Syracuse wing Shy Hawkins announces return to Syracuse
Syracuse wing Shy Hawkins has withdrawn from the transfer portal and will return to the Orange, she announced on social media Friday. Matthew Crisafulli | Staff Photographer
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.
Syracuse wing Shy Hawkins has withdrawn from the transfer portal and will return to the Orange for the 2026-27 season, she announced on social media Friday. Hawkins started a career-high 17 of her 32 appearances for SU last season, the fifth-most starts of any Syracuse player.
Hawkins announced her intention to transfer from Syracuse on April 3 and remained in the portal for two weeks before deciding to come back for her junior year.
A four-star recruit out of Mastic Beach, New York, Hawkins overcame a late start to basketball to become the crown jewel of the Orange’s 2024 recruiting class. She began her high school career at William Floyd High School, but transferred to Christ the King and Long Island Lutheran in the following two seasons.
After establishing herself as one of the top prospects on Long Island, Hawkins returned to William Floyd midway through her senior year to finish her high school career.
Once she arrived at Syracuse, Hawkins didn’t find that same level of confidence. She struggled to adapt to the game’s physicality, and when she didn’t see the same success she had in high school, she often “beat herself up for it.” She averaged 4.2 points per game as a freshman and started one game.
But Hawkins overcame those early self-confidence issues to play a more significant role as a sophomore. The wing emerged as SU’s fifth starter in the 2025-26 season, helping it win 24 games and return to the NCAA Tournament.
Of the five Syracuse players to start at least 10 games last season, only Hawkins and Uche Izoje have announced their intention to return to the Orange. Laila Phelia will join the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream at their training camp, Sophie Burrows transferred to North Carolina and Dominique Darius is currently seeking an additional year of eligibility.
