FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas guard Keyon Menifield, a transfer from Washington, will be a non-scholarship redshirt for the 2023-24 season, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Friday.
Redshirting is when college athletes do not participate in any varsity competition for extended eligibility purposes. Per NCAA rules, student-athletes have four years of athletic eligibility, and redshirting a year allows an athlete to preserve one of those years while getting acclimated to the university and program.
The decision to designate Menifield as a non-scholarship redshirt for the upcoming season clears up a scholarship roster spot for head coach Eric Musselman and the Hogs.
Menifield, 6-1, 170 pounds, chose Arkansas over Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio State and Louisville. He was the first of six additions for a Razorback transfer class that ranks No. 7 in the nation, according to 247Sports.
Last season, Menifield played in all 32 games and averaged 10 points and 3.1 assists to earn a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. Menifield's 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio led all freshmen in the conference.
Arkansas was highly active in the transfer portal, filling holes left by transfer and NBA departures:
Outgoing transfers — Nick Smith, guard (NBA Draft); Ricky Council, guard (NBA Draft); Jordan Walsh, forward (NBA Draft); Derrian Ford, guard (Arkansas State); Barry Dunning, forward (Ala. Birmingham); Makhel Mitchell, center (Little Rock).
Incoming transfers — Keyon Menifield, guard (Washington); Khalif Battle, guard (Temple); Tramon Mark, guard (Houston); Jeremiah Davenport, guard (Cincinnati); El Ellis, guard (Louisville); Chandler Lawson, forward (Memphis).
Incoming freshman — Layden Blocker, guard (Sunrise Christian Academy/Kansas), Baye Fall, forward (Accelerated Schools/Denver).
Retained — Davonte Davis, guard; Joseph Pinion, guard; Cade Arbogast, guard; Trevon Brazile, forward; Jalen Graham, forward; Blake Lawson, forward; Makhi Mitchell, center.
The Razorbacks finished 22-14 last season and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year after upsetting top-seeded Kansas. Arkansas, Houston, UCLA and Gonzaga are the only four schools to reach the NCAA Sweet 16 in each of the last three seasons.