Georgia guard/forward Anne Marie Armstrong (3) attempts a shot while defended by Auburn guard Chadarryl Clay (21).Former Girls Preparatory School standout Chadarryl Clay is leaving the Auburn University women's basketball program.
Clay, a 5-foot-7 guard, played in all but two of the Lady Tigers' 34 games, with one start. She averaged 3.7 points a game and dished out 55 assists as Auburn finished 19-15 and advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals. She also won the scholar-athlete award for the team's best grade point average as a freshman.
Clay was signed by former coach Nell Fortner, who was let go after the 2011-12 season and replaced by Terri Williams-Flournoy.
"Auburn's style of play and Chadarryl's are different, so she's looking to go somewhere that suits her better," her mom, Naketa Clay, said Saturday night. "She wants to be able to play her style and be happy, and she didn't feel she could do that at Auburn."
Her mom said that there has been no shortage of other programs interested since Clay was granted her release on April 17. Chadarryl, who was in the pre-pharmacy program at Auburn, will be looking to transfer to another Division I program but isn't against playing for a junior college and being re-recruited, should that be her best option.
Clay's primary concerns in a new school are coaching style and happiness, her mother said.
"The new Auburn staff was honest and up front with us. They told us what their style of play was and how it was going to remain that way," Naketa said. "She's not leaving on bad terms. They actually told us they never thought that Chadarryl would choose to transfer.
"Chadarryl just wants to be somewhere that she can be happy at."
Clay was a two-time Division II-AA Miss Basketball winner at GPS and helped the Bruisers win back-to-back state championships. She was the Times Free Press Player of the Year her junior and senior seasons, when she was also named to the all-state team.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.