Indiana Hoosiers guard Shay Ciezki (10) drives around Utah Utes guard Ines Vieira (2) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Best Indiana Women’s Basketball Players Of The 2020s So Far: No. 11 Shay Ciezki

Originally posted on Indiana Hoosiers on SI
By Todd Golden | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 1:03 PM ET

When players transfer into a program, they’re often brought in to fill a specific role existing players can’t do or can’t do as well.

In the case of guard Shay Ciezki, the Hoosiers had lost the services of shooter Sara Scalia from the 2023-24 team. While Ciezki wasn’t quite the dead-eye shooter that Scalia was in her senior season at Indiana, Ciezki was no slouch and had the ability to drive to the rim.

That’s what Indiana wanted from Ciezki in the 2024-25 season, and that’s exactly what they got from the New York native.

In the scoring department, Ciezki gave the Hoosiers almost exactly what she gave Penn State in her two seasons in State College. Ciezki averaged 11.8 points for Indiana after she scored 11.6 points per game for the Nittany Lions.

In the shooting department, Ciezki converted 39.2% from 3-point range, but just as importantly, she was the promised threat inside the arc. She attempted 5.3 2-point shots and she converted 51.1% of those attempts.

If Ciezki drew a foul? She was close to automatic at the free throw line. She made a career-high 93.2% from the line on 2.2 attempts per game.

One way in which Indiana took advantage of Ciezki’s skill set was to have her run the offense. Indiana’s 2025 team had several players who could initiate the offense – Chloe Moore-McNeil, Yarden Garzon, Sydney Parrish and Ciezki, who averaged 2.8 assists.

Ciezki’s finest hour in an Indiana uniform came in one of the Hoosiers’ best wins of the season – a 73-65 triumph over Baylor at Battle 4 Atlantis. She scored 34 points as she was 9 of 16 from the field and 12 of 13 at the line.

Another Ciezki performance that reflected her capabilities was a 20-point, 5-assist effort in a tight 68-64 victory at Northwestern on Jan. 8.

Unique among women’s basketball players in the top 16 of the 2020s so far, Ciezki’s Indiana career is not done. She will be needed more than ever to maintain her consistent production as the Indiana roster has been almost completely rebuilt from the 2025 season.