There's been so much change this year that I thought it would be interesting to take a look at our prospects for '26 & beyond......
Here are what appear to me to be the likely rotation players for '26:
---6'1" Lenee Beaumont. Returnee
---6'3" Maya Makalusky. Returnee
---6'3" Zania Socka-Nguemen. Returnee
---5'8" Ashlinn James, Kentucky Miss BB, #64 rated FR ESPN
---6'0" Gigi Battle, NJ, #32 rated FR ESPN
---6'2" Addy Nyemchek, NJ Gatorade PoY & McDonald's AA, #28 rated FR ESPN
---6'3" Ashlyn Anderson, TR Ontario, Canada
---5'9" Kenzie Hare, TR Iowa St.
---6'2" Jesse Petrie, TR NEB
---5'7" Malia Samuels, TR USC
Here are a few other kids who I would expect to have lesser roles:
---5'11" Camille Pangonis, FR Ontario, Canada
---6'3" Sydney Fenn. Returnee
---6'2" Alisa Williams, TR Iowa St.
---6'4" Zoe Jackson. FR. OUT FOR SEASON
Here are my thoughts about '26 & '27:
Obviously a very talented roster for '26 & two very nice additions for '27. As far as I can tell, the only players who presently would have no '27 eligibility would be Alisa Williams and Kenzie Hare, the ISU transfers.
My thought is that Anderson, the 6'3" transfer from Ontario, is most likely Zania's backup for '26. She was in some prep school the last 2 years and is 3rd year eligibility-wise. She averaged 15 points and 14 rebounds last year. I had pretty high hopes for 6'4" Jackson, from New Zealand, and wonder if Anderson is a replacement for that role.
Zania's health will be critical to the success of the '26 team. If she is ready to go, I would expect IU to have a very competitive team.
The returning trio of Beaument, Makalusky and Zania are skilled & experienced. I also really like Petrie, the transfer from Nebraska, in the power forward role. She started 23 games each of the last two years at Nebraska. It's been a while since I saw her highlights, but one thing that stood out was her toughness. I don't think she'll start, as Coach likes the 3 guard offense and has plenty of options, but I would think she plays a lot, especially if Anderson isn't ready.
I think one or two freshmen will start, but don't know who. One thing about this team----no one looks to be a "pure" point guard. James may be a more natural PG option than Battle, but Battle is considered the better prospect. My best guess of the starting lineup would be Beaumont; Makakusky; Zania; Battle; and Nyemchek. My second guess would be to sub in James and subtract Nyemchek.
I've listed Samuels, from USC, as a potential rotation player, but she strikes me as a type of player Coach shies away from.....short, ultra quick & aggressive, with no outside shot. She is described as being ultra-competitive. I could see her having more of a role early on, and as getting less PT as the years rolls on.
I think similarly regarding Hare, the 5'9" ISU transfer, who is a three point specialist with part-time starting experience. I could see her getting 10-15 minutes early on and less as the year goes by.
I don't expect Fenn or Pangonis to get significant time in '26 or thereafter.
For '27 9/10 of the '26 roster would be eligible to return, and Jackson would presumably be back. Also. we have two '27 commits, who are described in another post. I'd potentially be looking for a pure point guard (I may be missing something but I don't see it) and a Center.
Comments?
There's been so much change this year that I thought it would be interesting to take a look at our prospects for '26 & beyond......
Here are what appear to me to be the likely rotation players for '26:
---6'1" Lenee Beaumont. Returnee
---6'3" Maya Makalusky. Returnee
---6'3" Zania Socka-Nguemen. Returnee
---5'8" Ashlinn James, Kentucky Miss BB, #64 rated FR ESPN
---6'0" Gigi Battle, NJ, #32 rated FR ESPN
---6'2" Addy Nyemchek, NJ Gatorade PoY & McDonald's AA, #28 rated FR ESPN
---6'3" Ashlyn Anderson, TR Ontario, Canada
---5'9" Kenzie Hare, TR Iowa St.
---6'2" Jesse Petrie, TR NEB
---5'7" Malia Samuels, TR USC
Here are a few other kids who I would expect to have lesser roles:
---5'11" Camille Pangonis, FR Ontario, Canada
---6'3" Sydney Fenn. Returnee
---6'2" Alisa Williams, TR Iowa St.
---6'4" Zoe Jackson. FR. OUT FOR SEASON
Here are my thoughts about '26 & '27:
Obviously a very talented roster for '26 & two very nice additions for '27. As far as I can tell, the only players who presently would have no '27 eligibility would be Alisa Williams and Kenzie Hare, the ISU transfers.
My thought is that Anderson, the 6'3" transfer from Ontario, is most likely Zania's backup for '26. She was in some prep school the last 2 years and is 3rd year eligibility-wise. She averaged 15 points and 14 rebounds last year. I had pretty high hopes for 6'4" Jackson, from New Zealand, and wonder if Anderson is a replacement for that role.
Zania's health will be critical to the success of the '26 team. If she is ready to go, I would expect IU to have a very competitive team.
The returning trio of Beaument, Makalusky and Zania are skilled & experienced. I also really like Petrie, the transfer from Nebraska, in the power forward role. She started 23 games each of the last two years at Nebraska. It's been a while since I saw her highlights, but one thing that stood out was her toughness. I don't think she'll start, as Coach likes the 3 guard offense and has plenty of options, but I would think she plays a lot, especially if Anderson isn't ready.
I think one or two freshmen will start, but don't know who. One thing about this team----no one looks to be a "pure" point guard. James may be a more natural PG option than Battle, but Battle is considered the better prospect. My best guess of the starting lineup would be Beaumont; Makakusky; Zania; Battle; and Nyemchek. My second guess would be to sub in James and subtract Nyemchek.
I've listed Samuels, from USC, as a potential rotation player, but she strikes me as a type of player Coach shies away from.....short, ultra quick & aggressive, with no outside shot. She is described as being ultra-competitive. I could see her having more of a role early on, and as getting less PT as the years rolls on.
I think similarly regarding Hare, the 5'9" ISU transfer, who is a three point specialist with part-time starting experience. I could see her getting 10-15 minutes early on and less as the year goes by.
I don't expect Fenn or Pangonis to get significant time in '26 or thereafter.
For '27 9/10 of the '26 roster would be eligible to return, and Jackson would presumably be back. Also. we have two '27 commits, who are described in another post. I'd potentially be looking for a pure point guard (I may be missing something but I don't see it) and a Center.
Comments?
One comment I'll add of a general nature.....
Teri had one earlier period at IU, just before the Patberg era, when she had a huge roster turnover, later followed by several years of high-level success. Transfers were critical to that success. This time around, the freshmen class looks to be primary driver. It looked to me that last year was very difficult for her. Rebuilding is exhausting. This year may be "Season on the Brink" time. If we disappoint this year, it wouldn't shock me to see her retire.
Z is going to be critical for the team. We need an inside threat. Your comments sound good to me. I have no idea how the frosh will do. Or the transfers. Moran's defense-first system is great; we've had our best success ever, but some kids don't adjust to that thinking. Many that do find the transition rocky. I haven't seen the frosh play, but my take based on who is returning is we are not going to be a MD or USC athletically. But we are a system program, so that makes sense.
I don't know if there is ever much value in thinking a year out, we have no idea if any of these kids will be here in a year. The turnover of the last two has me a bit down. I heard all the things Coach said about Caffey, Caffey sat real near us at one of the coach's shows, everything about her seemed good. If we can't keep her, I'm just not sure what to expect. Maybe it is the Cig QB model, a new PG every year. But if that's it, freshmen aren't the way to go.
As Al McGuire used to say, "The best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores."
I hope Fenn sees more than mop-up time. Sticking around as she has is great. Beau is pretty much the only one left from when she came in.
I don't know what to expect from Beau. Coach really raved about her before last season. She did well, but not THAT well. She seemed to struggle when really played tight.
Z is going to be critical for the team. We need an inside threat. Your comments sound good to me. I have no idea how the frosh will do. Or the transfers. Moran's defense-first system is great; we've had our best success ever, but some kids don't adjust to that thinking. Many that do find the transition rocky. I haven't seen the frosh play, but my take based on who is returning is we are not going to be a MD or USC athletically. But we are a system program, so that makes sense.
I don't know if there is ever much value in thinking a year out, we have no idea if any of these kids will be here in a year. The turnover of the last two has me a bit down. I heard all the things Coach said about Caffey, Caffey sat real near us at one of the coach's shows, everything about her seemed good. If we can't keep her, I'm just not sure what to expect. Maybe it is the Cig QB model, a new PG every year. But if that's it, freshmen aren't the way to go.
As Al McGuire used to say, "The best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores."
I hope Fenn sees more than mop-up time. Sticking around as she has is great. Beau is pretty much the only one left from when she came in.
I don't know what to expect from Beau. Coach really raved about her before last season. She did well, but not THAT well. She seemed to struggle when really played tight.
Thanks for your comments......Colvin reminds me of Caffey, in terms of her size, the ways she moves, and her leadership coming out of HS. The biggest difference I see is that Caffey looked like more of a natural PG, while Colvin looks like more of a natural shooter/scorer.
It's amazing to me how much interest in the women's program has fallen off with the recent troubles.............