Women's Basketball: Team announces three players set to part ways with Lobo basketball

Three Lobo women's basketball players have apparently played their last game in the cherry and silver, with the trio expected to transfer prior to the start of next season.

A release named junior guard Jayda Bovero and freshmen Brittany Panetti and Hannah Sjerven as the student-athletes that will be leaving the program.

Panetti and Sjerven were used sparingly, with both players averaging well under 10 minutes of playing time per game.

Though it was a small sample size, Panetti scored 21 points in just 41 minutes of playing time, going 7-of-9 from the floor and securing 10 rebounds.

But the 6’1” forward only played in eight games during the season, averaging just over five minutes per game.

Head coach Mike Bradbury said Panetti made the decision to transfer to a place where she might see more playing team and have a bigger role on the team. He said UNM will continue to provide support and help her find a school.

Sjerven, a 6’2” center, appeared in 13 games and played 87 total minutes during her freshman year, where she was able to score 37 points and bring down 24 rebounds.

“After meeting with Hannah and having a conversation with her parents, Hannah will transfer at the end of the spring semester,” Bradbury said in a release. “Hannah is a great kid and a hard worker. I have tremendous respect for Hannah and wish her the best in finding the perfect fit for her.”

But Bovero could be the biggest loss, as she played in 29 of the team’s 30 games, starting 15 of them.

The junior guard had a rough time shooting from the field this season, though. She played an average of 23.3 minutes per game, but connected on just 27.1 percent of her shot attempts—the lowest field goal percentage of anyone on the team.

Bovero played well in stretches, scoring in double figures four times during the season, but her production never seemed consistent. Despite playing significant minutes, she only managed 4.3 points per game.

Despite her struggles from the floor, she was one of the better 3-point shooters on the team at 28.4 percent.

“Jayda and I have mutually agreed to part ways,” head coach Mike Bradbury said in a release. “We wish Jayda the best in the future.

All three losses could be huge, but with plenty of depth at guard, the frontcourt departures may be tougher to overcome.

The only other forward on the roster was Kianna Keller, a senior. And the loss of another senior and one of the anchors on the team, center Richelle van der Keijl, will likely leave a huge void down low.

The Lobos finished the season with a final record of 15-15 overall and 10-8 in conference, but failed to make it past the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament, losing to eventual MW champion Boise State, 64-62.

Matthew Narvaiz is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers women's basketball and baseball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz