The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1510285
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 ■ 39 "I like to win, obviously," Brooks said before enrolling at NC State. "I want to finish with a pretty good record and just become close with all of them so hope- fully, one of these years, we can win a national championship." Laci Steele signed with the Wolfpack as the No. 56 recruit in the country. At 5-11, she also could factor into the ro- tation after winning Oklahoma's girls basketball Gatorade Player of the Year Award as a high school senior. Freshman guards Alyssa Lewis and Jannah Eissa fill out the roster in NC State's backcourt. Frontcourt Graduate Mimi Collins returns to the Wolfpack as a reliable presence at the power forward spot. At 6-foot-3, she could also factor into the lineup as a small ball center this season. After starting nine of 32 games last season, Collins will likely step into the starting five this year. "It feels a lot different because this is also my last rodeo," Collins said. "I'm just trying to be the best leader that I can and take steps day by day." The experienced forward has been preparing during the offseason to take on a variety of roles. "I'm here to do whatever it takes to win," Collins said. During the 2022-2023 campaign, her first with NC State after transferring from Maryland, she logged 21.7 min- utes per contest, scoring 6.9 points and grabbing 4 rebounds per game. Graduate student River Baldwin is the leading candidate to take over starting center responsibilities this season. A leg injury slowed down the former Flor- ida State post player last year, but she still played in 31 contests and scored 5.7 points per game in 14.5 minutes. The 6-5 Baldwin is a reliable post scorer and hit 50.7 percent of her field goal at- tempts last year. Southern Utah transfer Lizzy Wil- liamson will compete for the starting center job as well. The 6-5 graduate stu- dent joined the Wolfpack after a 2022- 23 season in which she blocked 77 shots and won the Western Athletic Con- ference's Defensive Player of the Year award. Hayes and Boyd led the Pack in blocks at 22 each that season. William- son also pulled down 10 rebounds per game, setting Southern Utah's single- season rebounding record while also scoring 9.6 points per game. Aside from that rotation of experi- enced players, two more highly touted freshmen round out the roster. Mallory Collier, ESPN's No. 55 re- cruit in the 2023 class, was NC State's first commit of the cycle and adds more height to the frontcourt at 6-3. "Mallory is a strong interior player who moves and scores well around the basket," Moore said. "She's capable of being a force on the boards." Maddie Cox is a 6-2 forward and the former No. 71 prospect in the country. "Maddie is a versatile player who can fill up a stat sheet," Moore said. "She has the length and physicality to go inside and be a factor on both ends of the court, but also has the athleti- cism and skill set to be effective on the perimeter by hitting threes or dishing out assists." NC State tips off its season with a Nov. 7 matchup against Charlotte at Reynolds Coliseum before a huge home showdown with No. 2 Connecti- cut on Nov. 12. ■ NC State Women's Basketball Roster No. Name Ht. Pos. Year Hometown 1 River Baldwin 6-5 C Gr. Andalusia, Ala. Averaged 5.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 31 games during her first season with the Wolfpack after transferring from Florida State. 2 Mimi Collins 6-3 F Gr. Slidell, La. Appeared in 32 games with nine starts in her first season at NC State after transferring from Maryland. Averaged 6.9 points and 4.0 rebounds. 4 Alyssa Lewis 5-7 G Fr. Harrisburg, N.C. Won second-team all-district honors following a senior season at Hickory Ridge High in which she averaged 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. 10 Aziaha James 5-9 G Jr. Virginia Beach, Va. Was promoted to the starting lineup in the final six games last season. Set career highs with averages of 6.8 points and 2.3 assists per game. 11 Maddie Cox 6-2 F Fr. Flower Mound, Texas Listed as the nation's No. 71 overall prospect by ESPN HoopGurlz after averaging 17.2 points and 11.9 rebounds as a senior at Flower Mound High. 15 Lizzy Williamson 6-5 C Gr. Adelaide, Australia Was the Western Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 77 blocks last season at Southern Utah. 20 Katie Peneueta 6-2 G Jr. Vancouver, Wash. Spent her first two college seasons at Sacramento State, where she averaged 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds as a sophomore. 21 Madison Hayes 6-0 G Sr. Chattanooga, Tenn. Started 25 games and averaged a career-high 7.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. 22 Saniya Rivers 6-1 G Jr. Wilmington, N.C. Won the ACC's Sixth Player of the Year award in her first season at NC State after transferring from South Carolina. Averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. 24 Laci Steele 5-11 G Fr. Edmond, Okla. Listed as the No. 56 overall prospect in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz and was Oklahoma's Gatorade Player of the Year. Surpassed 2,000 career points to become the all-time scoring leader at Edmond North High. 30 Jannah Eissa 5-8 G Fr. Cairo, Egypt Played for two winning teams (U16 and U18) at the FIBA 3x3 national championships. 35 Zoe Brooks 5-10 G Fr. Plainfield, N.J. Ranked as the No. 4 guard and No. 9 overall prospect in the 2023 class by ESPN HoopGurlz after averaging 22.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.5 steals and 4.1 assists per game as a senior at St. John Vianney. 42 Mallory Collier 6-3 C Fr. Millington, Tenn. Helped Bartlett High reach the Tennessee state title game as a senior, averaging 11.5 points and 7.1 rebounds and winning recognition as ESPN HoopGurlz' No. 55 overall prospect in the 2023 class.