What could the rotation look like next season?
TOC is continuing our offseason coverage, and this week we will take a look at what the rotation could look like for the Women’s Basketball Team in the 2025-26 season. Next year will be the third year under coach Robyn Fralick, and the hope is that this program can take the next step, get a top-four finish in the Big Ten, and get out of the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Before we look at who will be on the team next year, let’s look at who is leaving. This past season’s team had four seniors on it – Julia Ayrault, Nyla Hampton, Jaddan Simmons, and Jocelyn Tate. Ayrault, Simmons, and Tate were starters while Hampton was the 6th woman and played just as many minutes as the starters. In fact, in the two tournament games this season, Hampton played the third most minutes on the team. So what I am trying to say is that there are minutes to be filled.
The biggest piece coming back, both figuratively and literally is Grace VanSlooten. The 6’3” forward was often the only interior player on the court for the Spartans, playing in the middle of four guards. In ‘24-25, she was the leading scorer and rebounder on the squad. In the two tournament games, she played 34 and 35 minutes; look for her to be the leader once again next year in her senior season.
The other returning starter is Theryn Hallock. Hallock, along with VanSlooten and Ayrault, were the three players who averaged double figure scoring last season. Hallock, who has played three years for the Spartans, put up 13.3 PPG, 2.8 APG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.8 steals. She will be one of the predominant ball handlers on next year’s squad.
Beyond last year’s starters, Fralick also has a few players who received valuable experience in ‘24-25. A freshman this past year and the primary backup to VanSlooten, Spain’s Ines Sotelo even had the chance to start a few games in the middle of the season when VanSlooten was temporarily moved to the bench. The 6’3” center played just under 17 minutes per game last season and contributed 5.8 PPG and 2.9 RPG. She scored double digits in seven games.
Next up is Juliann Woodard, who also just completed her freshman season. Juliann only played 13 games last year before she tore her ACL in January. Even though she only was playing about seven minutes per game, she ended up having the 7th highest scoring average at 5.7. Assuming she recovers in time for next year, Woodard should expect to see more playing time, especially if Fralick uses less four-guard lineups.
Moving to the backcourt, Emma Shumate will be a senior next year and became one of the Spartans’ main subs last season. She averaged 4.7 points last year, but was not much of a contributor in the other categories. She was, however, among the team leaders in three-pointers made with 44 on the year (2 players sunk 46) on 40% shooting from deep. Look for her to become even more of a weapon on the perimeter and help spread the floor.
Michigan State did lose three players from last year’s team to the transfer portal, thus far. Those three are Helen Holley, Sinai Douglas, and Mary Meng. Of them, Meng was probably the only one who would have earned minutes next year. Meng was a redshirt freshman this past year and has missed a good portion of each of her two years in the program due to injuries, appearing in nine games each season. But at 6’5, she has the size to develop into a force in future years if she can stay healthy wherever she ends up.
Perhaps the biggest sign of this team moving in the right direction is the strength of the incoming recruiting class. MSU is bringing in three new players for the 2025-26 season, all of whom are guards and all of whom are four-star recruits according to ESPN. Two of them are on 247’s top 70 players for next year, and the third is the twin sister of one of them. 247 ranks Michigan State’s class as #17 in the country.
The highest ranked recruit is Jordan Ode from Minnesota. The 5’11” player earned a reputation as a reliable three-point shooter playing for Under Armour Elite. Next up, Amy Terrian from Wisconsin is a point guard who should earn playing time for the Spartans next year and will eventually become our starting floor general in future seasons. Lastly, Amy’s twin Anna is a shooting guard. The biggest challenge to the Terrian Twins is that they each are only 5’8”, so expect them both to spend most of their time on the perimeter.
Trying to project next year’s lineup, the returning starters, Theryn Hallock and Grace VanSlooten, will most certainly be back in the starting lineup. I also expect Emma Shumate to join them along with top freshman Jordan Ode. To complete the top unit, I think Fralick will put in a second front court player and have Ines Sotelo alongside VanSlooten. This five-woman line will challenge opponents with scoring ability from all levels and will be able to clog the lane defensively with its size.
On the second line, Juliann Woodard will be the first sub in the front court. Freshman Amy Terrian will spell Theryn Hallock. And a pair of seldom used returnees, Abbey Kimball and Kennedy Blair, will compete for backcourt minutes. They should look to fill out their depth with one or two new players from the portal.
Losing four major contributors from last year, I do expect there to be some growing pains, especially early in ‘25-26, but I expect the new players to round into form by midseason. I think not utilizing a four-guard lineup will further help this team play to its strengths. Look for Coach Fralick to continue moving the MSU Women’s Basketball Team in the right direction.