TCU Women's Basketball Brings Depth, New Faces into Upcoming Season

The Horned Frogs brought in nine players to complement five returners from a squad that reached the Elite Eight last season.

TCU guard Donovyn Hunter is one of five players returning from a team that reached the Elite Eight in 2024-25. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

As soon as TCU women’s basketball ended its historic 2024-25 season with an Elite Eight appearance in March, head coach Mark Campbell shifted his attention toward the next season. 

He needed to fill the holes left by All-Big 12 Conference honorees Hailey Van Lith, Madison Conner, and Sedona Prince, as well as two-year starter Agnes Emma-Nnopu. That quartet had accounted for almost 75% of TCU’s scoring and two-thirds of its rebounds and assists.

“As you're doing it, you're enjoying the season,” Campbell said in late August, following the conclusion of summer workouts. “At the same time reality is how are we going to replace this group? Which seems daunting, but it's just really neat as you build a program the way we have.”

TCU had five players returning for the 2025-26 season, three of whom played over 10 minutes per game last year. The defending Big 12 champions then signed three freshmen and picked upsix players through the transfer portal. Campbell has brought in 18 transfers since taking the TCU job in March 2023.

Notre Dame graduate transfer guard and All-American Olivia Miles headlined the newcomers. But, it's TCU’s depth at every position, including four centers 6-foot-7 or taller, that has kept expectations high for the upcoming season. 

“It's just our first time having true depth in talent," Campbell said. "And I think a huge theme this year is just truly iron sharpens iron."

Guards

At the guard position, TCU brings back junior Donovyn Hunter, redshirt senior Taylor Bigby, and graduate student Maddie Scherr. Hunter and Bigby moved in and out of the starting lineup last season, combining for 46 starts, while Scherr sat out with a back injury. 

Hunter became a mainstay as the season progressed and orchestrated the offense at a high level alongside Van Lith. Bigby grew into the sixth man role and gained even more experience this summer as a member of USA Basketball 2025 3x3 U23 National Team. TCU had four student-athletes play for their respective country this summer. 

Taylor Bigby played for USA Basketball 3X3 U23 National Team this summer. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

Scherr came to TCU from Kentucky last year. She started 55 games across two seasons in Lexington and averaged 3.4 assists per game in 2023-24. Campbell notes Scherr’s vision, scoring ability, and defensive acumen might feel like a combination of Conner and Van Lith.  

“She's like WD40,” Campbell said. “Like, she literally makes everything go smoother on both sides of the ball. It's her IQ, her feel for the game.”

The portal pickups strengthened what was already on campus. Former top-60 recruit Taliyah Parker came from Texas A&M, where she averaged 5.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals across 21 games. An injury ended Parker’s freshman campaign.  

Senior Veronica Sheffey led San Diego State in scoring (11.2 points), dished out nearly three assists per game, and earned All-Mountain West Team honors in 2024-25. Sheffy also guided the Aztecs to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years. 

Campbell calls Sheffey “an ultimate winner, competitor, worker” who will “complement the other guards.” 

Miles, like Van Lith, came to TCU as a top-rated portal pick up with both NCAA Tournament and international playing experience. She has participated in three Sweet Sixteens and helped Team USA win gold at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in Chile. 

Campbell saw Miles up close twice last season when TCU played Notre Dame in a Thanksgiving tournament and the Sweet Sixteen. The Horned Frogs won both matchups, but Miles’ impact was undeniable, averaging 13 points, 2.5 assists, and two steals per outing. 

“Olivia's greatest ability is how she makes others better,” Campbell said. “She's one of those rare players that can never score a bucket and dominate a basketball game. That's really hard to do.”

The final guard addition came from the high school ranks. 

Clara Bielefeld, a native of Germany, played professionally for Herner TC in the Damen-Basketball-Bundesliga in 2024-25. This summer, she became the youngest member of the German Senior National Team at age 17. Bielefeld played in FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2025 with the senior national team and led Team Germany to a vice champion finish at FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket Division B. 

Bielefeld, and fellow freshmen Sarah Portlock and Emily Hunter are the first high school recruits Campbell has signed at TCU. Since high school recruiting is a multi-year process, it simply took that long to build the right freshman class. 

“From day one, when we got hired, you search the globe, identifying people that can elevate our program, that fit our culture,” Campbell said of the incoming freshmen. “And that two-year cycle, it paid off.”

The transfer portal helped a 1-17 Big 12 program “emerge from the ashes,” but Campbell intends to sign a mix of portal and high school recruits moving forward. 

Centers

TCU's towering frontcourt includes Portlock and Hunter. Hunter joined the team in January as a three-star recruit from Nolensville, Tenn. Portlock, the Horned Frogs’ tallest player at 6-8, played for Basketball Australia from 2021-25 and has competed in multiple FIBA tournaments. 

Transfers Clara Silva (Kentucky) and Kennedy Basham (Arizona State) round out the center position. 

Silva played in 31 games as a freshman and then represented Portugal, her home country, at the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup this summer. She earned all-tournament honors after leading Portugal in scoring (23 points per game), rebounds (9.7), blocks (2.9) and efficiency (+25). 

Basham ranked sixth last season in Division I in blocks per game and total blocks (83).  During Big 12 play, Basham swatted away the third-most shots behind Oklahoma State’s Tenin Magassa and Prince.    

Campbell compared Basham’s shot blocking ability to Prince’s and called Silva “one of the best players in the world for her age.” Combining those talents could create nightmares for opposing coaches. 

“To have two centers that are elite that are gonna impact the game every minute they're on the court, they're gonna be one heck of a duo down there,” Campbell said. 

TCU women's basketball head coach Mark Campbell brought in nine new players this offseason. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

Forwards

In TCU’s offense, the forward position is usually filled by a good three-point shooter. 

Aaliyah Roberson has grown into that role over the past two years. She hit a team-high 48.3% (29-of-60) from downtown last year, an 12% increase from 2023-24. 

Joining Roberson on the perimeter is California graduate transfer Marta Suarez. 

Suarez led the Bears to the NCAA Tournament while averaging 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She made 40 threes on a career-best 32% shooting and ranked in the top 25 in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage (.452) throughout ACC play.

“Martha is this skilled playmaking high-IQ guard,” Campbell said. “She has been probably the biggest surprise of the summer in regards to really truly learning all the different ways you can use her.”

Depth Matters

Maximizing the roster depth is a priority. 

Campbell and associate head coach Xavier Lopez, who oversees the offensive scheme, have spent hours watching film together to find roles for all the playmakers, especially at the guard position. 

“It's the most talented group, obviously, since we've been here,” Campbell said. “This is our most talented roster.”

Depending on matchups, TCU could roll out guard-heavy lineups or play with two centers. The Horned Frogs will still run a pick-and-roll offense complemented by an elite three-point shooting attack. 

For the second straight season, TCU leads college basketball in returning 3-point offense. The Horned Frogs’ roster (including newcomers) averaged 14.3 3-pointers per game in 2024-25 and enters this season as the only program in the top 10 for 3-point field goals (3, 666), 3-pointers per game (5, 9.4), and 3-point percentage (6, .372) over the last two seasons.     

A deep, talented roster presents several challenges, but Campbell calls that a “good problem.” It’s one he almost embraces after forfeiting games and holding open tryouts two seasons ago. 

TCU will likely be a preseason favorite to win the Big 12 and will debut its new look Nov. 6 against North Carolina A&T at Schollmaier Arena. Expectations keep rising every year under Campbell, and this team is gearing up for that next step. 

“I think this group of players is the most hard working and gym rat group of players I've ever coached, which is really neat,” Campbell said. “It's been really fun to watch them put in the work.” 

2025-26 TCU Women's Basketball Roster

#	Name	Position/Height	Previous School
0	Kennedy Basham	Center/6-7	Arizona State
1	Taylor Bigby	Guard/6-1	Returner (TCU)
2	Veronica Sheffey	Guard/5-9	SDSU
4	Donovyn Hunter	Guard/6-0	Returner (TCU)
5	Olivia Miles	Guard/5-10	Notre Dame
7	Marta Suarez	Forward/6-3	California
14	Natalie Mazurek	Forward/6-2	Returner (TCU)
15	Sarah Portlock	Center/6-8	Freshman (HS)
16	Clara Bielefeld	Guard/6-4	Freshman (HS)
17	Clara Silva	Center/6-7	Kentucky
21	Taliyah Parker	Guard/6-1	Texas A&M
22	Maddie Scherr	Guard/5-10	Returner (TCU)
23	Aaliyah Roberson	Forward/6-2	Returner (TCU)
44	Emily Hunter	Center/6-7	Freshman (HS)