Detailing SU women’s basketball’s roster after transfer portal additions
Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack reeled in three players from the transfer portal, attempting to replace the production of its four graduating starters. Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor
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After an underwhelming 2024-25 season, Syracuse women’s basketball experienced a complete roster overhaul. Four of its five primary starters are out of eligibility, including leading scorer Georgia Woolley and leading rebounder Kyra Wood. Sophie Burrows is the only starter left.
Despite head coach Felisha Legette-Jack saying she’d turn to the transfer portal, the Orange didn’t make many splashes there. However, they reeled in two strong freshmen to replenish their roster.
In Syracuse’s fourth year under Legette-Jack, here’s what its revamped roster looks like:
Point guard
Projected starter: Camdyn Nelson
Projected backups: Angelica Velez, Olivia Schmitt
Last season, point guard was a major weak spot for Syracuse. The Orange struggled to replace star guard Dyaisha Fair, rotating between Dominique Camp, Angelica Velez and Olivia Schmitt. While Camp excelled as a facilitator — logging 4.0 assists per game — none of the three averaged over 4.3 points.
Now, with Camp’s graduation, Velez and Schmitt remain. In addition, Legette-Jack added four-star guard Camdyn Nelson, who was named Connecticut’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior. While Velez may be in line for the starting role, Nelson’s high school success and the returning duo’s limited production make her the frontrunner.
Last season, Nelson averaged 17.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 39% from 3 at St. Luke’s School in Connecticut. Her scoring blows Velez and Schmitt’s production out of the water, while her 3-point shooting would boost SU’s 33.3% clip from last year. She also swiped 2.7 steals, which would improve a defense that allowed the 52nd-most points per game (71.4) nationally in 2024-25, per HerHoopStats.
Despite Nelson’s prowess, Legette-Jack will likely work Velez and Schmitt into the rotation. Velez transferred to Syracuse last season from LSU but averaged just 2.6 points per game, while Schmitt averaged 1.7 as a freshman. Both bring value as secondary ball handlers, but neither has shown they can carry the scoring load.
Shooting guard
Projected starter: Sophie Burrows
Projected backups: Madeline Potts, Shy Hawkins
Burrows is likely Syracuse’s only player locked into a starting spot next season. After scoring just 4.6 points as a freshman, she broke out in 2024-25. The Australian averaged 12.2 points per game while shooting an impeccable 39.6% from 3.
With the departures of Woolley and Wood, Burrows is set to become the Orange’s top scoring option next year. The junior is the only player on SU’s roster who averaged more than five points per game in college last season.
The emergence of her fellow Aussie, Madeline Potts, may ease Burrows’ scoring responsibility. In limited minutes last season, Potts was SU’s second-best 3-point shooter behind Burrows at 37.5%. She showed flashes of being a viable scorer, totaling 11 points against Florida State and a career-high 13 at Clemson.
Legette-Jack will likely play Potts more since Woolley’s production from distance is gone, giving her the chance to potentially have a Burrows-esque breakout in 2025-26. Shy Hawkins — who will probably see more minutes at small forward — can also fill in at shooting guard. But the wing will need to improve her perimeter shooting (20%) to do so.
Small forward
Projected starter: Dominique Darius
Projected backups: Keira Scott, Shy Hawkins
The Orange’s options at small forward are limited. Last year, they often ran with three guards — typically Woolley, Burrows and Camp — alongside a lone forward in Wood in the starting lineup.
To bolster the position, Syracuse dipped into the portal and snagged former UCLA and USC forward Dominique Darius. Darius played three years with the Bruins, posting her most impressive year in 2021-22 with 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in just under 20 minutes. After transferring to USC two years ago, her playing time and production dropped. But upon moving to Syracuse for her fifth season , Darius is a likely starter.
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Backing her up are rising sophomores Keira Scott and Hawkins. Scott is SU’s second-leading returning scorer behind Burrows, averaging 4.8 points per game. She wasn’t overly effective as a freshman, shooting 36.7% from the field. But with Syracuse’s graduations, she’ll certainly see the floor more and could be more efficient as a result.
Hawkins finished slightly behind Scott at 4.2 points per game last year. The Mastic Beach, New York, native is in a similar position to Scott. The two will likely be competing for playing time but can both provide strength on the boards with their 6-foot frames.
Power forward
Projected starter: Jasmyn Cooper
Projected backups: Aurora Almon, Justus Fitzgerald, Journey Thompson
One of Syracuse’s biggest offseason needs was at power forward. Wood was a reliable starter last season, averaging career highs of 11.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. But with her graduation, SU is in a precarious spot.
Still, the Orange have a plethora of players who can play the position. Alongside Nelson at point guard, incoming freshman Jasmyn Cooper is likely to start at power forward. The four-star forward became Legette-Jack’s highest-ranked recruit as the 60th-best player in ESPN’s rankings. Cooper’s 6-foot-1 frame can help Syracuse on the glass, which it desperately needs after Wood and Izabel Varejão’s departures.
Beyond Cooper, the Orange have a mix of returners and newcomers who could earn minutes. Journey Thompson, who transferred from Arizona State last season, averaged just 3.3 points per game but flashed upside with 14 points against Missouri and back-to-back 13-point performances versus FSU and SMU. Unless SU adds another center, Thompson could also see minutes there, as it currently only has one true center on its roster.
Additionally, Syracuse added former Miami forward Aurora Almon from the transfer portal. The 6-foot-4 Dominican Republic native is currently the tallest player on SU’s roster and can help establish its presence in the paint. On top of that, incoming freshman Justus Fitzgerald, who chose the Orange over Georgetown, Howard, Georgia State and Furman, can also provide a boost when needed.
Center
Projected starter: Oyindamola Akinbolawa
Projected backups: Aurora Almon, Journey Thompson
Syracuse is probably most depleted at center. Varejão was the only center on its roster last season, and she’s out of eligibility. Like at small forward, Legette-Jack turned to the portal to address the issue.
She lured former Auburn center Oyindamola Akinbolawa to SU to fill the void. In three seasons with the Tigers, the Nigerian native never averaged more than four points per game, averaging 3.4 in a career-high 17.2 minutes last year. Though her numbers are modest, Akinbolawa is the only center on SU’s roster, making her the likely starter by default.
As for backups, the Orange will likely dip into their wealth of talent at power forward unless they add another true center in the portal. Players like Almon and Thompson, who both stand 6-foot-3 or taller, are the best choices.
It’s likely none of the trio will match Varejão’s production, though. While injuries hampered her two-year SU career, the Brazilian routinely used her 6-foot-4 frame to establish herself down low, whether that meant burying a layup, sinking a hook shot or blocking shots on defense.
