Women's Basketball Welcomes Tara Daye Back to New Jersey
May 04 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Head coach Gary Redus II has added another key piece to the Rutgers women's basketball 2026-27 roster with the signing of redshirt senior Tara Daye.
A Newark, New Jersey native, Daye arrives "On The Banks" after spending last season at Purdue, following previous stops at St. John's and DePaul.
"Tara fits perfectly into our style of play with her toughness, athleticism and attacking mentality," Redus said. "She was someone we wanted to bring home as we continue building what we set out to do from the start—keep the best players in New Jersey and welcoming back those who have left. Bringing in a high-level Big Ten player with proven individual success in this league will help propel our program forward."
At Purdue, Daye was the only player to start all 30 games, leading the team in both scoring (12.4 points per game) and rebounding (6.5 per game). She shot an efficient 47.2 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from three-point range, connecting on 15 triples. The guard recorded 21 double-digit scoring performances, including three 20-point games, while adding 73 assists and 37 steals.
During her time at St. John's, Daye showed her impact. As a junior, she started the first four games before an injury sidelined her for the remainder of the season. In the 2023-24 campaign, she appeared in 31 games with 19 starts, averaging 4.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, with improved production in BIG EAST play (5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds).
Daye began her collegiate career at DePaul (2022-23), appearing in 27 games and making one start. She averaged 1.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game while shooting 42.3% from the field. She also earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors on Feb. 6.
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