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Women's Basketball

Women's Basketball Introduces 2025-26 Newcomers

Rutgers Women's Basketball 2025-26 Newcomers

Faith Blackstone

Graduate Student | Guard | 6-0 | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

  • Helped Stephen F. Austin win the Southland Tournament Championship and secure a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament
  • Named a First-Team All-Conference selection after leading SFA with 14.8 points per game in addition to averaging 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals
  • Blackstone spent the 2023-24 slate at Coppin State where she was crowned the MEAC Sixth Player of the Year, First Team All-MEAC, BOXTOROW Second Team All-American and was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team
Faith is a proven and versatile scorer who will have an immediate impact on our team. She is an experienced player and has had tremendous success at all levels. She brings a winning pedigree with postseason participation to our locker room, along with a strong work ethic. We are delighted that Faith Blackstone is joining our family.
Coquese Washington

Kaylah Ivey

Graduate Student | Guard | 5-8 | Forestville, Maryland

  • Spent the last four seasons at Boston College
  • During her senior season, she led the ACC and ranked third in the nation with a 3.3 assist/turnover ratio on 160 assists and 49 turnovers
  • Recorded 16 helpers to go along with no turnovers against Miami (Jan. 16), the most by a player in a single ACC game since 2002
  • Ivey ended the season 8th in program history at BC with 455 assists
Kaylah Ivey is a player with elite point guard skills. She has tremendous court vision, and her passing is artistry. She is a consummate leader, whose presence on the court immediately makes her teammates better. Quite simply, we have a top-notch floor general in Kaylah Ivey.
Coquese Washington

Imani Lester

Junior | Forward | 6-3 | Raleigh, North Carolina

Imani Lester
  • Spent the last two seasons at Kansas State 
  • Helped the Wildcats to a 28-8 overall record and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament
  • Saw action in 34 contests and set multiple career-highs including points, field goal percentage, rebounds, assists and steals
Imani is another great addition to our program. She is a highly talented and versatile forward who, like Zachara Perkins, has a strong basketball pedigree. Imani is highly competitive and possesses an impressive basketball IQ. She has NCAA Tournament experience which will pay significant dividends. Most importantly, her skill set will allow us to move her around and create mismatches on the court. I am beyond thrilled that Imani has joined our program.
Coquese Washington

Nene Ndiaye

Junior | Forward | 6-1 | Saly, Senegal

Nene Ndiaye
  • Played the past two seasons at Boston College
  • During her sophomore season, she appeared in 30 games and made 10 starts
  • Scored a career high 16 points and tied a season-best six rebounds at Pittsburgh (Feb. 6) and ended the campaign averaging 4.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game and netted points in 23 outings
  • Part of the Senegal U18 National Team and in the 2020 Afrobasket Tournament
Nene Ndiaye is an outstanding athlete, whose length speed and quickness will be impactful on both ends of the floor. She is dynamic in transition offensively and has the ability to finish at the rim with creativity. Defensive intensity is a strength and adding her defensive mindset to our team is a definite plus.
Coquese Washington

Yacine N'diaye

Junior | Forward | 6-4 | Pout, Thies, Senegal

  • Played her freshman and sophomore seasons at UNCG
  • Helped the Spartans to a historic 2024-25 slate, including a SoCon Tournament Championship and a trip to the 2025 NCAA Tournament
  • Saw action in 27 games and finished second on the team with 21 blocks. She also appeared in 12 contests during her freshman campaign
Yacine is a tremendous addition to our Scarlet Knights family. She is an outstanding athlete whose best basketball is ahead of her. Yacine will provide size, depth and versatility to our interior play. It's exciting to imagine the ways in which she will positively impact us on both sides of the ball.
Coquese Washington

Lauryn Swann

Sophomore | Guard | 5-7 | Queens, New York

  • Spent freshman season at Arizona
  • Named to the 2025 Big 12 All-Freshman Team as well earning a Big 12 All State Bench Performance of the Week (Jan. 23) and Big 12 Freshman of the Week twice (Nov. 18, Jan. 6)
  • Appeared in 31 games and made five starts, averaging 8.0 points per game
  • Recorded 12 double digit outings and led the team in scoring five times, including a career high 22 points against Utah, (Dec. 31) knocking down a career-best six three-pointers and shooting 85 percent from field
  • Made 50-of-128 three pointers during the 2024-25 slate, making her one of only six Wildcats have made more three-pointers in a campaign in program history
Lauryn Swann has the speed, toughness and skill to dominate both offensively and defensively. She is a three-level scorer and plays with a high degree of confidence. She is a true combo guard possessing a masterful ability to create for herself and her teammates. She is really fun to watch, and our fans are going to love cheering her on.
Coquese Washington

Makylah Moore

Freshman | G | 6-0 | Brooklyn, New York

  • Helped her team at Nazareth High School to a NYSPHSAA Championship recording 18 points and 10 rebounds in the title tilt
  • Also guided her team to a Borough Championship 
  • During her senior season, she averaged 21.4 points, 7,0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game
  • Reached double digit points in all 29 games, including 20+ points 11 times and 30+ five times
  • Posted five double-doubles and six or more rebounds in 19 contests
Having Makylah join our team is a wonderful way to finalize our roster. With, Makylah we add another versatile and skilled guard to our rotation. She is a three level scorer who will add physicality to our perimeter play. She played her club ball for the NY Gauchos, and we have had other Gauchos players like Matee Ajavon, Kahleah Copper and Betnijah Laney come to Rutgers and shine. We look forward to Makylah following in their footsteps.
Coquese Washington

PreciousGem Wheeler

Freshman | Forward | 6-3 | Franklin, New Jersey

  • Attends Franklin High School
  • In her first two seasons with the Warriors, she averaged 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds
  • Broke out during her sophomore season in 2022-23, recording 9.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game 
  • Helped to lead Franklin to the Somerset County Tournament semifinals
Precious is a wonderful addition to our program. She is a high energy person and who will bring toughness and athleticism to our forward play. The fact that she is homegrown talent means so much. We love that she is passionate about building her hometown team into one of the nation's elite. Coaching Precious is going to be truly enjoyable.
Coquese Washington
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