Buffalo Women's Basketball adds transfer Cierra Dillard from UMass

A day after the UB Men's Basketball program added a new name in Dontay Caruthers, Felisha Legette-Jack and UB Women's Basketball have announced the addition of a transfer guard of their own in Rochester-area native Cierra Dillard, who has played the last two seasons at UMass.

Dillard will join the Bulls on the court in 2017-18 after sitting out the coming season, but comes to UB after emerging as one of the top scorers in the Atlantic-10 as a sophomore at UMass, leading the Minutemen and finishing sixth in the conference with 15.5 points a game, while also leading her team in steals and finishing second in assists as a dangerous combo guard. She also filled the stat sheet as a freshman with 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

Dillard presumably sought to transfer after UMass' 12-18 season led to a coaching change this offseason. She'll be coming closer to home after playing her high school career at Rochester-area Gates Chili, where she was named Class AA Third Team All-State as a senior, Second Team as a junior, also made All-State teams as both a freshman and sophomore, and was a McDonald's All-American nominee to cap a 2,000-point career.

In UB's official press release, Coach Jack called Dillard a "program changer" who will make an "immediate impact" once she sees the floor in 2017. She will ultimately fit in, eligibility-wise, with UB's already-five-deep class of 2015-16 freshmen after her year in residence. I wouldn't be surprised to see some other roster and scholarship movement before the start of next season.

Dillard was held to five points in Buffalo's win over UMass in November 2015.