Felisha Legette-Jack talks new talent, roles of returners at preseason presser
Syracuse women's basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack talked about SU's revamped roster at her preseason press conference on Friday. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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Felisha Legette-Jack didn’t hide her heartbreak when Syracuse’s 19-point lead slipped away in the ACC Tournament First Round last season. The then-third-year head coach held back tears as she reflected on the loss.
She knew her team had what it took to get to the top. Her players knew, too. Forward Kyra Wood said she believed the Orange could’ve made a deep tournament run. Guard Georgia Woolley admitted they were “frazzled,” echoing her head coach’s point that SU sometimes took the court feeling like it didn’t belong.
But in 2025, most of that team — including Wood and Woolley — is gone, and with it, Legette-Jack is seeking to bring SU back to March Madness. She’s acquired eight new players, two external assistant coaches and a general manager to reset the program.
“It’s gonna take a lot more discipline, a lot more focus, a little bit of luck, a lot less injuries, and I think that we can be a pretty good team this year,” Legette-Jack said Friday.
Here are some takeaways from Legette-Jack’s preseason press conference before SU’s season begins on Nov. 4:
Restoring consistency
Legette-Jack made it clear that last season wasn’t a down year. She instead referred to the phrase “living and learning.” To her, setbacks are part of building something sustainable. This year, she’s hoping those lessons translate to wins.
“The expectation is always to win a championship,” Legette-Jack said. “If that’s not your expectation, then walk out this gym.”
Before the head coach’s hiring in 2022, Syracuse had made eight of the last nine NCAA Tournaments (excluding 2019-20, when a tournament wasn’t held). That standard at first continued. Led by Dyaisha Fair’s 22.3 points per game, SU entered the second round of March Madness in 2024.
But last season, Syracuse was in unfamiliar territory. For just the second time since the 2006-07 campaign, the Orange finished with a sub-.500 record. Legette-Jack knows that it starts at the top.
“I wasn’t the best coach last year. We didn’t have the best talent, nor did I coach well,” Legette-Jack said. “I gotta be consistent.”
Over the offseason, Legette-Jack made several changes to restore that consistency. She added Saint Joseph’s former Director of Scouting and Video Operations Caleb Samson, who will be a video coordinator and assistant coach for the Orange. She also hired former Arizona State head coach Natasha Adair as their associate head coach.
On the court, Syracuse added four transfers and four freshmen, giving the Orange a nearly overhauled roster in 2025 that’s filled with proven winners.
Former Texas guard Laila Phelia went 72-0 at Mount Notre Dame High School (Ohio) before reaching the Final Four with the Longhorns. Guard Dominique Darius’ Southern California squad made the Elite Eight.
Jasmyn Cooper, a four-star recruit ranked No. 60 in her 2025 class, according to ESPN’s HoopGurlz, is the Orange’s highest-ranked recruit since Legette-Jack took over in 2022, and Camdyn Nelson is poised to fill the hole Dominique Camp and Woolley left behind.
The talent is there. The experience is there. Now, it’s about turning lessons into results and getting Syracuse back to March, where Legette-Jack believes it belongs.
“Our expectation is to be the last team standing,” Legette-Jack said. “Is it realistic? In my mind, it is.”
Returning roles
Syracuse’s new roster looks partly unrecognizable. There’s new energy and talent in the lineup. Still, a core of returning players could prove just as crucial in driving the team’s success.
Second-leading scorer Sophie Burrows returns for her third season with SU. After averaging just over four points per game in the 2023-24 campaign, she raised that mark to 12.2 last season. With Woolley gone, Burrows has a chance to take another step forward.
She’s the longest-tenured player under Legette-Jack, and with that comes a new level of responsibility.
“Sophie is doing a tremendous job of being that player that was here last year and owning her right to be on the court with anybody,” Legette-Jack said.
With Syracuse’s two main point guards departing, the backcourt rotation is in flux. Legette-Jack said at ACC Tipoff on Oct. 6 that Burrows could slide to the three or four spot, meaning the Orange will lean on players who saw limited minutes a year ago.
One of those players is Madeline Potts. The Australian guard averaged just 10.5 minutes per game last season, posting 3.0 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists. She started only once in 25 appearances and logged more than 20 minutes just twice.
Last season, Potts’ primary role was as a floor spacer, helping Burrows and Woolley hit shots from the perimeter. This year, Legette-Jack expects her to be a bigger scoring threat.
Potts also said the team plays a lot faster, with less dribbling and more catching and shooting, something she excelled in last year despite her limited opportunities.
“I think a name you’re gonna hear a lot of that hadn’t played a lot last year is Maddy Potts,” Legette-Jack said. “Maddy had an incredible summer, an incredible preseason. She’s done an incredible job.”
Aside from Potts, sophomore forward Keira Scott is expected to play a larger role. At 6-foot-1, she’s part of an 11-player group standing over six feet tall, reflecting Legette-Jack’s focus on defending the paint.
The Virginia native played just 13.1 minutes per game last season, averaging 4.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in her first year. In addition to playing down low, Legette-Jack hinted at expanding Scott’s shooting role after she hit just 17.6% from beyond the arc last season.
With the departure of Izabel Varejão, Wood and Saniaa Wilson, Scott has a chance to become a rotation piece and assist SU in its return to glory.
“I’m excited about the people that said, ‘I am coming back and staying home at Syracuse,’” Legette-Jack said. “It’s gonna be a pretty special team.”
