Women’s basketball guard Shi-Heria Shipp will look to transfer, the athletics department announced Monday, despite previous reports that she would return for her fifth season as a Colonial.

The decision leaves second-year head coach Jonathan Tsipis without one of his most physical presences on the court, despite the addition of three freshman to next year’s team.

Shipp started 20 of 28 games for the Colonials last season and was the team’s third-highest scorer, averaging 9.6 points on .465 percent shooting. She was an additional force on the defensive side of the ball, averaging 5.2 rebounds per game and recording 37 steals.

Shipp was granted her fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing all but five games due to a knee injury during 2010-2011, her sophomore year. She graduated last month from GW with a degree in sociology, and was planning to play next year as a graduate student alongside forward Brooke Wilson and point guard Danni Jackson.

An athletics department spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment on the reason for Shipp’s decision or where she intends to transfer.