The transfer portal is more impactful than ever in modern collegiate athletics.
Bradley women’s basketball has been no exception to that in recent years, as they added four new players this year through the portal. Of the four, three came from Division I programs. The one player who wasn’t?
Marian University’s Tamia Perryman.
The forward has developed into one of the most impactful players for the Braves this season, currently tied for second on the team at 8.2 points per game. Her journey to becoming a key player for Bradley extends far beyond what appears on the surface.
Raised an athlete
Perryman has always been surrounded by athletes. Her parents ran track at Purdue, and as a kid, her father would take her to play basketball with his friends, whom she viewed as uncles.
“My love for basketball came from my dad,” Perryman said. “He’s been my biggest influence throughout my career. When I was a kid, we would play horse and one-on-one, and I grew to like it and just kept getting better and better.”
Basketball was not the only sport Perryman played growing up. Like her parents, she also ran track, placing in the state of Indiana in both the 100-meter and 200-meter events in high school. When she began her collegiate career at Marian, an NAIA school in Indianapolis, Perryman entered as a two-sport athlete.
After exploding onto the scene in her first year at Marian, which included placing on the Crossroads League All-Freshman team, Perryman suffered a knee injury in a scrimmage before her sophomore season.
“I did both basketball and track at Marian up until I tore my ACL,” Perryman said. “When I tore my ACL, I used that offseason to recover and never went back to track after my sophomore year.”
“I had never had a major injury before,” Perryman added. “I kind of had to go through it myself. I didn’t really have a good support team back at [Marian]; I didn’t really know the mental aspect and how it can wear you down, but I made it through.”
Perryman got back into rhythm when she returned to the court in her redshirt sophomore season. Although she was less productive than her freshman year, this helped set her up for a breakout campaign in her redshirt junior year. She placed on the Crossroads League Honorable Mention Team, and the Knights made the NAIA quarterfinals.
Making a Brave decision
With two years of eligibility remaining, Perryman decided to transfer following her breakout season at Marian.
“I had a lot of people looking into me, but technically, I didn’t have any offers,” Perryman said. “My old coach, Katie Geralds, heard that I was trying to transfer and asked me if I had any offers, and I told her my situation.”
Geralds was the head coach at Marian during Perryman’s freshman season, though she left following that season to become the head coach at Purdue. The two remained in contact, and it turned out that Geralds had a prior connection with Bradley’s head coach, Kate Popovec-Goss.
“[Geralds] gave me a call and said ‘I think you need to look at this kid, I know you personally, and I think she’s going to connect with you as a head coach,’” Popovec-Goss said. “‘I know how you want to play, and I think she can help you.’ And I’m very grateful she made that call because Tamia has helped us in a lot of ways.”
Transitioning from the NAIA level to Division I competition can challenge any player. However, anyone who wants to be great will face obstacles they must overcome, and Perryman was very much up to the challenge.
“I’ve always felt like I’ve had the skill set, I just never had the opportunity to show it,” Perryman said. “The summer program here helped me transition from being a post, like they had me at Marian, to truly being and defining my role as a guard. Improving my handles, my shot and my IQ were my main focuses this offseason.”
Popovec-Goss knew that adjusting to the next level could take time, but she also knew the kind of player Perryman could become.
“It’s a little like being a freshman,” Popovec-Goss said about the adjustment. “The league she played at in the NAIA level is a really competitive league. They had multiple transfers out of that league go to Division I programs, and her school was one of the top NAIA programs in the country.”
“I think the speed of the game can be an adjustment for anyone coming in from a different level,” Popovec-Goss added. “It was something that took Tamia some time to come into. I’ve just challenged her to be consistent and be confident that she belonged. I think those are two areas that have grown since she got here, we’ve seen a lot of efforts where she has taken over.”
“She’s always going to have your back”
On the court, Perryman has proven that her talent and ability can help the Braves win games. However, her impact may be bigger off the court, as her voice has become one of the most valued in the Bradley locker room.
“She holds everyone accountable,” senior guard Soleil Barnes said. “She’s very kind, she’s very selfless. She’s always encouraging and ready to do what’s best for the team. She’s one of the funniest people that I know.”
Like Perryman, Barnes transferred to Bradley this season from a successful program. Even though Barnes came from a higher-level program, the two have learned plenty from each other.
“Tamia has taught me patience and to not be afraid to say the hard stuff,” Barnes said. “She has helped me be confident in the leader that I am and the player that I am. I’ve seen her grow physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the season. She continues to grow and is doing a good job of being Tamia and handling everything. She always has my back.”
Popovec-Goss echoed a similar sentiment, having also seen Perryman’s firsthand impact on the locker room.
“She’s tough, but she’s always going to have your back,” Popovec-Goss said. “I don’t think anyone in that room would ever question that Tamia is going to support you and have your back in whatever you do.”
“She’s got the biggest heart; she’s a great kid,” Popovec-Goss added. “She cares about the culture of the program, she cares about winning and she supports her teammates both on and off the court.”
With one year of eligibility remaining, Perryman intends to return to the Braves next year for her final collegiate season. For now, though, one goal remains on her mind.
“Finish strong,” Perryman said. “Finish strong and keep winning.”
