The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 ■ 39 aged 2.7 points. Timmons was a prolific scorer in high school, totaling more than 2,000 career points at North Mecklen- burg High near Charlotte. Then there is the addition of South Carolina transfer Saniya Rivers. She was rated as the No. 3 prospect in the country in the 2021 class by ESPN. As a freshman, the 6-foot-1 Rivers aver- aged 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.9 minutes per game for the national champion Gamecocks. She played the third most among reserves on the squad. "She still has some room to grow," Moore said. "It's a big jump from high school to this level. She made a differ- ence for them last year. She'll come in and make an impact here, but I think also she's going to grow. "She has a really high ceiling with a lot of room to get better and become the elite player she can be." FRONTCOURT NC State lost a pair of WNBA Draft picks in Cunane and Jones, the former a multiple-time All-American and two- time ACC Tournament MVP who is a good bet to have her name honored at some point in the rafters at Reynolds Coliseum. Moore is hoping to quickly restock. Senior Jada Boyd was the ACC Co- Sixth Player of the Year in 2021 when she averaged 11.5 points and 5.9 re- bounds a contest. Like everyone else on the roster, Boyd's numbers slipped a little this past season to 7.6 points and 4.4 boards a contest, but her talent was obvious. She scored 14 points in 16 minutes in the double-overtime loss to UConn in the Elite Eight. NC State also returns senior Camille Hobby, who has patiently waited her turn behind Cunane for a larger role in the post. Hobby averaged 5.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this past season. Two former McDonald's All-Ameri- cans have also transferred into NC State and will add some length for the Pack. Mimi Collins, a 6-3 fifth-year senior, spent one season at Tennessee before transferring to Maryland, where she was honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2021 when she averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 52.1 percent from the field. This past year, Collins contributed 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. "I see her as somebody who can come in, provide great energy, rebound, de- fend and run the floor hard. She'll be a great offensive rebounder and a nice face-up addition as a post player," An- tonelli stated. River Baldwin, a 6-5 senior, started 18 of 31 games she played for Florida State last season, averaging 6.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest while also blocking 20 shots. She shot 54.5 percent from the field. "She's a very good rebounder and a very good defender," Antonelli noted. "You have somebody that doesn't need the ball to help you win. There's plenty of offense around her already. I think she's a great fit." Two other NC State returnees could see increased roles. Junior Madison Hayes was a highly touted recruit when she signed with Mississippi State. Hayes made the SEC All-Freshman team and then trans- ferred to NC State. She played 26 games in her Wolfpack debut, averaging 9.5 minutes per contest. She contributed 2.3 points, but she also was strong on the boards, grabbing 2.9 per game. Freshman Sophie Hart has the height at 6-5. She averaged 4.0 minutes, 1.2 points and 1.0 rebounds in 20 games last year. Hart was considered a top-50 recruit by some coming out of high school. ■ NC State Women's Basketball Roster No. Name Ht. Pos. Year Hometown 1 River Baldwin 6-5 C Sr. Andalusia, Ala. Was ranked the No. 27 prospect in the country in the 2019 class when she signed with Florida State, where she played three years before transferring to NC State in the spring. 2 Mimi Collins 6-3 F R-Sr. Slidell, La. Considered the No. 9 player in the 2018 class, Collins was recruited by Wes Moore when she first signed with Tennessee and then transferred to Maryland. 3 Diamond Johnson 5-5 G Jr. Philadelphia NC State's second-leading scorer despite coming off the bench last season reached double digits in points in 18 games. 5 Jada Boyd 6-2 F Sr. Petersburg, Va. An All-ACC Freshman Team selection in 2020 and co-ACC Sixth Player of the Year in 2021, Boyd has been one of NC State's top players during the three-year run of conference titles. 10 Aziaha James 5-9 G So. Virginia Beach, Va. The No. 21 prospect in the 2021 class flashed her potential, including a SportsCenter highlight moment in the NCAA Tournament win over Longwood. 11 Jakia Brown-Turner W 6-0 Sr. Oxon Hill, Md. Most accomplished returner on NC State's roster has made 125 career 3-pointers and started 91 of 92 games in her career. 21 Madison Hayes 6-0 G Jr. Chattanooga, Tenn. A 2020 McDonald's All-American, Hayes is a candidate for an increased role after play- ing 26 games last season. 22 Saniya Rivers 6-1 G So. Wilmington, N.C. The No. 3 prospect in the 2021 class transferred to NC State after helping South Carolina win a national title last season. 23 Jessica Timmons 5-8 G So. Charlotte, N.C. A 2,000-point scorer in high school who was rated the No. 45 prospect in the 2021 class, Timmons is line for an increased role this season. 32 Sophie Hart 6-5 C So. Farmington, Minn. Was ranked the No. 40 prospect nationally in the 2021 class and played 20 games dur- ing her rookie season. 41 Camille Hobby 6-3 C Sr. Jacksonville, Fla. Has played every game the past two seasons and scored in double digits in five games this past year.