Photo by: Brian Morse / Washington Athletics
Season Preview: One Year Stronger, Huskies Look To Prove Doubters Wrong
October 31, 2018 | Women's Basketball
After enduring a tough first year of what will hopefully be a short rebuilding process, the University of Washington women's basketball team has a lot to look forward to in the 2018-19 season.
Washington returns seven of its 10 players from last year's squad including four players who started 23 or more games and 85% of its overall scoring. Add to that an incoming class which features a talented pair of scorers and some much-needed height and the Huskies and second-year head coach Jody Wynn are looking at a bright future.
"We're really looking forward to this 2018-19 season," said Wynn. "Last year was very challenging in that just about our entire roster lacked real D1 playing experience. Experience plays a major factor, and learning a brand new system made it a big challenge."
"Our players are now a year wiser, stronger, more skilled," said Wynn. "They know what it takes to compete at this level, and have a much better feel of how we want to play."
Leading the group of returners is junior Amber Melgoza, who had a breakout season last year en route to earning All-Pac-12 honors. Melgoza finished second in the Pac-12 in scoring while averaging 19.0 points per game, including a league-high 20.6 ppg in Pac-12 competition. She scored 20 or more points in 14 games including three games with 30 or more points.
Melgoza finished the season with 570 points—11th most in a season in program history—after scoring just 53 points in 25 games her freshman season. She saved her best for last, closing out the season by scoring 121 points over her final four games. That including scoring 40 points against Stanford in the penultimate regular-season game, becoming just the third player in program history to score 40 or more points in a game.
But Melgoza wasn't the only one with a breakout season last year. One of the biggest surprises was the play of guard Jenna Moser. Moser, who was originally a practice player with the Huskies before spending two years as a walk-on, was awarded a full scholarship prior to the start of last season.
After playing all of 30 minutes of the previous two seasons combined, Moser was the lone player to start all 30 games and led the team in minutes played at 30.9 per contest. She finished the season averaging 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.
Moser announced after the season that she would be returning to the team to use another year of eligibility while attending graduate school at UW.
Joining the pair in the backcourt are sophomores Alexis Griggsby and Missy Peterson. Griggsby saw action in all 30 games last season, averaging 5.0 points per game while Peterson led the team in field goal percentage at 51 percent before a knee injury ended her season.
The frontcourt tandem of redshirt-senior Hannah Johnson and junior Mai-Loni Henson returns with another year of experience under their belts. Johnson, the only player on last season's squad to have significant D1 experience, had a solid season in 2017-18, averaging 7.7 points and 5.4 rebounds. She played her best basketball in Pac-12 competition, averaging 8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Henson finished the year as the second-leading scorer on the team, averaging 9.4 points per game after averaging just 2.9 points per game in 31 games as a freshman. She reached double-figures in 14 games and had a pair of double-doubles for the Huskies last season.
Sophomore Khayla Rooks is a versatile point-forward, who showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman and looks to excel in 2018-19. She brings a good basketball IQ, court vision and the ability to handle and distribute as well.
Wynn's first recruiting class as UW head coach was a strong one with a pair of scorers out of California and a much-needed post presence by way of Australia.
Haley Van Dyke, a 6-1 forward, is a pure scorer who totaled 2,370 points over the course of four seasons at Campolindo HS in Moraga, Calif. Over her final two seasons, she averaged 26.4 points, 16.4 rebounds, 4.8 steals, 3.7 assists and 3.5 blocks per game to become one of the top forwards in the state of California.
Tyiona "TT" Watkins is a 6-0 wing who wrapped up her high school career at Walnut HS in Walnut, Calif., after three seasons at Brea Olinda HS–the alma mater of Head Coach Jody Wynn. Watkins averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.8 steals in the final 12 games for Walnut HS after sitting out the first half of the season due to transfer rules.
Darcy Rees, a 6-4 post player from Adelaide, Australia, comes to UW with a solid basketball résumé. She has been a member of the Australia U-17 National Team for the last three seasons, helping the squad to the 2017 FIBA Oceania Championship and is listed as a four-star recruit according to prospectsnation.com.
"We expect our three freshmen to contribute right away!" said Wynn. "TT is a great athlete with length from the perimeter. She has a high basketball IQ, terrific instincts and fits into our system very well. Haley is a versatile forward who only knows one way to play: HARD. She's a workhorse who will help our transition game, a very instinctive rebounder, and has a knack for scoring the ball. Darcy gives us much needed size, but is not just a traditional big. She is becoming a knockdown 3-point shooter and will help us space the floor. She loves to run and gives us something we've really missed as a shot blocker."
Unfortunately, Washington had a pair of players who had to be medically retired in junior Deja Strother and senior Natalie Romeo and will be without Kierra Collier (transfer) and Fapou Semebene (withdrew from school).
The Huskies' non-conference schedule will once again be among the toughest in the country.
"We have a very challenging schedule that will prepare us for the rigors of Pac-12 play," said Wynn. "We'll have the opportunity to face different styles of basketball and compete against quality opponents from all over the country."
Washington's home slate features the return of the Husky Classic on Dec. 14-15, a showdown against two-time NCAA National Runner-up Mississippi State on Dec. 20 and NCAA power Ohio State on Dec. 5.
"We look forward to opening weekend where we bring back Husky alum Loree Payne and her up and coming Northern Arizona squad (Nov. 11)," said Wynn. "After Thanksgiving, we will see a field of terrific teams in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Florida (Nov. 23-25). We also bring in 24-win George Mason (Dec. 2) and host Big-10 power Ohio State (Dec. 5). We wrap up the non-conference schedule against national power Mississippi State (Dec. 20), which features All-American and the likely top pick in the WNBA Draft Teaira McCowan."
"Pac-12 play will be as deep as ever with most teams returning young rosters," said Wynn. "The Pac-12 is one of the most competitive and well-coached conferences in the country and filled with extremely talented players. We look forward to the test this conference will provide our team each and every night."
In fact, six Pac-12 women's basketball teams ended the season in the NCAA Tournament, marking the fifth-consecutive year at least five league teams garnered berths. Four teams advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and a record-tying three teams were in the NCAA Elite Eight.
"Our depth and overall understanding of the system is a strength, and we now have the personnel to run for 40 minutes and play a pace that is uncomfortable for our opponents," said Wynn. "We can't wait for season to start!"
Washington returns seven of its 10 players from last year's squad including four players who started 23 or more games and 85% of its overall scoring. Add to that an incoming class which features a talented pair of scorers and some much-needed height and the Huskies and second-year head coach Jody Wynn are looking at a bright future.
"We're really looking forward to this 2018-19 season," said Wynn. "Last year was very challenging in that just about our entire roster lacked real D1 playing experience. Experience plays a major factor, and learning a brand new system made it a big challenge."
"Our players are now a year wiser, stronger, more skilled," said Wynn. "They know what it takes to compete at this level, and have a much better feel of how we want to play."
Leading the group of returners is junior Amber Melgoza, who had a breakout season last year en route to earning All-Pac-12 honors. Melgoza finished second in the Pac-12 in scoring while averaging 19.0 points per game, including a league-high 20.6 ppg in Pac-12 competition. She scored 20 or more points in 14 games including three games with 30 or more points.
Melgoza finished the season with 570 points—11th most in a season in program history—after scoring just 53 points in 25 games her freshman season. She saved her best for last, closing out the season by scoring 121 points over her final four games. That including scoring 40 points against Stanford in the penultimate regular-season game, becoming just the third player in program history to score 40 or more points in a game.
But Melgoza wasn't the only one with a breakout season last year. One of the biggest surprises was the play of guard Jenna Moser. Moser, who was originally a practice player with the Huskies before spending two years as a walk-on, was awarded a full scholarship prior to the start of last season.
After playing all of 30 minutes of the previous two seasons combined, Moser was the lone player to start all 30 games and led the team in minutes played at 30.9 per contest. She finished the season averaging 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.
Moser announced after the season that she would be returning to the team to use another year of eligibility while attending graduate school at UW.
Joining the pair in the backcourt are sophomores Alexis Griggsby and Missy Peterson. Griggsby saw action in all 30 games last season, averaging 5.0 points per game while Peterson led the team in field goal percentage at 51 percent before a knee injury ended her season.
The frontcourt tandem of redshirt-senior Hannah Johnson and junior Mai-Loni Henson returns with another year of experience under their belts. Johnson, the only player on last season's squad to have significant D1 experience, had a solid season in 2017-18, averaging 7.7 points and 5.4 rebounds. She played her best basketball in Pac-12 competition, averaging 8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Henson finished the year as the second-leading scorer on the team, averaging 9.4 points per game after averaging just 2.9 points per game in 31 games as a freshman. She reached double-figures in 14 games and had a pair of double-doubles for the Huskies last season.
Sophomore Khayla Rooks is a versatile point-forward, who showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman and looks to excel in 2018-19. She brings a good basketball IQ, court vision and the ability to handle and distribute as well.
Wynn's first recruiting class as UW head coach was a strong one with a pair of scorers out of California and a much-needed post presence by way of Australia.
Haley Van Dyke, a 6-1 forward, is a pure scorer who totaled 2,370 points over the course of four seasons at Campolindo HS in Moraga, Calif. Over her final two seasons, she averaged 26.4 points, 16.4 rebounds, 4.8 steals, 3.7 assists and 3.5 blocks per game to become one of the top forwards in the state of California.
Tyiona "TT" Watkins is a 6-0 wing who wrapped up her high school career at Walnut HS in Walnut, Calif., after three seasons at Brea Olinda HS–the alma mater of Head Coach Jody Wynn. Watkins averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.8 steals in the final 12 games for Walnut HS after sitting out the first half of the season due to transfer rules.
Darcy Rees, a 6-4 post player from Adelaide, Australia, comes to UW with a solid basketball résumé. She has been a member of the Australia U-17 National Team for the last three seasons, helping the squad to the 2017 FIBA Oceania Championship and is listed as a four-star recruit according to prospectsnation.com.
"We expect our three freshmen to contribute right away!" said Wynn. "TT is a great athlete with length from the perimeter. She has a high basketball IQ, terrific instincts and fits into our system very well. Haley is a versatile forward who only knows one way to play: HARD. She's a workhorse who will help our transition game, a very instinctive rebounder, and has a knack for scoring the ball. Darcy gives us much needed size, but is not just a traditional big. She is becoming a knockdown 3-point shooter and will help us space the floor. She loves to run and gives us something we've really missed as a shot blocker."
Unfortunately, Washington had a pair of players who had to be medically retired in junior Deja Strother and senior Natalie Romeo and will be without Kierra Collier (transfer) and Fapou Semebene (withdrew from school).
The Huskies' non-conference schedule will once again be among the toughest in the country.
"We have a very challenging schedule that will prepare us for the rigors of Pac-12 play," said Wynn. "We'll have the opportunity to face different styles of basketball and compete against quality opponents from all over the country."
Washington's home slate features the return of the Husky Classic on Dec. 14-15, a showdown against two-time NCAA National Runner-up Mississippi State on Dec. 20 and NCAA power Ohio State on Dec. 5.
"We look forward to opening weekend where we bring back Husky alum Loree Payne and her up and coming Northern Arizona squad (Nov. 11)," said Wynn. "After Thanksgiving, we will see a field of terrific teams in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Florida (Nov. 23-25). We also bring in 24-win George Mason (Dec. 2) and host Big-10 power Ohio State (Dec. 5). We wrap up the non-conference schedule against national power Mississippi State (Dec. 20), which features All-American and the likely top pick in the WNBA Draft Teaira McCowan."
"Pac-12 play will be as deep as ever with most teams returning young rosters," said Wynn. "The Pac-12 is one of the most competitive and well-coached conferences in the country and filled with extremely talented players. We look forward to the test this conference will provide our team each and every night."
In fact, six Pac-12 women's basketball teams ended the season in the NCAA Tournament, marking the fifth-consecutive year at least five league teams garnered berths. Four teams advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and a record-tying three teams were in the NCAA Elite Eight.
"Our depth and overall understanding of the system is a strength, and we now have the personnel to run for 40 minutes and play a pace that is uncomfortable for our opponents," said Wynn. "We can't wait for season to start!"
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