Trinity Baptiste announces that she will not return to Arizona women’s basketball

Trinity Baptiste came to Arizona to experience the NCAA Tournament after stops at Northwest Florida State College and Virginia Tech. She experienced the entire six games. Now it’s time to move on to the next part of her life, she announced on Instagram Tuesday afternoon.

Baptiste was the ACC Sixth Player of the Year in 2020, but decided she wanted to be closer to home. That desire was upended after she talked to Arizona head coach Adia Barnes. Instead of returning to her family in Tampa, Fla., Baptiste picked up and came across the country in the middle of the pandemic.

Baptiste started all 27 games for the Wildcats on their run to the national championship game. She scored in double figures for Arizona nine times, ending the year averaging 8.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game.

She led the Wildcats in rebounding in her only season and finished third in scoring behind Aari McDonald and Cate Reese.

Baptiste was a grad transfer but had the option to return due to the NCAA’s extension of eligibility.