The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534227
NC State's late-season surge through the regular season allowed it to claim a share of the ACC title before its campaign ended with a Sweet 16 loss to LSU on March 28. The Wolfpack has a tall task this off- season, with its three veteran leaders — Aziaha James, Madison Hayes and Saniya Rivers — all moving on. James was the Pack's top scorer this past season, averag- ing 17.9 points per game. Hayes was its top rebounder (7.1 per game), and Rivers led the team in assists (134), steals (57) and blocks (46). Those are some big shoes to fill, but there's plenty of talent returning, too. Here is a look at how the Wolfpack's ros- ter was shaping up as of early April. CORE PLAYERS: Zoe Brooks, Zamareya Jones, Tilda Trygger Coach Wes Moore has never shied away from assigning big roles to young players. That approach should pay off next season. Brooks, a rising junior, has been in key spots ever since she joined the Wolfpack, including starting 34 games as the team's point guard this past season. A flashy, lightning quick guard, Brooks was second on the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game, to go with averages of 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals this past season. The WBCA honorable mention All-American will be an inte- gral part of the Wolfpack's plans moving forward, slotting in as the starting point guard yet again. Jones is another crafty guard who can score in bunches. In her debut sea- son, the former McDonald's All-American averaged 7.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in just 16.8 minutes per game. The rising sophomore was unfazed by the pressure of the postseason, scoring 18 and 21 points against Georgia Tech and North Carolina, respectively, in the ACC Tournament before adding 13 points in the Sweet 16 loss to LSU. Jones could start at either point guard or shooting guard next season. While the Pack's top two returnees are its fun-to-watch guards, Trygger gained valuable experience as the team's starting post player for the last 22 games. She averaged 22.1 minutes, contributing 6.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and seemingly improving each night. A natural power forward, Trygger could fill that same role next season. If Moore is able to pluck a starting center from the transfer portal, NC State would be able to create mismatches for oppos- ing teams with her 6-foot-6 frame and perimeter shooting abilities. ROLE PLAYERS: Devyn Quigley, Lorena Awou, Maddie Cox This trio seemed to grow into their spots as the season progressed, and all three should be able to earn more min- utes going into next season. Quigley, the No. 47 player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, emerged as a stout rebounder and do-it-all guard, simi- lar to what Hayes provided the Wolfpack. Although she averaged just 8.3 minutes across 33 games, Quigley wasn't discour- aged with her playing time. She knew it was a part of her acclimation to the col- lege game. Now a rising sophomore, Quigley seems primed to compete for a starting spot on the wing, depending on the Pack's trans- fer portal acquisitions. At the very least, she will be a key player off the bench. Awou made steady progress as a fresh- man. There were concerns about NC State's frontcourt depth at the start of the season, but she was able to give the team solid minutes off the bench in her first year, averaging 3.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game. With an offseason of work, the 6-5 center could become a force on both ends of the floor. Rounding out the group is Cox, who played only 7.9 minutes per game in 30 appearances as a sophomore. While she was one of the Pack's lesser-used players, she proved she was more than capable of handling herself in the frontcourt. Cox turned in her best effort with 8 points and 7 rebounds in the Pack's loss to LSU in the Sweet 16. That should not only boost her confidence, but also show Moore that the 6-2 forward can hold her own against top competition. TBD: Adelaide Jernigan, Destiny Lunan, Mallory Collier This is the wild card section, highlighted by the Pack's two incoming fresh- men. Lunan, the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year, will likely be a key bench contributor her freshman year. The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 21.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 steals and 3.2 assists during her senior campaign at Goodyear Millennium High. Expect her to play at the shooting guard or wing spot, while Jernigan will likely contribute as a reserve guard. Collier made 11 starts as a sophomore, but she averaged only 11.3 minutes per game and didn't play more than nine minutes in any of the team's last 14 contests. One of her classmates, guard Laci Steele, entered the transfer portal after a sophomore season in which she saw action in 23 games, averaging just 6.8 minutes and 1.7 points. With Steele leaving, NC State will have six scholarships available. However, it might not opt to use them all. Moore is likely to use the transfer portal to his advantage, and the expectation should be for the Pack to bring in at least three experienced players — a guard, a wing and a post — going into the 2025-26 campaign. — Noah Fleischman Wolfpack Will Return A Talented Nucleus In 2025-26 2025-26 Women's Basketball Roster* No. Name Ht. Pos. Year Hometown 0 Devyn Quigley 5-11 G So. Manchester, N.J. 1 Lorena Awou 6-5 C So. East Moline, Ill. 3 Zamareya Jones 5-7 G So. Bethel, N.C. 11 Maddie Cox 6-2 F Jr. Flower Mound, Texas 18 Tilda Trygger 6-6 F So. Stockholm, Sweden 35 Zoe Brooks 5-10 G Jr. Plainfield, N.J. 42 Mallory Collier 6-3 C Jr. Millington, Tenn. — Adelaide Jernigan 5-11 G Fr. Winston-Salem, N.C. — Destiny Lunan 5-10 G Fr. Scottsdale, Ariz. * As of April 6 Forward Tilda Trygger appears destined for an even bigger role as a sophomore after averaging 6.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in her debut season. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS 32 ■ THE WOLFPACKER