Women’s basketball is entering a metamorphic season.
When I was watching games from the Smith Center balcony last year, the team looked dejected and deflated. Nya Robertson, the Revs’ apparent star who departed via the transfer portal after the 2023-24 campaign, was benched halfway through the season. The team struggled to score and couldn’t defend their side of the court. This year, GW is injected with veteran presences and introducing new faces — hopefully turning over a new leaf as leaves fall around the season’s Nov. 4 start date.
The program’s strategic moves, including intense roster and coaching alterations, point to an all-around transformation for the Revs. After a difficult 2023-24 season, in which the team went 13-18 overall, GW is facing a critical juncture. As Head Coach Caroline McCombs looks to foster competition and cohesion with new players and hires, this season will serve as a test of resilience for the team. Come next week, its potential will be on full display under the Smith Center’s spotlight.
GW’s roster overhaul signals major efforts to rebuild, adding nine new players to their 14-women roster — four freshmen and five transfers. Key transfers include graduate guard Makayla Andrews, who brings consistency to the free-throw line and strong shooting, averaging 13.2 points per game last season at Lafayette College. The team struggled with these points during the 2023-24 season, recording a sub par .370 field goal clip. The charity stripe was less of an issue, but the team sat around a .700 free throw percentage in the end.
Standing at 6-foot-3, Spanish graduate forward Mariona Planes Fortuny adds height to the lineup that was lost with the graduation of forward Maren Durant last year, as well as solid front and backcourt reliability. Fortuny had the unique opportunity to play on the national stage, priming her for collegiate competition.
Freshman forward Miriam Diala has international experience hailing from Germany and playing a year of club ball in Europe, most recently at the 2024 FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket. Diala’s experience may help shake some of the freshman jitters that many true first-years exhibit. Transfer forward Paige Mott looks like a solid post presence for the Revs recording a career-high 4.9 boards per game and a solid 31 blocks last season at Northwestern University. But the team’s overall rebounding success needs to be a collective effort.
Will these new faces mesh quickly enough to turn around GW’s trajectory this season?
The team will need to rely on leadership from veteran senior forward Maxine Engel to guide them this season, especially with such a disintegrated roster. Engel started as a walk-on but has grown as an instrumental teammate on and off the court. Engel’s heartfelt dedication to the program and understanding of team dynamics position her as a player to look to for guidance during this transitional phase. Her ability to help foster team chemistry and winning culture will play a major role in the Revs’ success.
The departure of two top contributors, including Robertson, who averaged an influential 16.2 ppg last season but transferred to Southern Methodist University for her junior season, and Mayowa Taiwo, a team leader who graduated, will be felt. Taiwo’s departure leaves a significant void under the rim. The graduate recorded 243 boards last season, averaging 7.8 per game. GW will need to rely on all players to fill the gap in Taiwo’s rebounding prowess.
GW’s 11-game nonconference slate, which includes competition in the MTE Christmas Classic, will serve as a litmus test for the new roster before the Atlantic 10 season rolls around. While early games should prepare the team for tough A-10 opponents, they also pose the risk of exposing any lingering or new weaknesses GW is still fleshing out, like shooting and turnovers. Early success could set the tone for the rest of the season but tumult may cause a spiral reminiscent of last season.
Competitiveness and chemistry are two pillars that should be at the front of McCombs’ mind when it comes to the rebuild.
In her three years as head coach, McCombs tallies an underwhelming 44-49 record. The team has seen little improvement under McCombs finishing with identical records in her first year and the most recent. Fans are itching for success during this stagnant period. It is difficult to follow GW’s three-peat A-10 championships from 2015 to 2017 that saw star players, like WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones. The team has yet to produce the return of talent or wins emulating that of the Jones era. Hopefully, new staffing additions focusing on talent acquisition and player development will help breathe life into the program, pulling McCombs and the Revs out of this motionless bout.
Assistant Coach Doug Novak brings a wealth of experience from his time at Mississippi State and Northern Kentucky universities. He has experience with player development and could be especially impactful and refining GW’s defensive sets. Novak’s background in both men’s and women’s basketball adds a layer of strategic depth to McCombs’ coaching acumen. Assistant Coaches Jasmyn Walker and Amy Pryor can further bolster player development.
Director of Basketball Operations Carolina Blanco rolls into Foggy Bottom with 20 years of professional experience and will oversee the day-to-day team operations. During her tenure as the executive director of Sports International Group, Blanco focused on women’s basketball development, helping that sector of the company to grow into the most successful sector for SIG, staking 50 percent of the company’s revenue.
A combination of new player talent, coaches and renewed emphasis on competition positions the Revs for a fresh start. There’s no denying that the team will need to work on its game but also has to work on integrating its many new pieces to develop cohesion. GW’s key challenge will be patience, balancing the race for short-term success with long-term expectations of becoming competitive in the A-10.
Fans should look forward to seeing the debut of this team come Nov. 4, but whether the new roster produces new beginnings is still up in the autumn air.
