Washington State women not focused on players lost, but building something new

Forgive Washington State women’s basketball coach Kamie Ethridge if it seems like she was in the same position at the start of the season a year ago.

While it feels like the Cougars are starting over with more than a handful of newcomers, it’s not because of what they lost to graduation.

Six players, including two starters, left Pullman last spring through the transfer portal.

It would be wise for WSU fans to familiarize themselves with the 2025-26 roster.

The Cougars aren’t the same team that walked off the court when the 2024-25 campaign concluded in a 59-51 loss to North Dakota State in the WNIT.

WSU’s senior night last season featured one player. So many thought the Cougars would pick up where they left off.

Then the roster crumbled before Ethridge’s eyes.

While Ethridge has yet to see her team in a regular-season game, she likes what has developed in preseason practices.

Junior guard Eleonora Villa, a West Coast Conference second-team pick last year and a 2025-26 preseason selection, admits she was surprised that six players left.

“It was a surprise. You never expect so many players to transfer,” Villa said.

But Villa holds no ill will toward the transfers.

“At the end of the day, it was for their careers,” she said. “It’s their choice. It’s their career. At the same time, we lost so many people, so many friends and players. But we’re doing great.”

Villa said the Cougars can’t dwell on who is no longer with them.

“You can’t keep thinking why did they leave,” Villa said. “We have to create a new team. My mindset is to keep going and doing great things with people who are staying here and trust this program and these people.”

Ethridge said that the transfer portal has opened a window that may be difficult to close. And the worst may be yet to come.

“If they don’t get what they want, if they aren’t playing the perfect position, if they don’t get all the minutes, it’s going to happen,” Ethridge said. “Unless you get some exceptional people.

“We had too many good players, young players, that just weren’t satisfied with their role. We’re just not going to see players who want to develop. Tom Izzo (Michigan State men’s coach) has a great quote on that. Draymond (Green, who played for Izzo and is a strong forward with Golden State) didn’t play his freshman year. If Draymond was in college again, he wouldn’t stay there.”

WSU was in a similar situation last year having to integrate seven new players.

“It’s interesting. It doesn’t quite feel the same,” Ethridge said. “A lot of the kids have been here this summer. So we got to know them.”

Ethridge has the frame in which to build a solid team. It starts with the 5-foot-8 Villa and 6-6 junior center Alex Covill.

Villa will share point guard duties with 5-9 Western Kentucky transfer Mackenzie Chatfield. She started eight games last year, averaging 5.8 points and 2.4 assists.

Other possible starters are 6-foot sophomore guard Charlotte Abraham from France and 6-2 redshirt freshman forward Keandra Kooritz from Estonia.

Seeing time off the bench will be returning 5-11 sophomore guard Marta Alsina; Pacific transfer Lauren Glazier, a 6-4 forward who was at WSU as a freshman; senior 5-7 point guard Jean Chiu from Taiwan; and three freshmen – 16-year-old Malvina Haziri, a 5-9 guard from Kosovo; Tanja Valancic, a 6-foot guard from Slovenia; and Malia Ruud, a 6-2 forward from Chiawana High in Pasco.

Ethridge has 11 players on her roster, two fewer than last season. That’s by design because one of the reasons some of the players transferred was for what they perceived as lack of playing time.

Covill knows she needs to play to her size this season – more so than the past two years.

“I definitely think I’ve made some improvements,” Covill said. “It can be difficult at times, especially playing against the other (more physical) girls in the conference. I feel like I’m getting stronger.”

Villa has been impressed with the new players, especially Chatfield.

“She’s going to start for us at point guard and she’s going to be very good,” Villa said.

Said Ethridge: “She’s a transfer but she doesn’t feel brand new to us. She has such a high IQ. She’s brought a lot of stability.”

Villa has enjoyed watching Covill improve.

“Even last year she improved a lot,” Villa said. “You don’t find players with her size. She’s good at finishing her shot and finding the midrange shot.”

Villa knows WSU has much room to improve.

“We can get better,” she said. “We need to be hungry – and need to be ready in that sense. I can’t wait to start playing and seeing who we are.”

Ethridge has enjoyed preseason practices.

“It’s a great vibe and environment right now in our gym,” she said. “We have good people that want good things for their teammates and this program.”

Ethridge was asked about her team’s potential. Last year, she admitted to heaping heavy expectations on her team.

Reminded of her comments, Ethridge paused. Then she heaped praise on her players.

“I feel like I have eight players at any given time who could start,” Ethridge said. “I feel confident we can compete well. We don’t have any dead weight. Everybody will be able to help us. I feel like I’ve been a broken record but I’ll say it. It’s been a long time since I felt this positive about the competitiveness in our gym.”