Indiana women’s basketball has transformed its roster compared to a season ago. Following their loss to the University of South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32, the Hoosiers lost nine of the 14 players on their roster via the transfer portal or graduation.  

The new roster now consists of five returning members, two true freshman and six transfers. Senior guard Shay Ciezki is the Hoosiers’ only returning starter from the 2024-25 season. 

The Hoosiers begin regular-season play against Lipscomb University at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Before then, the Indiana Daily Student’s women’s basketball reporters and columnist shared their predictions for the season: 

SAVANNAH SLONE: Not only is senior guard Shay Ciezki Indiana’s only returning starter from the 2024-25 season, but she’s the only one to average more than four minutes per contest last season. While Ciezki transferred to Indiana before last season, she is still one of the most veteran players on head coach Teri Moren’s roster. Ciezki was behind guard Yarden Garzon, who transferred to Maryland, with 11.8 points per game with a 39.2% 3-point percentage last season. As the only remaining starter, Ciezki will need to be the Hoosiers’ main source of offensive production, especially at the beginning of the season and start of the Big Ten schedule as newcomers get adjusted to the program.  

MAX SCHNEIDER: Sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen transferred from UCLA off the back of averaging 5.2 minutes per game in 16 appearances for the Bruins. She faced heavy competition for minutes at UCLA, who made the 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four as a No. 1 seed. Despite limited playing time, she was a part of the 2025 USA Basketball U19 Women’s Team and helped them to a gold medal finish at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup. She is poised for a breakout campaign with the Hoosiers this season in a team full of new players. 

SEAN MCAVOY: Shay Ciezki was pushed into being the face of Indiana women’s basketball this offseason after the Hoosiers replaced nine players. Starting her career at Penn State, the three-year starter will add another Big Ten season to her resume. Ciezki has been a consistent 11-point, two-assist and two-rebound contributor in college, but this season can be a jumping-off point into an All-Big Ten caliber season. She has also shown up in big games for the Hoosiers after 16 points and a 6-of-8 field goal performance last season against Utah in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Teri Moren said in her opening press conference on Sept. 30 that the offense will remain in the same four-out style from last year. With Ciezki being locked in at the two, her scoring ability will be seen on and off the stat sheet.  

Breakout player of the year 

SLONE: With so many unknowns surrounding the Hoosiers’ roster, there are a number of possibilities for a breakout player. In a press conference Sept. 30, Teri Moren repeatedly complimented freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey’s athleticism, noting she “jumps off the paper” and highlighted her defensive efforts during practice. The 5-foot-10 Caffey played her four seasons of high school basketball at Incarnate Word Academy, where her program set a national record for 139 consecutive wins. The Warrenton, Missouri, native averaged 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in her senior season. Caffey was slotted into the Hoosiers’ starting lineup for their lone exhibition contest Oct. 27. 

SCHNEIDER: One of the few remaining players from previous Hoosier teams, redshirt sophomore guard Lenée Beaumont will finally get her time to shine after missing the entirety of last season after knee surgery. In the 2023-24 season, she played in 30 games, averaging 9.6 minutes per game off the bench as a freshman. She shot 51.6% from the field and 70% from the free throw line, scoring 3 points per game. Teri Moren spoke about her leadership in the locker room Sept. 30, with her impact on the team mostly behind the scenes. Now, she has the chance to be center stage. 

MCAVOY: The last Hoosier who came from Hamilton Southeastern was guard Sydney Parrish. Now, Maya Makalusky looks to continue that legacy in Bloomington. The freshman forward had a proven ability to score in high school after becoming the all-time leading scorer for the Royals with 1,913 points. Makalusky averaged 22.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game during her senior year in high school. The 6-foot-3 Makalusky had a 49% field goal percentage and shot 40% from 3-point range.  Her shooting ability can help space the floor with the starters, but it could also make her a dangerous option for opponents off the bench. 

SLONE: I think sophomore Zania Socka-Nguemen has the potential to lead Indiana as a powerful force for Indiana at the forward position. The Hoosiers struggled at times last season with forwards Karoline Striplin and Lilly Meister, but Socka-Nguemen can develop a strong presence. The 6-foot-3 Socka-Nguemen played for Teri Moren on the USA Basketball Women’s U19 team over the summer, giving her familiarity with the Hoosiers’ 12th-year head coach. Socka-Nguemen was recruited by Indiana out of high school but played her first season of college basketball at UCLA. She won a Big Ten Tournament Title with the Bruins before transferring to play for the Hoosiers during the offseason.  

SCHNEIDER: Named both 2025 Indiana Ms. Basketball as well as the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year from Indiana, Maya Makalusky came in as the number one recruit from Indiana in the 2025 recruiting class. The freshman forward comes with a four-star tag as the 35th best recruit in the country out of Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Indiana. She joins the cream and crimson with fluid movement and a good outside shot coming out of high school. She is expected to contribute immediately as a true freshman this season. If her shot can fall consistently, her minutes should increase as the season goes on. 

MCAVOY: Duquesne transfer Jerni Kiaku comes into Bloomington with 97 games of experience already under her belt. The 5-foot-7 Kiaku averaged 13.2 points per game and was the leading scorer in five games for the Dukes last season. She has proven her ability to efficiently score the ball after being ranked fifth in the Atlantic-10 Conference with 47.1% field goal percentage. She started her collegiate career at North Carolina Central, winning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year after producing 10.7 points per game. With a guard group that bolsters only Ciezki and Kiaku having more than one year of collegiate experience, Kiaku could see more playing time than younger players. 

SLONE: The Hoosiers’ contest against Maryland is intriguing for a few reasons but none bigger than Yarden Garzon. The now-senior guard started every single game during her three seasons at Indiana and set the Hoosiers’ record for 3-pointers made with 216. Garzon entered the transfer portal on March 31, just eight days after the Hoosiers’ loss to South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament, and committed to Maryland on April 7. Maryland dominated Indiana by 14 points last season, and with so many new additions to the Hoosiers’ squad, I could see a similar outcome, but I am interested in the reunion between Garzon and the Hoosiers. 

SCHNEIDER: Traveling to Los Angeles to play USC on Feb. 12 and UCLA on Feb. 15 will be a grueling test, especially if both teams are ranked come mid-February. Both Los Angeles schools were No.1 seeds in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers played both teams at home last season, losing to UCLA 73-62 on Jan. 4 and USC 73-66 on Jan. 19. Indiana also played USC close in the Big Ten Tournament, losing 84-79 in the second round on March 7. If Indiana could win at least one of these back-to-back games, it would prove great progress for this Hoosier team. 

MCAVOY: Before a daunting Big Ten schedule, Indiana travels to Florida in late November. The Hoosiers face an interesting Florida Gulf Coast University team that went 18-0 in the Atlantic Sun Conference and won 30 games total last season. However, a Nov. 16 showdown in Tallahassee intrigues me. Florida State University has made 12 consecutive NCAA appearances and fell in the second round to Louisiana State University last year. Yes, the Seminoles lost the nation’s leading scorer in Ta’Niya Latson to South Carolina, but the transfer class head coach Brooke Wyckoff brought in should perform. A high major opponent can give insight into how Indiana might fare against conference competition this season.   

SLONE: If all the pieces click for this Hoosiers squad, I don’t doubt they could get a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but it will be a challenge. They have high potential with all the new additions, especially with Teri Moren at the head of the program. Moren has coached Indiana to seven NCAA Tournaments during her 12-year tenure in Bloomington. But, again, I think it will be hard for the Hoosiers to get to the tournament, especially in the difficult Big Ten. If Indiana does make it to the tournament, I think it will be an early exit.  

SCHNEIDER: Expectations for Indiana’s 2025-26 season are at the lowest they’ve been in years as those outside the confines of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall truly do not know how well these transfer portal players will click, if at all. However, low expectations can also be a good thing.  If the Hoosiers can get off to a fast start, I think this team may be better than people realize. This is all just talk about potential, however, and on paper, it would be a successful season to make the NCAA Tournament. I predict that they do make the tournament but suffer a first weekend exit.  

MCAVOY: With the number of questions this team has, and a lackluster transfer portal class brought in, Indiana is not sniffing the NCAA tournament. It has been a decade since Indiana has not won at least 20 games, plus the Hoosiers have made six straight “Big Dance” appearances. However, those streaks will end this season. Barttorvik.com predicts the Hoosiers have a projected record of 15-14 and 6-12 in the Big Ten, which I fall in line with. With many other teams improving in the conference, Indiana should still make the 15-team conference tournament, but the Hoosiers will be fighting in the bottom half of the standings for most of the season.