Projecting Colorado Buffaloes' Starting Lineup For Next Season

The offseason is young, and wounds of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss are still fresh, but Colorado Buffaloes women's basketball has the ingredients for another dance.

Coach JR Payne led the Buffaloes through a second straight tumultuous offseason, bringing in 10 new faces and finding a March spark. The roster should retain most of its key components this time around, but graduating forwards Jade Masogayo and Anaëlle Dutat will be hard to replace.

Banking on a few ambitious transfers, what will the Buffs' starting five look like this fall?

Guard: Kennedy Sanders

Mar 7, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Una Jovanovic (5) handles the ball while defended by Colorado Buffaloes guard Kennedy Sanders (2) during the first quarter at T-Mobile Center. | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

Sanders looked poised to break through as a redshirt sophomore, but instead suffered another season-ending injury late in non-conference play. Until then, she'd been playing some of her best basketball with 9.3 points, 2.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game. She was also shooting a team-high 84.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Payne cherished her growing game, though Sanders must focus on remaining healthy and composed. Her role will likely expand, though if Wooten and Walker stick around, she'll have plenty of leeway as a primary ball-handler.

Guard: Zyanna Walker

In her third collegiate home, Walker called this past season's Buffs the best team she'd ever been a part of. The former Louisville Cardinal and Kansas State Wildcat was an All-Big 12 honorable mention and All-Defensive Team selection in her first year with the Buffaloes.

She brought tempo to Colorado's offense and an edge to its defense, versatile with a strong 5-11 frame. Walker wasn't the most consistent Buff, but her mid-range jumper and switchability along the perimeter allowed her to succeed in Boulder.

She averaged career-highs in points (11.2) and rebounds (4.2), and with a spring and summer to improve her 3-point shot, could get even better as a senior.

Forward: Nene Ndiaye

If they can keep their core mostly intact, the Buffs could swing for the fences. This portal cycle already has a healthy crop of talent, and Ndiye was as productive as any of it.

At Rutgers last season, the 6-1 forward took a major leap as a three-level scorer and competitor on the glass. Ndiye led the Scarlet Knights with 14.8 points and 5.3 rebounds, shooting 41.6 percent from beyond the arc. Colorado needs another offensive force, and while she'll attract a litany of suitors, Ndiye would join the roster as a senior stud.

Forward: Logyn Greer

Greer was a Big 12 All-Freshman selection last season after joining the Buffaloes with sky-high potential. She used her length effectively for 9.2 points, five rebounds and nearly a block per game, heavily ingraining herself in Colorado's rotation.

Room for improvement still exists in terms of her jumper, physicality and off-ball value, but Greer is an integral piece of the Buffs' future and has plenty of time for her star to rise. She showed flashes of brilliance from every level of scoring and defending.

Forward: Reese Ross

Another swing the Buffs could take is for Ross, a staple of Utah's recent success in the Big 12. She reached career-bests in her third and final year with the Utes, averaging 9.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

As Colorado searches for Masogayo and Dutat replacements, Ross could become a little bit of both. Her acumen around the basket and familiarity with the Big 12 would fit brilliantly in Boulder.

Rotational Guards: Desiree Wooten, Claire O'Connor, Erianna Gooden, Cail Jahnke

Rotational Forwards: Tabitha Betson, Jade Crook, Sophie Zadel

SIGN UP FOR THE COLORADO BUFFALOES ON SI NEWSLETTER HERE!