Rutgers junior Antonia Bates is experiencing a first in her collegiate career heading into the 2024-25 season — the benefits of a full roster.
Bates was one of just eight players on the Scarlet Knights roster when Coquese Washington took over the program in 2022.
The short-handed roster woes continued her sophomore year when a slew of injuries forced the team to compete with seven to eight players for the majority of a season in which it finished 8-24.
But all that changed this offseason.
The Scarlet Knights now have 12 players to share the workload of the long season ahead.
“It is something I am not used to,” Bates said with a laugh on Tuesday at Rutgers’ media day. “I mean, subs, breaks — I get a lot of rest which is great — because obviously last year you saw the minutes of everybody.
“We are so competitive. Everyone is so excited to be here and it is just fun being around everybody.”
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Here‘s a breakdown of Rutgers’ 2024-25 roster: Seven returnees (Bates, Chyna Cornwell, Awa Sidibe, Destiny Adams, Mya Petticord, Lisa Thompson and Kennedy Brandt); two transfers (JoJo Lacey and Janae Walker); two true freshmen, (Kiyomi McMiller and Zachara Perkins); and walk-on Deja Young, who joined the team last week.
Now, when Washington walks into the practice facility, her focus isn’t on which player might need to decrease their workload to prevent early-season burnout, but in making sure each player is getting enough reps.
“It has been a little bit of a different circumstance, a different situation, but it definitely allows us to prepare in the way that we need to prepare going into the season when you have got a full roster,” she said.
“You don’t feel like you have to necessarily get worried about overuse this early in the season, so that has definitely been a very pleasant experience to have starting the season with 12 bodies.”
Rutgers assistant coach John Hampton summed up what it means to the program to have numbers after the struggles of the past two seasons in one word:
“Woo-hoo!” he said enthusiastically into the microphone.
“It feels really good to have what we consider a full roster because it makes practice a little more competitive,” Hampton continued.
“It gives our kids a chance every single day to compete. And for us not to be so concerned about if I am going to practice today — do I need to suit up — so I think for us, we are looking forward to — just again — having numbers. It makes you a little bit more flexible.”
Rutgers hosts Caldwell in an exhibition game at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Sunday afternoon. They open the season at home against Manhattan on Nov. 4.
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Joey Chandler may be reached at jchandler@njadvancemedia.com
