From 2019 until 2024, Megan Duffy continued the success that Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Carolyn Kieger started nearly a decade ago. Under Duffy, the Marquette Golden Eagles won 20+ games four times and received an at-large bid in three NCAA Tournaments.
Last season served as the culmination of both head coaches’ hard work. Marquette shot out to a historic 12-0 start, with two ranked victories backing up their undefeated non-conference record. The Virginia Tech Hokies made the 15th-year coach their eighth head coach in program history two weeks after the Golden Eagles’ 23-9 campaign concluded.
Duffy’s departure to Blacksburg, Virginia, provided a clear runway for Cara Consuegra’s return to Marquette. Prior to her 13-year tenure with the Charlotte 49ers, Consuegra spent seven seasons as an assistant coach in Milwaukee under Terri Mitchell, the Golden Eagles’ winningest head coach. Marquette reached the postseason every year she was there, notably winning the 2008 WNIT and making two March Madness appearances.
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One of the Iowa alum’s first tasks toward maintaining the Golden Eagles’ postseason streak involves figuring out the team’s starting five. Mackenzie Hare transferred to Iowa State; Rose Nkumu opted not to use her final year; and three seniors, two of them forwards, exhausted their eligibility. Although Marquette lost their version of Adama Sanogo in Liza Karlen, their Donovan Clingan lurks nearby.
Sophomore forward Skylar Forbes should not be considered a defensive upgrade for the Golden Eagles’ frontcourt. Only Karlen rejected more shots than Forbes’ 32 last season, with the latter’s coming in 574 total minutes as opposed to the former’s 994. With her 6-foot-3 frame and intimidating presence in the post, the Ontario native has the best shot at dethroning reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kelsey Ransom.
Adding junior college transfers Ayuen Akot and Aryelle Stevens should give Marquette a dynamic three-forward attack. Stevens shined as a sophomore at Gulf Coast State College in Florida, earning All-Panhandle Conference honors and recording eight double-doubles. Akot, a combo forward from Frank Philips College in Texas, averaged double figures and shot nearly 33% from downtown.
Both juniors make the leap from junior college to the Division I level, yet their skillset should benefit newcomers and returners alike. Georgia Tech transfer Jada Bediako's overall game will seismically improve with more playing time and a fellow Canadian being one of her teammates. Senior forward Abbey Cracknell, meanwhile, should thrive in a larger role off the bench and fine-tune her abilities with the NJCAA transfers' assistance.
Increased responsibilities are also in senior guard Lee Volker’s future. The former Duke Blue Devil re-entered the transfer portal on April 8 and withdrew her name from it before the end of the month. Volker’s return almost immediately gave the program their probable starting point guard. If the 6-foot-1 Virginia native handles the transition from depth piece to starter successfully, she will provide the Golden Eagles with significant backcourt stability.
Southern Illinois transfer Jaidynn Mason should further balance the guard corps and blossom into one of the Big East Conference’s premier all-around players. Even though she shot a less-than-ideal 34.8% from the field as a sophomore, the 5-foot-9 guard can halt opposing possessions in a heartbeat. Mason led the Missouri Valley Conference with 2.7 steals per game and recorded at least two in 18 out of her 23 contests.
Charlotte transfer Olivia Porter followed Consuegra to Marquette and also possesses the talents of a five-tool force. The two-time transfer makes her mark on all facets of the game, whether it involves hitting clutch three-pointers or setting up scoring plays. Porter’s potent combination makes her a perfect fit for any guard-heavy lineup. She becomes the team’s top bench option when the program needs to beat an opponent with their size.
There are no first-year students or redshirt freshmen on this season’s Golden Eagles as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. It may become more common in the age of the transfer portal, but that phenomenon is still rare in today’s collegiate game. Nevertheless, every roster addition that Charlotte’s winningest head coach made during the offseason seemed to put her one step closer to fulfilling a key objective.
Marquette has finished fifth or better in Big East play in each of the last nine years. Losing all five starters and their head coach from last season sent the Golden Eagles one step backward. Consuegra’s tireless dedication to reconstructing the roster and ambition toward remaining competitive in the conference should propel Marquette two steps forward.
How the Huskies can defeat Marquette next season
The lifeguards on the beach may change, but their work ethics remain the same. Downing Consuegra’s Golden Eagles will require winning the rebound battle as much as it did against Duffy’s 12 times over.
Forbes, Akot and Stevens will each wreak as much havoc as possible down low until the ball is in their hands. Redshirt freshman Jana El Alfy and true freshman Sarah Strong will most likely be the forwards standing in their way every time. Both bigs possess the height and a powerful jumper for a compelling 1-2 punch on the glass. Like the Big East Tournament, redshirt sophomore Ice Brady’s efforts on the boards will also be vital to the UConn women’s basketball team’s success.
Marquette’s vigorous backcourt will also want in on the rebounding action. Redshirt senior Paige Bueckers, sixth-year senior Aubrey Griffin and sophomore Qadence Samuels are the Huskies’ top three guards who can foil the Golden Eagles’ plans. Samuels can use her wingspan and six-foot frame to contest anyone going for the ball. Griffin and Bueckers, UConn’s longest-tenured players, each have gained enough experience to be dangerous X-factors in the post.
Every single rebound in either matchup will be crucial for the Huskies. Collecting the rebound following any missed shot gradually increases Connecticut’s chances of winning. Losing each of those battles shifts the tide in Marquette’s direction.
From a distance, the path to triumph seems about as simple as adding one and one together. Whichever team hauls in more rebounds will likely emerge victorious.
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