Pac 12 Preview: Colorado

 

PAC 12 Preview:  Colorado

Last Season:  Colorado went 16-14 overall, and 5-13 in the conference.  That’s just 7 wins in two years in league play. 

Coach Payne

The Coaches:  Head Coach JR Payne will be in her 5th year at Colorado after two seasons at Santa Clara.   Two years Payne led Santa Clara to its first winning season in 8 seasons and finished 23-9.   JR, no periods, and real name Ali-Marie, is a graduate of St Mary’s where she played for now Oregon coach Kelly Graves.   Her first coaching job was at age 23 for Graves when he started at Gonzaga.  

Shandrika Lee is in her 5th season as an assistant at Colorado after coaching for Payne at Santa Clara.  Lee is a graduate of Pepperdine and has coached at Oregon.

Toriano Towns is also in his 5th and also coached with Payne at Santa Clara.  Towns coached at Gonzaga with Payne and later at Arizona where he was the Post coach for the great, late Polk.

Alex Earl is in her 5th year on the staff.    Alex was an assistant with Payne three seasons ago at Santa Clara and played for years at ASU graduating in 2013.   Alex was a HS teammate of JJ Hones on a team where all five starters player Division 1 basketball.  

 

Losses:

Emma Clarke, a would be Jr who transferred to Texas Tech, averaged 10 points with 49 threes.  

Quinessa Caylao-Do who averaged 6 points.   

 

Additions:          

Allysa LaFontaine 6-0 Guard TX, not ranked

Kylee Blacksten, 6-3 F from Colorado not ranked 

Frida Forman, 5-11 Guard from Denmark

Sophie Gerber, 5-10 Guard from Arizona not ranked, a walk on.  

Madison Buford, 5-9 Guard a JC transfer who averaged 21 points and 7 rebounds last season as a Frosh.  

Tayanna Jones, a 6-2 Forward who transferred from Georgetown.   She will be a JR and sit out this season.  At Georgetown she averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds this past season.  

 

The Schedule:   Unknown

The Team:  The Colorado Roster

Mya Hollingshed is a 6-4 Sr Forward who averaged 13 points and 7.

Senor Mya Hollinshed

Annika Jank is a 6-3 Sr  Post who averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds. 

Sirena (Peanut) Tuitele is 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds. 

Charlotte Whittaker is a 6-4 Redshirt Soph Post from Australia who averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds.   

Zuzanna Kulinska is a 5-11 Soph Guard from Poland.  Last season she averaged 5 minutes in 16 games. 

Jaylyn Sherrod, 5-8 Soph Point Guard who averaged 10 points and 5 assists.  

Maura Singer 6-4 Redshirt Frosh Post who missed her frosh year with injuries.   I have read she will miss this year but she was mentioned in a story on the Colorado Web Site so maybe she will play.     

Raanee Smith is a 6-2 Soph Wing who played little.  

Lesila Finau is 5-10 Jr Guard who averaged 3 points.  

Aubrey Knight is a 5-8 Redshirt Jr Guard who averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds. 

 

Predictions: 

Another tough year ahead.  Hollingshed and Sherrod are very solid but need star like help.   

 

2021 Recruiting:    

Kindyll Wetter, 5-9 PG from Colorado