What does it mean for next season when nearly half your shots per game transfers?
Team: Villanova Wildcats
2023-24 Record: 22-13, 11-7 Big East
2023-24 Big East Finish: Tied for third with St. John’s and Marquette, lost the tiebreaker to St. John’s but beat Marquette, securing the #4 seed in the conference tournament.
Final 2023-24 Her Hoop Stats Ranking: #40 out of 360 Division I teams
Postseason: After falling to Marquette in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament, the Wildcats entered the WBIT, where they were a #1 seed. They won four straight games to reach the title match, ultimately losing 71-57 to Illinois.
Key Departures: For the second consecutive year, Villanova is losing a key player. Last season, it was Maddy Siegrist, a #3 WNBA draft pick. This year, guard Lucy Olsen is transferring to Iowa, taking with her averages of 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, along with a significant portion of the team’s shooting attempts.
Olsen’s departure is compounded by losing Christina Dalce, who transferred to Maryland after averaging 8.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks last season. Dalce’s standout performance included a seven-block game against Marquette, which helped secure a victory.
Additionally, Bella Runyan is leaving after four years, despite having a solid season with averages of 7.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Zanai Jones, who started all 31 games, will join SMU in the ACC after averaging 6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
Key Returners: Maddie Webber becomes the leading returning scorer at 7.7 points per game after playing 29 games, including 11 starts. The team will face challenges in replacing Olsen’s and Dalce’s significant contributions, especially given their slower tempo of play.
Other contributors include Maddie Burke, who started 20 games and averaged less than 19 minutes per game, and Kaitlyn Orihel, who had a notable shooting percentage of nearly 37% from three-point range. Brynn McCurry’s lower contributions saw her average just 2.7 points in 11.6 minutes.
Denae Carter, a 6’0” forwards from Philadelphia who missed last season due to injury, could offer additional depth if she can return to form.
Key Additions: The Wildcats have brought in three freshmen, though they don’t seem to have standout recruiting profiles. However, they’ve added four transfers. Bronagh Power-Cassidy, a 5’10” guard from Ireland, had an impressive career at Holy Cross, averaging 16.8 points and improving her three-point shooting each year.
Lara Edmanson, a 6’0” forward from Santa Clara, had a mixed shooting record but finished strong in her senior year. Jaliyah Green starred at Southeast Missouri State and averaged 12.7 points, while Ryanne Allen transferred from Vanderbilt after limited playing time but has shown potential as a shooter.
Coach: Denise Dillon is entering her fifth season at Villanova and has a career coaching record of 93-36 with the Wildcats and 422-240 overall.
Outlook: The future doesn’t look particularly bright for the Wildcats. After successful seasons built around Siegrist, the team now faces significant transitions. With key players departing and a lack of established scoring depth, Dillon will need to adapt her strategy.
Villanova needs to address its shooting struggles, particularly from beyond the arc, where the team’s efficiency dropped significantly last season. The departure of Olsen and Dalce creates further uncertainty, as both players were important to the team’s offensive structure.
As the Wildcats head into 2024-25, they must find effective ways to utilize their new talent and perhaps change their playing style to contend within a competitive Big East. The upcoming season will be crucial in determining if they can return to the postseason or if they’ll need a drastic overhaul moving forward.
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