BYU women’s basketball officially opens the 2020-21 season with its first team practice

PROVO, Utah— The BYU women’s basketball team opened the 2020-21 season with its first official practice today.

BYU head coach Jeff Judkins enters his 20th season (411-194) with a very experienced group of players that are athletic, know the game of basketball, can score inside and outside and have the ability to cause havoc on defense. The Cougars are poised to contend for a West Coast Conference title and a deep run in next year’s NCAA tournament.

Heading into the 2020-21 campaign, the Cougar roster is comprised of 12 letterwinners including three starters. Four are in their freshman season.

On the 16-member squad are seven guards, eight forwards and one center. Five players are from Utah while two are from the state of Washington. Four other players hail from Arizona, California, Virginia and Michigan.

Five international players compete for BYU. Maria Albiero and Babalu Ugwu are from Brazil, Signe Glantz is from Sweden while Tegan Graham and Kaylee Smiler both come from New Zealand.

PLAYER NOTEABLES

SENIORS
Maria Albiero
Started in all games last year
Averaged 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest

Tegan Graham Graduate/Transfer from Colgate University
Played in a total of 98 games starting in 47 while attending Colgate University
Averaged 7.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game
While at Colgate, tallied a career total of 700 points, 272 rebounds, 197 assists, 53 blocks and 71 steals
Ranks sixth all-time in 3-point field goal percentage (33.8) and her 53 blocks place her 12th all-time
Was a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll honoree

Paisley Johnson Harding
2020 WCC Women’s Basketball First Team
2018-19 WCC Women’s Basketball Championships MVP
Last season led the team in scoring (15.2), was third in assists (3.1)

Sara Hamson
Two-time WCC Defensive Player of the Year
2020 WCC Women’s Basketball Second Team
2020 Naismith Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
Led the nation in total blocked shots (137) and in blocked shots per game with a 4.72 average
In 2019-20 led the team in rebounds (7.9) and in blocks (6.7)

JUNIORS
Kayla Belles-Lee - Transferred from Michigan State
Played two seasons averaging 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while getting 13 minutes of playing time a
Shot 45.4 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point range and 56.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Signe Glantz
Played in 20 games
Averaged 0.8 points and 0.9 rebounds a contest

Malli Perri
Saw action in 24 games, starting in six
Averaged 1.8 points and 1.2 rebounds per game
 

Babalu Ugwu
Played in all games last year
Averaged 4.9 points and pulled down 4.3 boards, while recording two double doubles

SOPHOMORES

Shaylee Gonzales
2018-19 WCC Women’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year
Named to the 2018-19 WCC Women’s Basketball All-Freshman Team
Named to the 2018-19 WCC Women’s Basketball First Team
Named to the 2018-19 WCC Women’s Basketball Championships All-Tournament Team
In 2018-19, led the team in scoring with 17 points a contest while tallying double-digit points in 31 games including nine with 20+points
Led in assists with a 4.1 average and was second in rebounding pulling down 5.6 boards

Devry Millett
Saw action in three games
Averaged 1.0 points

Kaylee Smiler
Played in 27 of the 29 contests
Averaged 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest

REDSHIRT FRESHMEN

Kyra Beckman
Prepped at Snohomish High School
Named 2017 Snohomish County Player of the Year
Was the 2017 WESCO 3A Player of the Year
Averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game
Played on the Norwest Blazers Club Team

Lauren Gustin
Averaged a double-double all for years at Salem Hills HS
Named 4A MVP
Named 2018 Ms. Basketball
Was the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year
Played basketball for one semester at Salt Lake Community College where she averaged 19.1 points, 13.1 rebounds and was named NJCAA All-America Honorable Mention

Tahlia White
Was on the 2018-19 roster before a season-ending ACL injury
Served mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, returned in August
Was a three-time team MVP at Mountain View High School
Named All-Region First Team
Named 4A MVP in 2018
As a senior averaged 23.6 points per game including a season-best 36 points in one game
Played on ASL Basketball Club

FRESHMEN
Jane LeRoy
5-foot-9 guard
Highland Utah/ Lone Peak High School

Megan Stevenson
 6-foot freshman
Purcellville, Virginia/Loudoun Valley High School