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The Cavinder Twins will be back on the basketball floor this season after taking a year away from the sport to pursue other career opportunities. Though they stepped away temporarily, their NCAA eligibility remained intact.
Each has competed in four seasons with stops at Fresno State and Miami, but both have one year left to play with the Hurricanes thanks to a blanket waiver granted for the pandemic-stricken 2020 campaign.
The duo announced a return to college hoops this past offseason.
After helping Miami reach an Elite Eight in 2023, the sisters decided to retire. Off-the-court fame provided money-making opportunities outside of basketball, with most believing a future in the WWE to be around the corner.
Then, Haley decided to enter the transfer portal, creating a confusing timeline while putting those professional ambitions on hold. She initially committed to TCU but walked back that decision when Hanna, too, announced her return.
Now, both will stay in Coral Gables.
The twins are back! 👀 pic.twitter.com/4secZ6oWh9
— Hurricanes Women’s Basketball (@CanesWBB) April 18, 2024
A college victory lap is something often seen by undergraduates.
Wikipedia defines it as “one or more extra years of study needed beyond the traditional four years of secondary, or undergraduate studies. These added years are generally the result of switching midstream to a different major or program.”
In the Cavinders’ case, it wasn’t a major change but a career decision. That didn’t stop the haters from ragging on the “Super Seniors” for utilizing that final year.
“How do they still have eligibility?”
“That COVID Year is doing extra work.”
Haley and Hanna remain unbothered by the criticism. They’re letting their bank accounts do the talking!
The soon-to-be 24-year-olds posted a TikTok video on Tuesday showing their response to the negativity.
@cavindertwinsthis is a joke🧚♂️♬ original sound – Remy
The twins rank fourth and fifth amongst NIL earners in women’s college athletics, according to On3 Sports. Each sees an estimated value of over $850,000.
The Cavinder Twins cited NIL restrictions in their reasoning for their brief basketball retirement, but that no longer seems to be an issue. They’ll team up one last time at the college level before moving on to pursue those professional dreams.
In their last year on the floor, Haley averaged 12.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per night. Hanna chipped in 3.8 points a game.
The Hurricanes are set to start their 2024-25 season on November 4th against Stetson.