Despite losing five players to graduation and the transfer portal, a cast of solid veterans and promising newcomers have hopes high in Waco.
The Lady Bears lost five players from the 2022-23 squad. Ja’Mee Asberry and Caitlin Bickle completed their eligibility, and Jaden Owens, Kendra Gillispie, and Erika Porter transferred. But those losses are more than made up by a roster filled with returning and incoming players.
Sarah Andrews (photo courtesy Baylor Athletics)
Returning players include Sarah Andrews, the team’s leading scorer at 14.7 points per game; Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, who averaged 10.6 points per game and was named Big 12 Freshmen of the Year; and Bella Fontleroy, who averaged 8.8 points. In addition, Aijha Blackwell is playing her COVID year after participating in only eight games last year due to a lower-body injury. Role players Jana Van Gytenbeek (2.4 points per game), Catarina Ferreira (2.3 points per game), and Kyla Abraham (2.1 points per game) return as well.
Incoming players include 6-foot and 7-inch post player Letycia Vasconoles, a highly touted player out of high school. The transfer portal brought solid players to Waco as well. Jada Walker (Kentucky), a 5-foot and 7-inch guard, averaged 12.9 points per game. Madison Bartley (Belmont), a 6-foot and 3-inch forward, averaged 14.1 points per game and was the 34th player in Belmont history to score 1,000 career points. And Yaya Felder (Ohio), a 5-foot and 8-inch guard, ranked 8th nationally in scoring last year. All three players have two years of eligibility remaining. Denae Fritz (Iowa State), a 5-foot and 11-inch redshirt freshman guard, averaged 8.8 points per game for the Cyclones last season. She has three years of college ball left to play.
Edwards is ready for ‘23-24 (photo courtesy The Next Hoops)
Finally, Dre Edwards will be making her debut for the Lady Bears after her transfer request was denied last season. That decision was based on the rule that she had not graduated from UK, a requirement for players transferring for a second time (she had previously moved to UK from Utah). At Kentucky, Edwards averaged 16.8 points per game.
If I were to name a starting lineup right now, I would say Andrews and Walker (guards), Blackwell (guard/forward), and Edwards and Bartley (forwards). Other significant contributors include Littlepage-Buggs, Felder, Fontleroy, Fritz, and Abraham, with Felder and Fritz possibly breaking into the starting lineup.
The roster is loaded, and the hope is that this year’s squad will avoid the injury bug that plagued the 2022-23 team.
Players will participate in a revamped Big 12 conference with 14 teams this year–the first year for newcomers BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston, and the final go-around for Oklahoma and Texas before they depart for the Southeastern Conference in 2024-25.
