The NKU women’s basketball team truly was a tale of two seasons: there were the struggles before Christmas and the triumph after it. Before the holiday, the Norse were 4-11. They then ripped off seven straight wins, all in conference play. That stretch propelled them to a top four seed in the Horizon League tournament.
Northern Kentucky’s draw in the opening round of the conference tournament was IU Indy. It was a back and forth game where no team led by more than six points the entire game. NKU would lose this game in heartbreaking fashion by just two points. The difference in this game was the hustle plays. The Jaguars outperformed the Norse in the fast break 23-0 and 16-3 in points off turnovers. Losing at home was a trend for the Norse last season that became too familiar. NKU won two more games on the road in conference last season than at home.
The devastating loss ended what seemed to be a promising season for Northern Kentucky. They finished at 15-17 overall, with a 12-8 Horizon League record. NKU head coach Jeff Hans acknowledged that it was a disappointing end to the season but thought overall that the season was a step in the right direction.
“I thought we grew throughout the season. To finish fourth, to take steps forward and improve with a four game win improvement, and league play compared to the year before was a good step for us. Looking forward to building onto that this year,” Hans said.
Hans and company are going to have to do that with a completely revamped team. NKU lost 10 players to the portal or graduation this off-season. There are only four returners on this year’s roster, with only two having played significant minutes last season. The staff and Northern Kentucky attacked about every avenue they could for recruiting whether that be international play, JUCO, or DI.
Returning Players
Noelle Hubert, 5-11, Burlington, KY, Notre Dame Academy
Hubert is the longest tenured Norse as she heads into her senior season. She is coming off a junior campaign where she made 13 starts and appeared in 32 games. The senior was a consistent presence last season as she shot 38% from the floor overall and from behind the arc, as she led the team in perimeter percentage.
Anna Hamilton, 5-5, Hebron, KY, Conner HS
Hamilton is now going into her junior season as the second longest tenured Norse. She saw the floor at a high volume, as she made 27 appearances. She thrived in those minutes, shooting 38% from the floor overall. She continued that good shooting with a 40% effort from three on the year and knocking down 70% of her attempts at the charity stripe.
Alma Rashelbach, 6-0, Tel-Mond, Israel, Portland State
Rashelbach is one of the two new players from last year’s squad that made the choice to return to Highland Heights with unfinished business. She is going into her senior season. Rashelbach did not see the floor much last season, as she appeared in 10 contests. She is one of many on this team with international flair, competing with the Israel national team before joining NKU.
Caroline Eaglin, 5-9, Newport, KY, Newport Central Catholic
Eaglin joins Rashelbach as the only new player from last year’s team to return to don the Norse jersey. She saw light action, making eight appearances on the season while logging 19 total minutes. However, she came into her freshman season highly touted as one of the most prolific scorers in Northern Kentucky high school history. She led Northern Kentucky high schools in scoring three straight seasons and became the all-time leader for points at NCC.
Incoming Players
Gaia Castelli, 5-7, Castenaso, Italy, Rhodigum Basket ASD
Castelli joins NKU from Italy, where she played in the second division of the professional Italian women’s league. She averaged eight points per contest there while being consistent on her free throws, shooting 70% on the season. Castelli took a gap year before committing to Northern Kentucky and Hans sees that as a major opportunity.
“Looking forward to that experience she brings, and that maturity that she has in her role as a point guard to push in transition and play in space to create for others is what drew us to her.” Hans said.
Lucia Auza, 6-0, Montevideo, Uruguay, Eastern Arizona
Auza is coming to Highland Heights as a junior. She brings a winning pedigree as she was a starter on the NJCAA national championship Eastern Arizona Monsters. She averaged seven points, four rebounds and a steal per game in her final season there. Hans is excited about her versatility to play in the post and guard multiple positions.
Kennedy Younkin, 6-2-, Asheville, Ohio, East Tennessee State
Younkin is another junior transfer joining Northern Kentucky. She comes from East Tennessee State, where she spent two seasons. The junior had 45 appearances and six starts while with the team. Her impact in the double digit minutes she averaged helped her team to win a share of the Southern Conference regular season title last season. Hans is thrilled to have a player on the roster who is familiar with D1 and what is expected at this level.
Maya Layton, 5-9, Colfax, Indiana, Lafayette Jefferson
Layton joins the NKU squad as a true freshman who played most of her high school career at Lafayette Jefferson. She surpassed 2,000 career points during her time at two separate schools and became the all-time scoring leader in Tippecanoe County. Hans has been impressed with her from the start, saying that her athleticism and speed can dictate a game.
Ya Ida Skold, 5-10, Malmo, Sweden, RIG Lulea
Skold comes from Sweden, where she played professionally the past three seasons with RIG Lulea. She averaged 10 PPG, 3 RPG, and 3 APG and averaged similar numbers in her youth for the Swedish national team.
Projected Starting Roster
Guard– Gaia Castelli, 5-7, FR
Guard– Anna Hamilton, 5-5, JR
Guard– Noelle Hubert, 5-11, SR
Forward– Lucia Auza, 6-0, FR
Forward– Kennedy Younkin, 6-2, JR
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