The Blue Devils come into the 2020-21 season having lost their top three players from last year. Their lead point guard has started just 13 games in her career, her backup is a freshman and the top bench big is making her collegiate debut as well. With so much uncertainty around who’s suiting up in blue and white this season, let the Blue Zone be your player guide.
The starting backcourt is sure to feature senior Mikayla Boykin at point guard and Miela Goodchild on the wing. The frontcourt features two starters from 2019-20 in centers Jade Williams and Onome Akinbode-James, whose interior prowess is likely key to the team’s defense.
Rounding out the experienced Blue Devils are two sophomores, defense-first wing Jaida Patrick and forward Jada Claude, and junior center Uchenna Nwoke.
You’d be forgiven for not being as familiar with the team’s fresh faces, of which there are four. The most highly-regarded newcomer is five-star freshman point guard Vanessa de Jesus, a Sierra Canyon and Cal Storm product. Grad transfer Sara Anastasieska is an off-ball guard from Cal. Post player Jennifer Ezeh, ESPN’s 65th-ranked recruit from the 2019 class, is finally slated to take the court after having arrived in Durham with a torn ACL. And despite seemingly granting a waiver to every undergrad transfer this season, the NCAA has denied eligibility this year for walk-on guard Jiselle Havas, who transferred from Lafayette to pursue her degree in mechanical engineering.
Editor's note: This article is one of many in The Chronicle's women's basketball season preview. Find the rest here.
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