Texas head coach Vic Schaefer knew this season’s team would need major restructuring after losing seven players — four to the transfer portal and three who exhausted their college eligibility.
The additions of junior guard Zya Vann from the transfer portal and sophomore guard Jayda Clark through international signing added experience to a Texas squad led by senior forwards Madison Booker and Breya Cunningham.
However, the biggest additions came in the form of a nationally top-ranked freshman class, with five freshmen who are expected to get real playing time this season. They got to play together all at once Saturday night against Northern Colorado.
“I’ll say about these five freshmen — I think they’re a joy to play with,” Booker said. “Joy just comes to the gym (when I) see them there. They work extremely hard day in (and) day out. Off the court, school-wise, in treatment, weight room, they’re doing good. On the court, they’re doing great.”
Major concerns grew about Texas’ national championship aspirations because of the youth on the team, with onlookers wondering if the Longhorns could adapt quickly to the program before facing a gauntlet of difficult nonconference opponents like Ohio State, Louisville and Texas Christian University.
While Schaefer has yet to see his newbies’ performances against those teams, he has talked about the confidence those five have in big moments. Freshman guard Addison Bjorn didn’t shy away from that fact after the Northern Colorado game in a statement about the team’s future.
“We are the future,” Bjorn said. “We are the freshmen, and it was cool to continue to build that chemistry.”
Bjorn led the freshmen Saturday night with 13 points in a dominant win that saw four of the five freshmen score. Along with Bjorn, two others have quickly climbed up the ranks of Schaefer’s trust. Forward Brihanna Crittendon and guard Lizzy Spaight both played 18-plus minutes in the win.
Schaefer spoke highly of both in the post-game conference, mentioning the importance of getting Crittendon back after she missed the season opener due to an eye injury.
“It was good to play (Brihanna) and get her some really good minutes,” Schaefer said. “She’s somebody that rebounds it really hard for us, and to be able to play her, she was five for seven.”
The urgency for these freshmen to play at a high level also stems from questions about the experienced players. Vann and junior guard Bryanna Preston have had a slow start on the perimeter for Texas. Cunningham has played well in the post, but she is still working on her conditioning. She also has a history of getting into foul trouble, forcing freshman forward Isi Etute into a direct backup role.
Even then, the freshmen have credited the mentorship from Booker and other veterans to their quick development.
“I would say that we all are kind of like open sponges,” Bjorn said. “We continue to learn every single day in practice and in the game. For me specifically, I have (Booker) to look up to every single day and try and mimic her steps.”
