The Portal is Closed, the Roster is Set. What's Next for Oregon State Women's Basketball?

Last year the Oregon State Women's Basketball team had to deal with one of the most tumultuous off season's the team had ever seen. Most of the team's starters left through the transfer portal, leaving the Beavers to rebuild around a small core of veterans. With a victory in the WCC tournament and a return trip to March Madness, off season this year went very differently.

The only losses the Beavers suffered were due to graduation, and while the team has lost some of its top scorers, there are some big names who will be back next season. The Beavers also did fairly well recruiting through the portal, and some of the new faces coming to Corvallis should have key roles on the team. Here's what next year's squad will look like.

Departures

• Sela Heide

• AJ Marotte

• Kelsey Rees

Only three names, but they're all big ones. Rees and Marotte were the Beavers' two top scorers, and some of the only continuity with the 23-24 team. Marotte was a classic floor general for the Beavers; an effective scorer all over the court and great at setting up plays for the offense while also being a key defensive presence.

Rees was a huge threat for the Beavers in the key offensively and defensively, and still very effective as a distance shooter. Heide wasn't a full time starter like Marotte and Rees, but her size and defensive presence helped the Beavers in several matchups, and she was delivered some big games in key wins.

Returning

• Tiara Bolden

• Catarina Ferreira

• Elisa Mehyar

• Lucia Navarro

• Ally Schimel

• Mackenzie Shivers

• Kennedie Shuler

• Cloe Vecina

• Susanna Yepes

Ferreira might be the most important returning player for the upcoming season. Last year she really came into her own as the season wore on, putting on an incredible performance in the WCC Tournament to win the tournament's MVP award and send the Beavers back to the NCAA Tournament. She's since spent some time with the Brazilian national team and seems set to take her game to another level.

Bolden and Shuler were both full time starters for Oregon State, and the core of Bolden, Ferreira and Shuler should give the Beavers the ability to hit the ground running once the season starts. There were definitely growing pains during the 24-25 season as the team took some time to figure itself out, that shouldn't be the case this year.

Other returning players like Ally Schimel, Cloe Vecina and Susanna Yepes should give the Beavers some needed depth. Schimel in particular impressed as a freshmen and could be given a larger role this season, especially if she can make her three point shooting more consistent. She's already strong from range, and the Beavers could really use an ace three point shooter.

Arrivals

• Katelyn Fields

• Keira Lindemans

• Néné Sow

• Jenna Villa

• Lizzy Williamson

Jenna Villa is probably the biggest name here. Villa was a regular starter for Washington State and one of the team's best three point shooters and should compete for a starting spot on the Beavers right away.

Sow, a 6'8" center who previously played for Utah should fill a role similar to Sela Heide's. She's a great rebounder and can control the key. Lizzy Williamson, a 6'5" forward who transferred from NC State, gives the Beavers another piece in what could be a very tall front court. A pair of freshmen guards from Melbourne, Keira Lindemans and Katelyn Fields, round out the new arrivals.

Looking at this team, the Beavers are pretty stacked at Guard. Catarina Ferreira, Tiara Bolden, Kennedie Shuler and Jenna Villa give Oregon State an incredible amount of talent at the position, and while it might take Scott Rueck a few games to figure how best to deploy everyone, that's a good problem to have.

The big question for the roster is how Oregon State is going to play the front court. I would expect one of the veteran guards to slide inside, playing more of a G/F hybrid, but this also seems like the place for someone to step up. That could be Susana Yepes, who will definitely be fighting for a bigger role, or it could be one of the new arrivals like Sow or Willliamson. This should be the big camp battle to watch.

We're still months away from getting a real first look at this team, but unlock last season there's a solid foundation to build on and a lot fewer questions than last season. Oregon State looks well placed to make another run at a West Coast Conference title.