There is plenty of anticipation for the Elon University women’s basketball team heading into the 2025-26 season. After going from 11-21 in 2024 to 15-15 in 2025, the Phoenix is looking to take another significant step this year. In the CAA’s preseason power rankings, Elon is projected to finish fifth, which is their highest spot since the 2022-2023 season.
With the high expectations, Elon enters the season with a very diverse roster. They are bringing back three of their five players who averaged at least 20 minutes last year. The group includes sophomore guard Jayda Angel, who won CAA Rookie of the Year and was named Preseason All-CAA First Team. However, Angel sustained a season-ending injury on Nov. 6 in the team’s second game of the season. She was poised to be one of the team’s top scorers after averaging a shade under 10 points last year at 9.9 a game, which is the highest among any returning player on the team.
Elon also boasts plenty of experienced players such as seniors Laila Anderson and Ruby Willard along with redshirt senior guard Kamryn Doty.
Some of the team’s newcomers are graduate forward Quinzia Fulmore and sophomore forward LaNae’ Corbett, who arrived through the transfer portal. Freshman guard Ashanti Fox and center Tamia Watkins round out the roster’s newest class of players.
Head coach Charlotte Smith said she loves the collection of players. She said players such as Willard, Doty and junior guard Maraja Pass bring experience, while the transfer additions provide more scoring offensive options.
“The diversity of our team is well balanced which I’m excited about,” Smith said. “With that nucleus, you have a lot of leadership.”
Although she is only a sophomore, Angel will be one of the team’s focal points heading into the season. She averaged a shade under 10 points last year at 9.9 a game, which is the highest among any returning player on the team. Angel said she is excited to build off last year’s campaign through improving her leadership skills and putting a bigger emphasis on the defensive end.
Smith said Fox and Watkins have been getting more accustomed to the team each day.
“They’ve done a really good job understanding our system and they play with such a great level of confidence,” Smith said.
One of the players who have tried to provide a welcoming environment for the younger ones include Pass. As one of the team’s upperclassmen, Pass said it’s her responsibility to mentor the new players. She said she knows the feeling of stepping into a new situation.
“Experience in basketball goes a long way, especially at the point guard position,” Pass said. “Being able to help my younger teammates really goes a long way because I know what it’s like to be in a new class. It just gives them a sense of belonging and it contributes to the overall success of the team.”
As excited as Smith is for the season, she knows it’s important to keep her players present during practices. She said she constantly reminds them about applying winning habits and whether they’re living up to that standard. If the team isn’t playing well, Smith said she isn’t afraid to let them know.
“I keep them grounded by just telling them the truth about how we show up every day in practice, whether we’re showing up as championship caliber players or whether we’re slacking and being average,” Smith said.
Smith said that so far, the players have responded well to her demands. She acknowledged that the only reason she sets a high standard is because she knows what the team is capable of accomplishing. She explained it’s important for her players to reach the goals they set for themselves.
“They respond because they know I care,” Smith said. “They know I want them to reach their goals so I’m just holding them accountable to what they said.”
Smith’s confidence in the team has been recognized by players such as Angel. She said Smith often displays trust toward everyone that significantly helps their performance.
“She really pours a lot of faith in us,” Angel said. “It’s all about building chemistry as a team and the belief she has for us really makes a big impact as a team.”