LIVINGSTON, Ala. - After a long offseason, the University of West Alabama Women's Basketball team is set to embark on a new era as the Tigers open up their 2024-25 season on Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. matchup against the Tuskegee Golden Tigers.
After a 6-22 campaign in 2023-24, West Alabama enters the new year with a clean slate as first year head coach Tiffany Morton was dubbed the new leader of the program back in the summer.
"The season is officially here and we couldn't be more excited," said Morton. "We have worked extremely hard the last 11 weeks. The team is completely bought in and I couldn't be more proud to be their coach."
With the combination of a change in leadership and a disappointing 2023-24 season, UWA made a handful of roster changes in the offseason as Morton and her staff brought in five newcomers, while retaining the top players from last year's group.
Julia Rodriguez, Shayla Golden, and Kendall Lacoste are all key returners for West Alabama as the trio played major minutes and produced last season. Coming into the new season, Rodriguez will most likely be the Tigers' number one scoring option on offense. The 5'8" guard is a prolific slasher that thrives at getting to the basket, resulting in the senior leading UWA in scoring last year with 9.5 points per game. Shooting has been an issue for Rodriguez in the past, but that's a part of her game that she's worked on this offseason, making her a true breakout candidate in 2024-25.
Golden and Lacoste were starters alongside Rodriguez in a handful of games in 2023-24 and are primed to be everyday starters this season. Standing at 5'10", Golden is a combo forward who averaged 7.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last year. The forward will likely spend most of her time at the four for coach Morton this season as she looks to build off a solid campaign. As for Lacoste, she earned the trust of the previous staff as a true freshman last year, playing 22 minutes per game and averaging 8.2 points. Lacoste is one of the better shooters that you'll find in the conference and being surrounded by slashers such as Rodriguez and Golden will only get her open looks from deep.
While Rodriguez, Golden, and Lacoste will have their handprints all over the game on Tuesday, so will newcomer Callie Cowan. Cowan gives the Tigers another scoring option as the junior guard averaged 12.7 points in her final two seasons with Meridian CC. As a scorer, Cowan knows how to get to her spots on the floor, making her extremely hard to guard. On the defensive end, the guard instantly becomes one of the Tigers' best perimeter defenders.
The Tuskegee Golden Tigers come into the new season after a 15-10 campaign in 2023-24. Tuskegee and West Alabama played each other on opening night last season where the Golden Tigers defeated the Tigers, 55-50. In that game, Tuskegee's Brittney Bolin went for a game-high 13 points and the 5'6" guard is back for the Golden Tigers in 2024-25. Bolin averaged 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game last season and scored in double figures in 18 games, including a season-high 23 points coming against Allen College.
While Bolin leads the Golden Tigers backcourt, Jasmine Manuel leads the frontcourt. Manuel, a 6'3" center, is a handful to handle down low as the graduate student enters her final season of collegiate basketball after putting together the best season of her career in 2023-24, averaging 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
Bolin and Manuel present challenges for UWA, as the Tigers look to avenge one of their losses from last year and springboard the Morton era.
"There is truly something special about this team and place," Morton continued. "It's a great time to be a Tiger."
Tip-off between West Alabama and Tuskegee is set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. In honor of Veterans Day on Monday, UWA offers free admission to all Veterans for Tuesday's game.
