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BYU's Paisley Harding (13) drives to the basket against Fresno State in a women's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

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BYU head coach Jeff Judkins directs his team during the exhibition game against Westminster at the Marriott Center in Provo on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Courtesy BYU Photo)

BYU_PHOTO

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BYU's Shaylee Gonzales drives to the basket in a women's college basketball game against Lipscomb in the Marriott Center on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2021. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

Jaren Wilkey/BYU

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Members of the BYU women's basketball team cheer from the bench during a game against Washington State at the Marriott Center on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

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BYU senior center Sara Hamson celebrates making a tip-in during the WCC game against Saint Mary's at the Marriott Center in Provo on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo)

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BYU players prepare to take the floor before the WCC game against Saint Mary's at the Marriott Center in Provo on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo)

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BYU starters Paisley Harding, Lauren Gustin, Teagan Graham, Maria Albiero and Shaylee Gonzales pose for a photo before the WCC game against Gonzaga at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo)

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BYU players (from left) Paisley Harding, Lauren Gustin, Maria Albiero, Shaylee Gonzales and Sara Hamson walk onto the floor after a time out during a WCC women's basketball game against Loyola Marymount at the Marriott Center on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

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BYU fans cheer for the Cougars during the WCC game against Gonzaga at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo)

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BYU sophomore forward Lauren Gustin plays defense during the NCAA first round game against Villanova at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Courtesy BYU Photo)

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The BYU women's basketball team celebrates their 59-52 win against Portland in the West Coast Conference semifinals at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, 2022. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

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BYU's Tegan Graham moves the Cougar logo into the finals on the tournament bracket at the West Coast Conference Tournament at Orleans in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, 2022. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

❮ ❯

The core of the senior class for the BYU women’s basketball team is unique and their contributions may never be duplicated.

Paisley Harding, Maria Albiero, Sara Hamson and Tegan Graham completed their eligibility in 2022. Between them, the four stalwarts combined for 482 games played, 258 starts and 3,765 points during their careers in Provo. Harding, Albiero and Hamson were able to play five seasons due to the COVID bonus campaign allowed by the NCAA and Graham, a transfer from Colgate in 2020-21, was able to add an additional year as well.

During the past five seasons, the Cougars posted 108 wins, were 59-8 in the Marriott Center and earned invitations to three NCAA Tournaments.

Harding was the most prolific as a scorer, amassing 1.915 points to place sixth all-time in BYU history. The other three players made their marks in different ways. Albiero completed her career with 337 assists, top 20 in the record books. The 6-foot-7 Hamson finished with 460 career blocks, second behind her mother, Tresa Spaulding Hamson, on the all-time list. Graham set the school record for 3-pointers in a game this season at Oklahoma (10) and was a big personality as the Cougars drew more and more fans to the Marriott Center.

“This season has meant the world to me,” Harding said. “This has been such a fun season. And then on top of that, this program is amazing. I couldn’t have asked to go to any other college and have this experience. I’ve been able to be brought up as a young freshman into this with aspiring and intelligent and great young women and be able to really perform on the basketball court because of this program, because of the university I went to and because of my coaches helping me, pushing me, having confidence in me.”

BYU fell short of their goal of a Final Four, losing to No. 11 seed Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Tournament a week ago. Still, the Cougars won a regular-season West Coast Conference title for the first time since 2016 and finished with a program-best 26-4 record.

What’s next?

Next season will be BYU’s last in the WCC before making the leap to the Big 12 in 2023-24. The ramp-up year will be critical in preparing for longer road trips and tougher competition.

Two starters return in two-time WCC Player of the Year Shaylee Gonzales and forward Lauren Gustin. Gonzales averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Gustin averaged a double-double (10.7 points, 11.6 rebounds) in her second year as a starter.

Sophomore guard Kaylee Smiler was a solid defender and 3-point shooter off the bench. The off-season will be a very important time for freshmen Nani Falatea, Emma Calvert and Arielle Mackey-Williams, who all earned valuable playing time during 2021-22. Fellow freshman Rose Bubaker is probably the most athletic player on the roster and will work hard in the off-season to sharpen her game. Amanda Barcello, younger sister of BYU men’s standout Alex Barcello, redshirted this season due to injury and could contribute.

“Paisley and Sara got better every year,” Cougar coach Jeff Judkins said. “They worked on something of their weakness and got better. I hope the young kids that are here will see the same and will be able to focus on that. I think we set a good tone for what is expected and what we want to achieve. I think that’s going to help these guys drive through it all summer. I know we’ll give them some rest. There are finals next month. We will give them some time off and then get back on it.

“You have a great team and you work hard with them, and now they are graduating and now you’re kind of starting over a little bit. But I think they set a really good foundation of what we need to do with our basketball program.”

Judkins added two players for next season during the early signing period in November.

Shayla Gillmer is a 6-1 guard/forward from Aliso Viejo, Calif., who averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds for Ontario Christian as a senior.

Shayla is really athletic,” Judkins said. “She can get to the basket and she has a good outside shot. Shayla is a very aggressive rebounder and can really run the floor. We want a three or four that can really spread the floor in our offense and hit shots and drive it.”

Olympus High School’s Alyssa Blanck (6-2 forward) averaged 18.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 2021-22 and made 55 3-pointers.

“Alyssa is a great passer and can really shoot the 3-pointer,” Judkins said. “She can also play the three or the four for us depending on who we are going against. Alyssa is a very smart player and understands the game, playing on a very good high school team here in Utah.”

The Cougars will be courting Lone Peak guard Kailey Woolston for the Class of 2023. Wooston averaged 19.7 points per game and made 64 3-pointers this season, leading the Knights to an unbeaten record (23-0) and the 6A state championship.

It’s possible Judkins and his staff will also mine the transfer portal for additions. The Cougars scored big with Graham two years ago but never got much of a chance to see Michigan State transfer Kayla Belles-Lee. She played in only eight games two seasons ago and missed the entire 2021-22 season due to injury, eventually retiring from basketball.

“I think we have a big future,” Judkins said. “The freshmen are very talented. You’ll see next year. They’re different, but they will come in and do what we need them to do.”

BYU Women’s Basketball 2021-22 Season

Highlights

Beating Gonzaga at home on Senior Day

Things couldn’t have gone more perfectly as the Cougars played in front of a record crowd (6,289) at the Marriott Center and honored seniors Paisley Harding, Maria Albiero, Sara Hamson and Tegan Graham. BYU routed Gonzaga 63-39, creating 20 assists on 23 made baskets.

Winning a WCC regular-season title

The Cougars went 15-1 in league play to win the WCC title for the second time (the other was 2015-16) and it was fourth league championship under Judkins.

Shaylee Gonzales named WCC Player of the Year for second straight season

Gonzales shared the award with Gonzaga’s Jenn Wirth last seasom but claimed the title for her own in 2022, averaging 18.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while also leading the team in steals (70)

Tegan Graham sets school record for 3-pointers

Graham earned a reputation as a great outside shooter and broke the school record on the road at Oklahoma, making 10 of 16 from beyond the arc, passing Erin Thorn and Kim Beeston who each made nine in a single game.

Making the NCAA Tournament

The first goal was to get to the Big Dance and the Cougars were in easily, though likely under seeded as a No. 5.

Lowlights

Losing opening round NCAA game

A season is more than just one game and the Cougars accomplished plenty in 2021-22. But they expected much more of themselves than a tough 61-57 first-round loss to 11 seed Villanova.

Losing in OT at Oklahoma

The Cougars had every opportunity to pick up a huge road win but couldn’t quite pull it off despite Graham’s 10 3-pointers, losing 99-91 in overtime.

Losing to Gonzaga in WCC Tournament

For the second straight year the Bulldogs were BYU’s kryptonite in the WCC Tournament championship game. Gonzaga won on a last-second shot in 2021 but dominated from the start this time, winning 71-59.

Not getting to host an NCAA Regional

Despite a Top 10 NET Ranking and a 26-3 record, BYU didn’t get the opportunity to host an NCAA Regional at the Marriott Center, which would have been a real party. The Cougars would have had to have been a No. 4 seed but were tabbed as a No. 5.

Loss at Portland keeps BYU from going undefeated in WCC play

The Cougars shot just 4 of 18 from the 3-point line in a 75-64 loss at Portland, snapping a 10-game winning streak.

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