Three University of Utah women's basketball players have quit the team and are attempting to transfer to other programs.

Joh-Teena Filipe, a sophomore from Skyline High, who started at forward for the Utes this season; Marie Warner, a junior forward from Canada; and Brette Ulsaker, a freshman from Kansas, all quit the team and requested release from the U.'s director of compliance.

Coach Elaine Elliott said in a written statement, "We have established a great program and we want to continue moving forward. If anyone within the program is moving in a different direction, it is best for everyone to move on."

Chris Rogers, the compliance director, said all three athletes have been released from the U. The women will have to transfer to schools that are not Division I programs if they don't want to sit out a year. If they transfer to a Mountain West school, they will sit out an additional year.

"You can always transfer to another school," he said. "In all sports except basketball and football there is a one-time exception to transfers. But in basketball and football there is no exception, they'll have to sit out a year (if they transfer to a Division I school)."

Rogers said he's been asked by the athletes to send information on them to other schools, but he declined to say where.

Filipe played in 32 of 34 games as a freshman and was a significant contributor this season starting 31 of 32 games and averaging 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. She was the team's third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder and has a redshirt year available.

Warner averaged about 18 minutes per game and averaged 7.9 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Ulsaker started 28 of 29 games that she played in and averaged 25 minutes. She scored 3.4 points and grabbed 2.6 rebounds per game, as well.

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