After the NC State Women’s Basketball team’s continued success and their NCAA Final Four appearance in the 2023-24 season — their second appearance since 1998 — expectations were high for the 2024-2025 season. With several key departures in the offseason and uncertainty surrounding Caitlin Weimar’s health, Head Coach Wes Moore faced the challenge of filling roster spots and preparing the team before their first game on Nov. 5, 2024.
Unlike other NC State teams, the women’s basketball team hasn’t failed to meet expectations. They ended the regular season with a 16-2 record — going undefeated at home and earning the 2025 ACC Regular Season Co-Champions title. Their remarkable season elevates NC State’s name in college sports, and deserves to be highlighted for their NCAA tournament run.
Under Moore’s leadership, the women’s basketball team has continued to stack accomplishments. Before their 2024 NCAA tournament run, the team ended the regular season 13-5, an improvement from the previous year’s 9-9 record. After defeating Duke and Florida State in the ACC Tournament, they lost in the final to Notre Dame but still secured their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
During their 2023-24 NCAA tournament run, the Wolfpack entered the Final Four for the first time since 1998, facing the undefeated South Carolina. While they kept it close in the first half, they fell behind in the third quarter, ultimately losing 59-78 and ending a historic season. The NC State women’s basketball team finished the 2023-24 season with an impressive run and impact on the team’s history. They went into the off-season with roster changes and high expectations for the 2024-25 season.
The offseason saw three players transfer, but the most considerable losses were fifth-year seniors River Baldwin and Mimi Collins. The remaining roster, along with a strong recruiting class, was left with high expectations and exceeded them throughout this remarkable season.
Standout guards Madison Hayes, Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James returned after strong performances last season. They were joined by four-star guard recruits Devyn Quigley and Zamareya Jones, as well as sophomores Laci Steele and Zoe Brooks.
The guards maintained their standout performance this season, each leading the team in at least one of several key stats: Aziaha James is averaging 17.9 points per game, Madison Hayes leads with 7.9 rebounds per game, Zoe Brooks records 3.7 assists per game and Saniya Rivers contributes defensively with 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
After their NCAA Tournament match against South Carolina, the now fifth-year senior and center Lizzy Williamson was injured but continued to play until the team’s match against Coastal Carolina at the end of November 2024. Coach Moore later confirmed she would undergo surgery for the injury and not return for the remainder of the season.
Fortunately, sophomore Mallory Collier and freshman Lorena Awou stepped up, with Collier averaging a 57.3% field goal percentage and Awou a 50.7% field goal percentage.
Caitlin Weimar, a Boston University transfer, was expected to fill the void left by Mimi Collins. However, she was unfortunately unable to play with the Wolfpack due to a season-ending hip injury. In her absence, freshman forward recruit Tilda Trygger and sophomore Maddie Cox made up for the team’s loss. Trygger has been a standout, starting 20 games and making a strong impact as a freshman.
With no losses at home, the Wolfpack ended the regular season with a 16-2 conference record. Their only regular-season conference losses came against UNC-Chapel Hill and California, with additional non-conference losses to Texas Christian University, Louisiana State University and South Carolina. Except for their game against South Carolina, their other defeats followed the same pattern: the team struggled to close out games after falling behind at the very end. Despite this, NC State’s guards remained dominant, leading in scoring, rebounds and assists nearly every game.
NC State defeated multiple top-10 ACC opponents, including Duke and Notre Dame. Against Duke, Aziaha James scored her NC State career-high of 36 points in a single game. The game remained close until Zoe Brooks secured the 89-83 win with two free throws at the end of the game.
Scheduled to go against the then-No. 1 team on Feb. 23, 2025, the Wolfpack hosted Notre Dame and ESPN College Gameday at Reynolds Coliseum. Playing a close game and going into double overtime, Brooks came in at the end again, making two successful free throws to secure the 104-95 win. This game was important for Trygger, as she played an impressive game with the guards and matched her career-high of 19 points.
After their 69-45 win against Southern Methodist University, NC State received the ACC Regular Season Co-Championship title alongside Notre Dame.
At the end of the regular season, the Wolfpack went to Greensboro, North Carolina, to face Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament quarter-finals. Barely managing to win, NC State advanced into the semifinals with a 73-72 victory.
They then faced UNC in the semifinals, leading for the first 36 minutes of the game. Freshmen Lorena Awou, Tilda Trygger, and sophomore Mallory Collier played a crucial role in widening the scoring gap, helping secure a 65-56 win.
The ACC championship game against the Duke Blue Devils started strong for the Wolfpack, but they couldn’t hold on and eventually fell 76-62, making it the second year in a row that they lost the ACC tournament final. Despite the loss, some members of the Wolfpack managed to succeed. Aziahi James, Saniya Rivers and Zoe Brooks made it to the All-Tournament First Team, and Madison Hayes made the All-Tournament Second Team.
The NC State women’s basketball team entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations following their continued success in recent years, and so far, they have delivered. While Head Coach Wes Moore deserves some credit, the team’s seniors have driven their success.
As we head into March Madness, one can’t help but wonder whether they will continue to struggle with taking the lead in challenging games and closing them out or if they will adjust their strategy. However, they can make another deep NCAA Tournament run if they stick to their strengths and play with the same resilience.
Their work throughout the season is a standout among NC State’s struggling sports teams; they symbolize the importance of giving women’s sports the recognition they deserve. Celebrating their achievements not only honors their work but also secures the program’s future and leaves a lasting impact on NC State athletics.
