went to camps at Drake and trekked to games to see their alums.

The difference in Baranczyk was evident.

“She’s just so positive,” Verhulst said. “And kind of meets you where you are and helps you to become the best version of yourself and doesn’t base that off how you’re doing at basketball.”

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Mental health support led Verhulst to OU

If Baranczyk had a major conference job when Verhulst decided to commit, she likely would’ve followed her.

But Verhulst wanted to play big-time college basketball and couldn’t pull the trigger on going to Drake.

So when things soured in Louisville, there was no doubt where Verhulst would wind up.

The move has worked out both on and off the court, and it’s helped Verhulst realize the value of addressing mental health.

“I think it’s something that’s really under-addressed in female sports especially, athletics in general,” Verhulst said. “Mental health is something that’s really present in all sports and I really first-hand got to see it in basketball. I think being at a school where they put that first … and they offer support, that was really big for me.”

Her first months in Norman were characterized by plenty of frustration.

Verhulst said she underestimated how difficult it would be to be able to practice, but then have to watch her teammates play games while she sat out.

But now, Verhulst is grateful for that time.

“Even if I could play, I don’t think I could’ve mentally,” Verhulst said. “All the support that they offered here immediately was just amazing to me.”

More: Oklahoma women vs FGCU in March Madness: Prediction for 2024 NCAA Tournament opener

Verhulst hadn’t faced much in the way of mental health challenges before her time at Louisville.

“It was my first time realizing I might be in a spot that wasn’t the best for me,” Verhulst said. “Growing up, my parents were always like the ‘suck it up,’ type of parents, ‘you’ll be fine, get through it.’ So whenever I kind of started talking to them about the way that I was feeling and everything that was going on, and they were like, ‘I think it’s best for you that you find somewhere else to go,’ that was really important hearing that from my parents.”

Baranczyk’s outlook with addressing mental health with her players has continued to evolve.

“I think sometimes it’s a term now, it’s a buzzword almost,” Baranczyk said. “Culture was a buzzword. Toxic’s a buzzword. And so is mental health. But I think sometimes what we don’t understand or realize is that we all have to prioritize our mental health. It doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong to be able to focus on it.

“Sometimes we think, ‘Well, I don’t feel good so I don’t have to do this.’ You still have to give what you have every day. And I think that’s one of the things. Now, when there’s something that’s impacting your every day, that’s a whole different conversation. Sometimes especially for our team and our young people,. You kind of forget that it’s OK to feel good, too. ….  It’s OK to feel good and it’s OK to not feel good. It’s just not OK to not feel good all the time. Then we have to do something about that.”

Baranczyk makes sure to keep the dialogue with her team open on the subject.

“If I’m not talking about it or I’m not coming in in a good space, then that’s going to affect them too,” Baranczyk said. “So I think by making it a very normal conversation (it helps). I talk more about those topics with our players than I would have ever talked about with my coach. It’s the same with your kids. I talk about more things with my own children than I would’ve ever talked about (with my parents). It’s just getting more common to have open dialogue about your mental health.”

Now, more than a year removed from it, Verhulst can appreciate what her Louisville experience meant.

But she’s thrilled to be a part of the Sooners and hoping to make more March memories with her new team.

“I’m to the point now where I’m really happy I went to Oklahoma,” Verhulst said. “I’m happy I went to Louisville in the first place. I’m really happy for all my memories and experiences there, but I’ve grown here as a person.”

More: Could Oklahoma women be upset? Our 2024 March Madness predictions for NCAA Tournament

OU vs. Florida Gulf Coast

TIPOFF: 3 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana (ESPN NEWS)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU basketball: Payton Verhulst thrives after transfer from Louisville