A Visit with Transfer Commit Starr Jacobs: ‘Whatever Coach Yo Needs Me to Do, I’ll Do It’
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin picked up her second transfer portal commit of the season Wednesday, as UAPB and UTA forward Starr Jacobs announced she is an Ole Miss Rebel.
We had a chance to talk to the 6-foot-2 forward and learn a little bit more about the two-time Conference Player of the Year.
(Click here to read our article on Starr’s commitment, her statistics, and her incredible list of accolades.)
From the beginning of our conversation, it was clear this is a seasoned, experienced player who knows what she wants in a program and is willing to contribute in any way she can. Her mentality will fit right in with Coach Yo and Team 50.
“Whatever you ask me to do, I will do it. I run the court, I’m very athletic. I’m just a dog, to be honest. Whatever Coach Yo needs me to do, I will do it.”
Starr Jacobs
When asked what stood out to her about Ole Miss on her visit, Starr immediately praised the Rebels’ facilities.
“Really, the facilities, how many resources we have. With me being older, I need the resources,” she said laughing.
Although Ole Miss has added some new staff members within the last week, they —along with Coach Yo, of course — have made an impression on Jacobs.
“You can tell even though they are new, they are family oriented. You can tell they care. It’s not just about winning. Obviously we’re going to win and want to win. But you can just tell they have that bond among each other and the players.”
Starr Jacobs on the Ole Miss coaching staff
A force to be reckoned with
Coach Yo and her teams continue to break records and set the bar even higher. The head coach recently earned her 100th win at Ole Miss. That feat has only been accomplished by one other coach in program history, Van Chancellor.
In 2022-23, the Rebels tied a program best with 11 wins in SEC play, and this season they finished one better, setting a school record with 12 SEC wins en route to a 24-9, 12-4 (SEC) season, finishing third in the always-tough Southeastern Conference.
Jacobs watched the Rebels play this past record-breaking season, taking note of the team and its head coach. What she saw dramatically impacted her decision of where to transfer.
“I definitely have been watching…I’ve watched the style of play. That’s really the biggest thing why I’ve only been talking to them, because they fit my style of play, both coaching and on the court.”
Starr Jacob on watching Ole Miss play
Although Starr will be moving to a new town, the Rebel coaching staff is making that transition easier.
“I am seven hours away from home, but the coaching staff makes you feel like you’re right at home,” she explained.
Pro Mindset
We asked Starr what she thought she can accomplish at Ole Miss that perhaps she could not at other places, and given the Rebels’ success in sending players to the next level, her answer is not surprising.
“Becoming a pro. Honestly, that’s the main thing.. just maturing me, making me become a little more disciplined than I’ve been, growing me up, making me a better leader, all of the above.”
Starr Jacobs
The ‘Sip is definitely the move for any player looking to get developed and go pro.
The New York Liberty selected Ole Miss’ Marquesha Davis with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the WNBA Draft Monday night. Davis becomes the fifth first round pick for the Rebels and second player selected in the Yolett McPhee-McCuin era. Former Ole Miss star Shakira Austin was drafted No. 3 overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft.
We asked Starr what is one thing Ole Miss fans should know about her, and she simply said: “I feel like I’m fun to watch.”
Rebel fans, Coach Yo has Madison Scott, KK Deans, Kennedy Todd-Williams returning, to name a few, and has already added two portal stars in Michigan State transfer DeeDee Hagemann and Starr Jacobs. So, get ready for a lot of fun basketball to watch in the Sip!
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
