The WSU Women’s basketball team will be trying to replace production from Tara Wallack, Jenna Villa, Astera Tuhina, Candace Kpetiku and Alice Dart. A key need for the squad next year will be to find a talented guard who can lead the offense and replace Tuhina’s production. Here are five options currently in the transfer portal that WSU could bring in to revamp the offense.
- Kayleigh Heckel, USC (Freshman)
Last Heckel showed promise with the Trojans, averaging 6.1 points, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals while playing about 17 minutes a game as a freshman. She is now in the portal and will expect to go to a school where she can be the star. In Pullman, she likely would be. Heckel would immediately be one of the best point guards in the WCC if she came to WSU.
2. Aaliyah Stanton, Cal State Fullerton (Sophomore)
Stanton averaged 14.3 points as a sophomore at Cal State Fullerton. A move to WSU would represent a move into a much stronger conference, but Stanton can handle it. She averaged 29.5 minutes for the Titans last year and was one of the top guards in the Big West conference.
3. Alexia Nelson, Towson (Grad Transfer)
Nelson would be somewhat of a risk for Kamie Ethridge, considering the senior guard did not play last season. However, her 2023-24 campaign was excellent, which saw the five-foot, seven-inch guard average 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Aa a grad-transfer, she would bring experience and four years of college basketball knowledge to a young squad that could benefit from a leader.
4. Louann Battiston, Duke (Sophomore)
Battiston’s career at Duke never really got off the ground. The sophomore out of Belgium has played in just 17 games in the past two years, averaging about three minutes and a point per game. Still, she was once recruited by Duke, and has the potential to be a much better player if given the chance to earn playing time. WSU could give Battiston an opportunity to grow as a player and leader before transferring somewhere else as a senior. She also would fit in with Wazzu’s international approach to shaping the women’s basketball roster.
5. Emily Fisher, Maryland (Sophomore)
Another high-level recruit who has struggled to find playing time with one of the top programs in the country, Fisher could benefit from moving to a school with more opportunities. Last season with Maryland she averaged 11 minutes, going for 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. As a freshman, she averaged 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds, but took a step back in her second year as a Terrapin.
