Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds previews 2024-2025 season
Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds shares what a good performance will look like in exhibition game against Indiana Tech and upcoming 2024-2025 season.
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue women’s basketball tips its season off next Wednesday against Purdue Fort Wayne at Mackey Arena.
The spring was busy for the Boilermakers, who finished 15-19 overall and 12th in the Big Ten Conference standings yet defeated Northwestern in the conference tournament and reached the Great 8 of the WNIT.
Purdue saw the departure of Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson, who transferred to Stanford. So the evolution of returners, like sophomores Rashunda Jones and Sophie Swanson, and the numerous key additions should give Purdue greater depth and experience in the hopes of making a return to the NCAA Tournament. Purdue hasn’t been ranked in the top 25 since 2017.
Let’s get to know each player heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
Amiyah Reynolds, point guard, No. 1, freshman
Reynolds, a former top 100 ESPN recruit from South Bend Washington, makes her return to the court for the first time in nearly two years after redshirting to recover from foot surgery. Reynolds’ skills as a passer and playmaker will help Purdue rotate the ball more effectively around the perimeter.
Rashunda Jones, shooting guard, No. 2, sophomore
Jones gained Big Ten Conference All-Freshman Team honors after averaging 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Jones, who is called “Spider” by her teammates, drew attention with her quickness and ball handling. Jones would either finish at the basket or kick to open teammates in the perimeter. With the return of her South Bend Washington teammate Reynolds, Jones can look to score more either from the perimeter of the dribble or cutting to the basket. In addition to her offense, Jones proved herself as one of the better on-ball defenders for the Boilermakers.
Jayla Smith, shooting guard, No. 3, senior
Smith will come off the bench but has shown bursts of promise during her tenure with Purdue with a majority of her big games coming in the playoffs. Smith scored 15 points during the WNIT against Duquesne and hit a game-winning 3-pointer during the Big Ten Conference Tournament against Wisconsin in 2023 that proved decisive in helping the Boilers reach the NCAA Tournament that season. Smith can hit shots from outside and attack the basket effectively. She is battling for minutes on a program with improved roster depth at guard.
Destini Lombard, point guard, No. 4, senior
Lombard, a fifth-year player from Stephen F. Austin, was one of the big pickups in the transfer portal. Lombard earned the WAC Defensive Player of the Year honor after leading the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio and steals. Her intensity and leadership in practice have become a point of excitement for the coaching staff and she’s not only aggressive and quick toward the ball but her spatial awareness allows for a quicker pace. Adding to Lombard’s defense is her consistency as a jump shooter who averaged 10.1 points per game. With Purdue hosting No. 3 ranked USC on Jan. 22, Lombard’s defense will be needed to stop Juju Watkins.
Mahri Petree, shooting guard, No. 7, senior
Petree follows in the footsteps of her older sister Lasha, who played at Purdue from 2022-24. Petree is a sixth-year player whose most recent stop was at UTEP, where she averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds. She is another lengthy defender who at 6 feet has quickness and a long wingspan allowing her to defend guards and in the paint.
Jordyn Poole, point guard, No. 10, freshman
Poole’s quickness, speed and passing made her one of the most sought-after point guards in the country. She finished her career as the No. 57 recruit by ESPN and is now getting closer to showcasing her skills in West Lafayette after averaging 16.9 points and 4.4 assists her senior year. Poole’s been hobbled during the summer by an ankle injury sustained during the Indiana All-Star showcase. While the timetable for her return isn’t clear, Poole is expected to play eventually. Purdue wants to play at a fast pace offensively and apply greater pressure defensively on the ball. Poole will be part of that mold.
McKenna Layden, shooting guard, No. 11, sophomore
Layden gives the Boilers another perimeter shooter off the bench after sharing the court with her older sister Madison last season. Layden’s length at 6-foot-2 and skills as a rebounder could give Purdue an edge off the bench.
Ella Collier, shooting guard, No. 13, senior
Collier is one of the more underrated additions for Purdue having established herself as one of the greatest women’s players in NAIA history. Collier was a two-time NAIA Player of the Year and four-time All-American with Marian University, where she shot 94.2% from the free throw line, 54.4% from the floor and 45.9% from 3-point range. While the speed of Big Ten Conference basketball is surely different, the ability to hit free throws in tight games is an intangible Purdue didn’t have last season. Now Collier comes in to potentially play big minutes and close games. Collier reunites Katie Gearlds, who coached her as a freshman.
Mila Reynolds, forward, No. 13, junior
The oldest Reynolds sister on Purdue, Mila showed flashes of her offensive prowess after transferring from Maryland. Reynolds opened Purdue’s offense with her shot-making from 3-point range and improved as a post defender as the season wore on. She scored a career-high 15 points and knocked down four 3-pointers during the Boilermakers WNIT matchup against Butler. Reynolds is expected to miss the first few months of the season because of a wrist injury.
Kendall Puryear, power forward, No. 22, freshman
Tons of upside for the 6-foot-3 forward, a tenacious rebounder who can power her way to the rim and defend in the post. Puryear can also score one-on-one with her back to the basket using a dream shake and fade away. The ability to hit shots from mid-range should help the offensive spacing for Purdue and lead to more efficient scoring opportunities in the halfcourt.
Sophie Swanson, shooting guard, No. 31, sophomore
Swanson recovered quickly from ACL surgery to become a vital piece of the rotation last season. She became the Boilermakers’ go-to option from 3-point range and finished leading the nation with 4.8 3-pointers per 40 minutes. Swanson came off the bench in all 27 games and averaged 7.1 points. Swanson’s confidence has grown in the offseason and become more comfortable attacking the basket. Swanson will have to show growth as a ball-stopper and prove she can turn guard on a roster that has been upgraded defensively.
Alaina Harper, power forward, No. 32, junior
Harper finished the end of the season strong after her older sister Caitlyn went down with a knee injury. Harper started the final seven games. Her defense proved to be an asset in helping Purdue make an extended run during the WNIT tournament. Harper shot 53.3% from the floor. Now she’ll be competing for minutes alongside Puryear, Reynolds, Reagan Bass and Lana McCarthy.
Reagan Bass, small forward, No. 34, senior
Bass had a stellar year at Akron before making her way to West Lafayette. Bass averaged 15.3 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 51.3% from the floor and 77.3% from the free throw line. Bass’ versatility and experience with the Zips make her a strong front-runner to start on a frontcourt that, at least on paper, looks vastly improved. Bass can step outside to hit 3-pointers and plays with a flow and cadence that is unrhythmic and hard to defend.
Lana McCarthy, power forward, No. 35, freshman
McCarthy gets up and down the floor quickly as a crafty scorer who knows how to use angles to draw contact and get to the free-throw line. She has confidence in her mid-range game and keeps pace with her guards. She also has soft hands, can pocket jump hooks from both sides. Plenty of upside from McCarthy, who was a Gatorade Player of the Year in New Hampshire in both basketball and volleyball.
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
