The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519757
MAY/JUNE 2024 ■ 41 season with the Pack. By the end of the year, Cox was the only one receiving consistent minutes. She showed positive flashes on both ends of the court, and her teammates raved about her potential. The forward will likely compete for a starting role next sea- son. Collier also showed flashes in limited playing time. She grabbed 15 offensive re- bounds and 39 total this season, in 141 total minutes of play. At 6-3, she will have a shot to compete for the starting center spot. Steele showed promise as a shooter, connecting on 20 threes during her first season in Raleigh, and will provide scor- ing punch off of the bench next year. KEY RESERVE • Graduate center Lizzy Williamson The 6-5 Williamson added height to the Wolfpack lineup and played a key role in the Sweet 16 victory over Stanford. NC State lost some depth when rising senior forward Katie Peneueta entered the transfer portal after the season. Hindered by an injury, she appeared in only eight games after transferring from Sacramento State. INCOMING FRESHMEN • Guard Zamareya Jones • Wing Devyn Quigley • Center Lorena Awou • Forward Tilda Trygger Jones is a McDonald's All-American, a five-star recruit and the No. 17 overall prospect in the country, per ESPN. The 5-7 guard from Bethel, N.C., should contrib- ute to the Pack almost immediately after arriving on campus. Quigley is the No. 47 recruit in the na- tion and will compete for playing time in the backcourt as a 5-11 wing from Man- chester, N.J. Awou, a 6-5 center, adds athleticism and skill on the boards to NC State's front- court. She was heavily recruited out of high school and made the all-state team out of East Moline, Ill., but the post player is unranked by ESPN. Trygger is probably the biggest wild card in this recruiting class. The forward from Sweden has guard skills at 6-6 and plays for her country's U-18 national team. OPEN SCHOLARSHIPS: 3 NC State heads into the offseason with 12 scholarship players. The team is evalu- ating post players in the transfer portal. Guard Saniya Rivers led the Pack in assists as a junior with 3.7 per game. Her 12.5-point scoring average ranked second on the team. PHOTO BY ANDREW YATES/NC STATE ATHLETICS "People didn't know my name my freshman year, but you know my name now." — Aziaha James after NC State defeated Texas, 76-66, in the Elite Eight "I think it's just an honor to be part of a legacy that is NC State women's basketball. I didn't start here, but I feel like I've been here my whole career. I really found a home here. So, to be a part of the first Final Four for Coach Moore, I thank him for taking a chance on me and taking me into this program. I've loved every second of it." — Graduate center River Baldwin, who played at Florida State before joining the Wolfpack in 2022 "It's a great experience. Hopefully, we can draw from that. I told them today that I thought the last three weeks our prac- tices were unbelievable. Our energy, our focus — we were locked in. I told them today, 'Hey, next year let's try to do that from Day 1.' This has been an unbelievable experience." — Head coach Wes Moore on the Wolfpack's Final Four run PHOTO BY ANDREW YATES/NC STATE ATHLETICS "He's just a great guy on and off the court. He motivates us. He loves us. His favorite song is literally 'My Girls,' and he makes sure to sing it to us at least once every week. We love him. We appreciate him. We did this for him as well. We're just having fun right now." — Junior guard Saniya Rivers on head coach WES MOORE before the Final Four