October 21st 2024.
The start of a new season brings excitement and anticipation for the CU women's basketball team, despite some significant changes to the roster. With 10 new faces joining the team, the Buffs are gearing up to maintain their high standards and continue their impressive run of three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and back-to-back Sweet 16 trips. Head coach JR Payne, who is in her ninth year at the helm, is confident in the team's potential and believes they have what it takes to make it back to the tournament. After a successful season last year, which included three wins over top 10 opponents, the Buffs are ready to take on the challenge once again.
"We have better depth and length than we've ever had before, and we're also a very experienced group, even though some of that experience may not be here at Colorado," Payne shared. "We have the same expectations as always, and we're lucky to have strong veteran leaders, even if there aren't many of them."
One of those leaders is senior point guard Kindyll Wetta, who is set to take on a bigger role this season following the graduation of star player Jaylyn Sherrod, who is now a WNBA champion with the New York Liberty. Wetta, a product of Valor Christian, has been a consistent presence on the team for the past three seasons. Along with fellow veterans Frida Formann, a graduate sharpshooting guard, and Sara-Rose Smith, a fifth-year guard who transferred from Missouri last year, the Buffs have a strong core of experienced players.
However, the rest of the roster is filled with new faces, making it important for fans to have their rosters handy during the first game against Colorado School of Mines on Sunday. This influx of new players is the reason why the Buffs were picked to finish ninth out of 16 teams in the Big 12 women's basketball preseason poll. But Payne remains optimistic and believes the team will exceed expectations.
"If you just looked at our roster on paper and didn't do your research on the players we signed in the spring or the freshmen coming in, I would've picked us ninth too," she admitted. "But I know our team better than most, and I truly believe we'll finish much higher than ninth."
The Buffs have the second-highest number of newcomers in the nation, and they are the only team from last year's NCAA Tournament with double-digit new players. Despite losing starting center Aaronette Vonleh, who transferred to Baylor, CU has reloaded with a mix of transfers and talented freshmen. One of those freshmen, Tabitha Betson, is expected to make an immediate impact and was named the Big 12 preseason freshman of the year. The team also boasts a group of transfers, including Lior Garzon, Nyamer Diew, Ayianna Johnson, and Jade Masogayo, who all bring valuable experience to the team.
"It's a different type of team, but we're still Colorado basketball," Formann stated confidently. "We have the same principles and system, it's just different personnel. We have a lot of shooters, we can play fast, and we have great team chemistry."
With Formann leading the way, the Buffs have a diverse and international roster, with eight players from different countries, setting a program record. According to Payne, this is partly due to the coaching staff's efforts to find hidden gems in Europe, Australia, and other places, as well as luck. "For the system we run, it's fortunate that we ended up with so many international players," she explained. "But it's not just about being international, it's also about the experience these players bring. Some have played for their national teams, while others, like Sara-Rose, have won medals in 3-on-3 basketball with Team Australia. We've also recruited some of these players before, like Lior and JoJo Nworie, so when they entered the transfer portal, it made sense for us to try and get them."
As the season approaches, the question remains: who will get the majority of playing time? The obvious starters are Wetta and Formann, although Formann's undisclosed injury has put her status for the first game in question. Smith is also expected to play a significant role. However, Payne has yet to finalize the starting lineup and plans to use the non-conference schedule to determine the rotation. This means that many players will see minutes on the court during the preseason.
"We have high expectations for this season, and we're hopeful and confident that we can meet or surpass them," Wetta said with determination. "But right now, our focus is on working together and ironing out any kinks in the first few games. If we do that, we'll be ready for Big 12 play and the postseason."
In the end, the Buffs are ready to take on the challenge of a new season with a new-look team. With strong leadership, a mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers, and a solid game plan, they are determined to continue their winning ways and make a run for the NCAA Tournament once again.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
