By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
When Baylor women’s basketball took the floor Monday for its first practice of the fall, it did so with several fresh faces.
After falling short of a Big 12 title for the first time since 2009-10, head coach Nicki Collen reloaded the Bears’ roster with a plethora of transfers. Collen said the team intentionally brought in players who have produced in previous places.
“They’ve all had moments, and I think they can all impact us,” Collen said.
Collen specifically named former Kentucky guard and current junior Jada Walker as someone who should make a significant impact on both sides of the floor. Walker, an aggressive point-of-attack defender, finished third among power conference players with 2.61 steals per game last season.
“Jada is someone who just competes every possession,” Collen said. “I thought [she] played pretty well overseas [and] has a good mid-range shot — which, we haven’t had a lot of real good mid-range shooters. Certainly players that could make them, but I mean, when she gets to her left hand at 15-feet off the bounce, I feel pretty much like it’s a layup for her.”
As good as Collen says she is in the midrange, Walker’s calling card is her defense.
“[Playing on-ball defense is] definitely my style,” Walker said. “I’m used to playing aggressive, but also being here, I’ve learned a lot of fundamentals on defense — just being more sound, being able to not get beat. Because I can play aggressive, but if you can not get beat in the half court, but play disciplined defense when the game is on the line, that makes you even more dangerous.”
Ohio transfer and junior guard Yaya Felder has also drawn the coaching staff’s attention. Felder was a standout for the Bobcats, averaging 22 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4 assists per game. She was named All-Conference Second Team in the Mid-American Conference, though there was some buzz for her to be named MAC Player of the Year.
“I think Yaya is as good as we thought she was going to be,” Collen said. “I think she’s a player who is one of those heat-seeking missiles, but has a unique way of getting her shoulders square and finishing at the rim and is a real three-point play threat. But she can also pass off the bounce and shoot it. So she really is a three-level scorer, and I don’t say that lightly. In fact, I think there are very few three-level scorers in college women’s basketball … [but] I think she’s capable of doing that.”
Collen named a number of other newcomers as having great offseasons.
“Lety [Vasconcelos] is every bit of 6’7″, and [she] can rim-protect,” Collen said. “I think Madison [Bartley] is going to surprise some people because she can shoot the three and is versatile, [and she] is a versatile five for us. And Denae [Fritz] can really shoot it and is tough.”
It isn’t just transfers who are making an impact. Returning starters like senior guard Sarah Andrews (14.7 points and 4.3 assists per game in 2022-23) and sophomore guard and forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (10.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in 2022-23) bring experience in Collen’s system. Meanwhile, graduate student forward Dre’Una Edwards (16.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 2021-22 season at Kentucky) is set to make her Baylor debut after sitting out last season.
As the team returns to practice this week, Collen said the coaching staff is testing out a new offensive system to better fit the roster.
“Really just looking forward to seeing how this team does — kind of put one foot in front of the other and get better at some of the simple things,” Collen said. “We put in kind of a new offense, not in totality, but a piece of it, last week. Because I think one of the things I’ve always said is, I’m not a big believer in necessarily ‘plug and play.’ … Every team’s a little bit different. And what can we do different with this group that makes them hard to guard, at least at the offensive end? And so because of that, you start to tweak and play with things.”
The Bears are set to officially begin their fall season with an exhibition contest against Hardin-Simmons at 6 p.m. on Nov. 3 in the Ferrell Center. The official start to the regular comes against Southern at 7 p.m on Nov. 6 in the Ferrell Center. The green and gold is also scheduled to play its first game in the Foster Pavilion on Jan. 3 against TCU.
