Indiana women’s basketball faced a daunting rebuild this offseason, which quickly became the most important in Teri Moren’s long tenure as head coach.
It wouldn’t be fair to grade the team’s moves until it takes the court in November, and even then, it will take time for things to really come together. But, if nothing else, Indiana’s roster is starting to come together.
The Hoosiers have added five players in the transfer portal so far this offseason: rising sophomore guard Chloe Spreen (Alabama), sophomore guard Phoenix Stotijn (Arkansas), senior guard Jerni Kiaku (Duquesne), sophomore forward Zania Socka-Ngueman (UCLA), and junior forward Edessa Noyan (Virginia). IU now has 12 players on scholarship for 2025-26.
The starting lineup remains largely in flux. Shay Ciezki is the only player who’s an essential lock to start in November. The remaining lineup spots are up in the air, with a very inexperienced roster. Ciezki was IU’s only senior until Kiaku committed on Monday, and Noyan is the team’s lone junior, assuming Lenée Beaumont will use a redshirt year after missing the entire 2024-25 season.
Kiaku could have a decent chance at starting, but at 5-foot-7, she and Ciezki would give up a lot of height as a backcourt duo. It’s also too early to rule out Spreen or Stotijn from starting this coming year. Beaumont should have a chance as well, though that would depend on a completed injury recovery as expected, and IU may also be looking for on-court improvements from the last time she played as a freshman in 2024. Valentyna Kadlecova returns as a sophomore, but she probably needs to develop her game and her body more from last season to earn more minutes.
Freshman Maya Makalusky could also have a shot at cracking the starting lineup. Moren has typically been reluctant to utilize freshmen in big roles, but Makalusky is a very highly-touted recruit who could be ready to contribute from day one. Fellow freshman Nevaeh Caffey is also highly-rated, but IU’s backcourt has become crowded enough with the portal additions that she is unlikely to start.
What do the Hoosiers still need?
Indiana’s biggest remaining need still lies in the frontcourt.
The Hoosiers added two forwards in the transfer portal in Socka-Ngueman and Noyan. They also have returnees in sophomore Faith Wiseman and redshirt freshman Sydney Fenn.
Socka-Ngueman was a highly-rated recruit out of Silver Spring, Md. when she committed to UCLA over Indiana and other schools. IU has good reason to be high on her long-term potential, but she saw very little game action for the Bruins as a freshman. It’s fair to wonder how big a workload she’d be ready to take on for the Hoosiers this year. Noyan is more experienced, starting 23 games last season for Virginia and playing over 25 minutes per game. But she’s more of a stretch four, and maybe even closer to a wing than a true center, and her 5.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last year don’t scream “Big Ten starter.”
Wiseman acquitted herself well in a big spot for IU during the Big Ten Tournament, but she remains very inexperienced. Fenn missed the entire season with an injury.
Even if the Hoosiers view Noyan as a starter, they may want to bring in one more forward — particularly someone more experienced. There’s a case to add two more players in the frontcourt to ensure they have depth in case the underclassmen aren’t ready for a big role.
Departures
Several of Indiana’s outbound transfers have found new homes recently.
IU had six players leave in the transfer portal this offseason. Sharnecce Currie-Jelks was the first to commit elsewhere, landing at Murray State. Indiana’s all-time leading 3-point shooter Yarden Garzon committed to Big Ten foe Maryland a bit after that.
Three other players have since announced commitments to other programs. Forward Lilly Meister is going to Kansas, wing Jules LaMendola is headed to Grand Canyon, and guard Lexus Bargesser committed to Colorado State. Guard Henna Sandvik is the only remaining Hoosier transfer still uncommitted.
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