Teri Moren isn't exactly known for sitting still, but this past offseason was a whirlwind even by her standards. If you walk into Assembly Hall today, you might not recognize half the faces on the court. Honestly, the indiana womens basketball roster underwent a near-total facelift. We’re talking about a program that lost anchors like Sydney Parrish and Chloe Moore-McNeil to graduation and then watched a staggering six players hop into the transfer portal.
It was a lot.
But here’s the thing: while the continuity took a hit, the raw athleticism in Bloomington just spiked.
The Core That Stayed Put
Let’s talk about the survivors first. Shay Ciezki is basically the veteran leader now, which is wild because she only got here from Penn State last year. She’s a senior guard who can flat-out shoot, and she’s the only returning starter. That’s a massive weight on her shoulders. Beside her, you’ve got Lenée Beaumont and Sydney Fenn. Both of them missed the entirety of the 2024-25 season, so while they know the system, they’re still "new" in terms of game speed.
📖 Related: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
Beaumont is a 6-foot-1 redshirt sophomore guard from Lisle, Illinois, who has the size Teri Moren loves. Fenn is a 6-foot-3 forward who provides some much-needed height. Then there’s Faith Wiseman, the 6-foot-4 sophomore from Martinsville. She’s a local kid who stayed home, and this year, she’s going to have to play big minutes.
Why the indiana womens basketball roster Got Way Faster
Last season, there were moments where Indiana looked... slow. Especially against teams like Illinois that wanted to run. Moren clearly took that personally. She hit the portal and grabbed players who can absolutely fly.
Take Phoenix Stotijn, for instance. She’s a 5-foot-9 sophomore guard who transferred in from Arkansas. She’s from Amsterdam and plays with a certain European flair, but she’s got that SEC speed. She started 12 games for the Razorbacks and averaged about 7 points. She’s not just a shooter; she’s a pest on defense.
👉 See also: Finding the Best Texas Longhorns iPhone Wallpaper Without the Low-Res Junk
Then you have Jerni Kiaku. She might be the most important addition to the indiana womens basketball roster this year. She’s a 5-foot-7 senior from Duquesne (by way of NC Central). She averaged 13.2 points last year and brings a level of experience this young group desperately needs. If Ciezki is the steady hand, Kiaku is the spark plug.
The New Faces in the Frontcourt
- Zania Socka-Nguemen: A 6-foot-3 sophomore from UCLA. She was a McDonald’s All-American. She didn't play much behind Lauren Betts in LA, but her ceiling is through the roof.
- Edessa Noyan: A 6-foot-3 junior from Virginia. She’s from Sweden and started 23 games in the ACC last year. She’s a legit rim protector.
- Jade Ondineme: A 6-foot-3 junior who just won a JUCO national title at Northwest Florida State. She’s a bruiser from France who adds a physical edge they lacked.
- Zoe Jackson: A 6-foot-4 freshman from Australia. She’s the literal definition of a project, but you can't teach 6-foot-4.
The Local Flavor Returns
If you follow Indiana high school ball, you know the name Chloe Spreen. She was the 2024 Indiana Miss Basketball. After a quick cup of coffee at Alabama, she realized there’s no place like home. She’s a 5-10 sophomore guard who can score from all three levels. Having her and Fishers native Maya Makalusky (a 6-foot-3 freshman) on the floor at the same time is a dream for local fans.
Makalusky is particularly interesting. She’s listed as a forward but has the range of a guard. In Moren’s system, that versatility is a cheat code.
✨ Don't miss: Why Isn't Mbappe Playing Today: The Real Madrid Crisis Explained
What This Means for the Season
The biggest misconception right now is that this is a "rebuilding" year. It’s not. It’s a "retooling" year. Yes, losing Yarden Garzon to the portal was a gut punch—she was a second-team All-Big Ten selection and arguably their best pure talent. But the depth on this indiana womens basketball roster is actually better than it was twelve months ago.
Instead of relying on seven players, Moren has about 11 girls who could realistically start on most Big Ten teams. The challenge is going to be chemistry. You’ve got girls from France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, and the Missouri suburbs all trying to learn a complex defensive scheme in a few months. It might be ugly in November. But by February? This team is going to be a nightmare to scout because you can't just key in on one person anymore.
The Full 2025-26 Scholarship List
- Phoenix Stotijn (So., G)
- Nevaeh Caffey (Fr., G)
- Maya Makalusky (Fr., F)
- Lenée Beaumont (R-So., G)
- Jerni Kiaku (Sr., G)
- Edessa Noyan (Jr., F)
- Shay Ciezki (Sr., G)
- Chloe Spreen (So., G)
- Zania Socka-Nguemen (So., F)
- Sydney Fenn (R-Fr., F)
- Zoe Jackson (Fr., F)
- Faith Wiseman (So., F)
- Jade Ondineme (Jr., F)
Honestly, keep an eye on Nevaeh Caffey. She’s a 5-foot-10 freshman from St. Louis who comes from a powerhouse high school program (Incarnate Word). People are sleeping on her because of the high-profile transfers, but she’s the type of defensive stopper that usually becomes a fan favorite in Bloomington within three weeks.
The height is there. The speed is there. Now, they just need to win.
Actionable Next Steps: Check the official IU Athletics schedule for the upcoming Big Ten gauntlet. If you're heading to a game, watch the defensive rotations between Kiaku and Ciezki; their ability to pressure the ball will dictate whether Indiana can compete for a top-four seed this year. Keep tabs on the box scores for Zania Socka-Nguemen's rebounding numbers—if she can dominate the glass early, the Hoosiers' transition game will be unstoppable.