The Cavinder twins are reuniting at Miami, as Haley decommitted from TCU to follow her sister, Hanna, who announced her return to the Hurricanes on Wednesday after a one-year hiatus from basketball. Haley made the announcement Thursday on social media.
"Given the news yesterday that my sister was returning to play ball at Miami and after careful consideration and thought, I've decided to return to the University of Miami and play with Hanna for our final and 5th year," Haley wrote.
In 2022-23, Haley started in all 35 games and led the Hurricanes with 12.2 points per contest. That was the year Miami upset No. 1 seed Indiana in the NCAA Women's Tournament and reached the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. Hanna, meanwhile, averaged just 3.8 points over 16 minutes a game.
Both 5-foot-6 guards started their college basketball careers at Fresno State and played there for three years. With the Bulldogs, Haley was the 2021 Mountain West Player of the Year and made the All-Mountain West Team in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Hanna was also selected to the All-Mountain West Team in 2020 and 2021.
While Haley's initial plan was to play her final season at TCU, Hanna had said she was retiring. However, Hanna announced her return to basketball Wednesday.
"My last season of basketball was one of the most successful & challenging yrs of my life but it helped me grow immensely," Hanna wrote. "The past few months I have been itching to get back to the game that I thought I lost the passion for. With that being said, I am returning for one more szn."
My last season of basketball was one of the most successful & challenging yrs of my life but it helped me grow immensely. The past few months I have been itching to get back to the game that I thought I lost the passion for. With that being said, I am returning for one more szn🧡 pic.twitter.com/21oCjdLRM0
— Hanna Cavinder (@CavinderHanna) April 17, 2024
The twins' extra year of eligibility is due to the NCAA COVID-19 rules. While they haven't had a huge presence in basketball lately, the Cavinders are two of the country's most popular collegiate athletes as they have 4.5 million followers on TikTok and reportedly grossed at least $2 million in NIL deals. They even spent some with the WWE, but it seems they want to spend one last year focusing on basketball and playing together.
"There is nothing more important than family and the bond I share with my Twin sister," Haley wrote. "Being presented with the opportunity to play together one more time is something I cannot pass up. I am excited for this upcoming season and cant wait to play at the U."
