Diaper dandies. Fabulous frosh. Whatever you want to label them, there have been some strong freshmen the past few seasons that have fueled DII women's basketball teams well into March. As we head into the second half of the season, let's take a look at some freshmen that have made an immediate impact and look to keep cooking as the season creeps towards March.
DII WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HUB
- Catching up on the top 25 DII women's basketball teams
- The December all-stats starting five
- Keep an eye on these 10 DII women's basketball player-of-the-year hopeful
- How the DII women's basketball championship works
- Championship history
Kapiolani Anitielu, New Mexico Highlands
The Cowgirls were a mere 6-22 last year, and at the break, they sat at a much improved 5-5. Anitielu has been a force behind that improved start. The 5-foot-11 guard is second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.7 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 6 per game. She closed out the first half with her second career double double, scoring a career high 23 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Anitielu also leads the team in blocks. The Cowgirls were projected to finish 14th out of 15th in the RMAC, so the 2-2 record at the holiday break is a pleasant surprise and certainly helped by the play of Anitielu.
"Kapiolani’s bought into what we want to do as a program," first-year New Mexico Highlands head coach Lindsey Fearing told krikya18.com. "She’s a hooper, only for the simple fact that she’s put in the work before she got to New Mexico Highlands and continues to do so while she is here. She also plays free and lets the game come to her regardless of who the opponent is."
Shaye Bailey, Seton Hill
The Griffins were 14-15 last season and are off to a 12-1 start — and are in rare territory by appearing in both national polls. Now, Bailey isn't the leading charge — she is a key role player off the bench averaging just 11.5 minutes per game — but she is making the most of her minutes, appearing in every game and providing much needed depth to survive the long season. The 5-foot-7 guard is posting nightly averages of 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and averages more than one steal.
"From the second we learned Shaye was considering basketball at the collegiate level, we were eager to get her on the Hill," Griffins head coach Maeve Gallagher said. "Shaye embodies toughness and hard work. I have a soft spot for three-sport athletes.
"Shaye is coachable and has taken advantage of having veterans in the gym. Her ability to work hard for her teammates and to step into whatever role we need has earned her immense trust from her teammates and our staff. She has made an impact from the second she stepped on the floor. Her future is so bright — I can’t wait to see her evolve."
MacKenzie Bisballe, Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State is the best team in DII women's basketball at the moment, and while the defense plays a large role in the Lakers' success, so does their depth. Bisballe isn't a starter, but she has been big thus far, playing more than 16 minutes per game and contributing nightly averages of 7.4 points and a team-high 5.0 rebounds while tied for the team lead in blocks. She is tied with Rylie Bisballe, her older sister and the leading scorer who was both the GLIAC player and defensive player of the year last year. That's not a bad mentor to have around.
"It has been so fun and a great opportunity to play with Kenzie," Rylie Bisballe said. "We have not gotten the chance to play together until this year. I think she is doing a great job this year and I can’t wait to see what her future holds. It’s so fun to have a piece of home with you at college."
"Kenzie is a great listener," Lakers' head coach Mike Williams added. "She is locked in during our film sessions and practices. She is always looking to get better. Also, with our size, athleticism and versatility, she is a great fit for our up-tempo style."
Izzy Callaway, Walsh
Callaway had a strong run that began in her third game of the season, scoring a career-high 24 points and setting a new career high the very next night with 25 points. She capped an eight-game run of double-digit scoring games with 23 points. On the season, Callaway is averaging 14.7 points per game, which leads the Cavaliers. The 5-foot-7 guard has also already hit 75 3-pointers, shooting 31.4 percent from behind the arc. Walsh is going to need points to win tight games, and Callaway is proving she'll be a source of plenty of them.
"Izzy has a tremendous work ethic, which has had a huge impact on her shot-making ability during games," Cavaliers head coach Mark Schwitzgable said. "She is a true three-level scorer, which makes her really hard to defend at the DII level. She puts in more hours outside of practice than anyone else and she is always eager to learn more about the game. She also has a high basketball IQ, and our style gives her a lot of freedom to just go out and make plays on the offensive end. I’ve really enjoyed coaching her and I’m excited to see all that she accomplishes during her basketball career."
Christin Callens, St. Mary's (TX)
The Rattlers had six wins a year ago and start 2025 with a winning record, already matching the win total from last season. The 5-foot-11 freshman guard/forward has been a large reason why, leading St. Mary's in scoring at 15.1 points per game, which is the most from any freshman at the break. Callens is one of two Rattlers to start every game and has also chipped in 5.8 rebounds per game, which is tied for the team lead. She had scored in double figures in every game she played until a five-point night right before the holiday break. She'll look to get back to it in the second half.
"Christin comes from a high school program I have a ton of respect for; the coaches are tough but also teach the game the right way," St. Mary's head coach Valerie Huizar said. "That has been crucial for CC’s ability to transition into college. She fits perfectly in our system because we don’t put players in a box and make them robotic — her greatest strength is her versatility, and it’s been fun to utilize that in various aspects of the offense. Her tenacity on the boards and her defensive prowess is what’s earned her playing time. She’s been great to coach and I can’t wait to see her develop over the years."
Rose Gravel, Anderson (SC)
Gravel, a 6-foot forward, has been a welcomed addition, especially inside the paint. She immediately entered the starting lineup on Day 1 and posted her first career double-double in just her second game. Gravel is in the top 20 in DII in offensive rebounds with more than four per game and is averaging 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. She already has four double-doubles, and after a bit of a scoring drought, seems to be back on track, shooting 66 percent from the floor in her last eight games of 2024.
"Rose’s athleticism really fits our style of play of pushing the ball in transition," Trojans' head coach Jonathon Barbaree said. "Her ability to run the floor and catch the ball on the move is a huge upside. The other piece of her game that has really helped her excel is that she has bought into her role of cleaning up the glass. We have several scorers on this team that force defenders to help, which leads to them being out of position for boxing out. Rose uses that to pursue the ball and finishes with a put back."
Taejhuan Hill, Adams State
How did Hill — TT as head coach Mario Caetano calls her — start her DII women's basketball career? She dropped 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds (including five offensive) for the first double-double of her career. Since then, she's posted two more double-doubles and is posting a team-high 7.8 rebounds and chips in 10.3 points per game. The 6-foot forward has definitely made a quick impact on the Grizzlies and the RMAC, finding herself in the top 10 in rebounding in the conference.
"Her ability to spread the floor from the post position makes her a tough matchup for defenders and allows us to effectively run our 5-out offense," Caetano said. "Defensively, she can guard positions one through five, which gives us the flexibility to switch on every possession. This makes it difficult for opponents to find an offensive rhythm and is a huge asset to our defense.
"TT is also incredibly strong and athletic, with the ability to consistently knock down a 15-footer and shoot free throws with confidence. She has a knack for making big plays when it counts. Most notably, she doesn’t play with a 'freshman' mindset — she’s poised, adaptable and continues to make a significant impact on both ends of the floor."
Nwando Okigbo, Glenville State
The Pioneers have been in a reloading process the past two seasons, and Okigbo has been an instant impact to their success. She has gotten better each and every week of the season, closing the 2024 portion of the schedule with four straight double-doubles. She's averaging 11.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Okigbo has scored at least 10 points in six straight and leads the team in rebounds and is tied for the lead in steals (2.2 per game). She is also impressive on the offensive glass, pulling down 5.1 offensive boards per game, leading to plenty of second-chance opportunities. The 6-foot guard seems like a perfect fit for the high-energy Pioneers' game plan.
Anna Trusty, Arkansas-Fort Smith
Arkansas-Fort Smith was 11-18 last year, not getting to eight wins until February. The Lions went into the break at 8-3, and their leading scorer played a big role in that transformation. Trusty, a 6-foot guard, scores 13.7 points per game and is second on the team with 6.7 rebounds per game. Since scoring eight points in the season opener, Trusty has reached double digits in every one of her eight games played. She has a career high of 20 points and already has three double-doubles in her young but promising career.
"Anna is as good of a teammate as she is talented," Arkansas-Fort Smith head coach Ryan McAdams said. "Her transition from success in high school to a contributing member of her college team has been aided by unselfishness and passion to learn. She has blended in with our team and offensive system right away."
Taylor Weishaar, Central Missouri
The 6-foot-3 hybrid guard/forward has been an immediate success, starting from opening day and closing 2024 with arguably the best two games of her career. Those games included a career high 22 points, followed by a 19-point performance, and she double-doubled in each, combining for 23 rebounds over the two games. On the season, she's averaging 11.1 points and 7.6 rebounds and leads the team with 22 blocks.
"Taylor is an athletic post with unique skill sets," Jennies head coach Dave Slifer said. "Her offensive skill sets of taking their big outside to shoot the 3 or taking a one or two-dribble layup from the line has opened up our offense. Defensively she has had numerous blocked shots where she recovers the ball in the air — all without fouling. Like a lot of freshmen, Taylor is striving to be more consistent on both sides of the ball."
On the radar
Their teams may not have winning records, but these freshmen are giving it everything early on this season. Make sure to keep these additional freshmen on the radar.
- Lea Holmes, Northwood. Holmes is a redshirt-freshman center that has averaged 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game. She had her second career double-double in Northwood's upset of nationally ranked Northern Michigan with a career-high 21 points and 14 rebounds, closing the first half with two double-doubles in four games.
- The Johnson C. Smith trio. The Golden Bulls are searching for their identity at 3-7 but freshmen Rylee Ghent, Tameia Shaw and Starasia Bell-Freeman are making an instant impact. The trio has played in every game, shuffling in and out of the starting rotation and contribute 18.5 of the Golden Bulls' 60.5 points per game and chip in 9.7 of their 33.6 rebounds per game.
- Kendall Standfest, Michigan Tech. Standfest double-doubled in both her second and third game of her career and has been a steady force throughout the first half. She leads the team in rebounds (7.9 per game) and steals (1.2 per game) while scoring 12.7 per game.
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