Paws Up Preview – FIU WBB 2024 Season

MIAMI, FL – We’re in that period of the Fall Semester where the basketball season for both the men’s and women’s teams is set to tip-off.

The women’s team will look pretty different from what we saw last season – a 21-12 squad that was a first-round exit in the CUSA Tournament and a second-round exit in the WNIT.

Still, there’s room for optimism for head coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley in her fifth year with the Panthers. 2023 was their best season in over a decade, with their highest placement in CUSA since their debut in the conference – 2012.

The Familiar Returners

The roster for FIU consists of five veteran players from 2023, six newcomers from the transfer portal, and two brand-new freshmen.

Mya Kone impressed many last season. The junior forward collected 11.4 points per game, and 8.1 rebounds per game, leading the Panthers in both categories. For her efforts off the bench, she earned the 2023 CUSA Sixth Player of the Year award.

Senior point guard Tanajah Hayes earned both Second-Team All-Conference and All-Defense honors for FIU in a monster campaign in 2023 and will look to guard the rim once again.

Junior guard Angena Belloso also returns to the roster. She proved to be a reliable scorer with 8.1 points per game and also provided longevity with 31 games played in the regular season, CUSA Tournament, and WNIT.

The Notable Newcomers

There’s a lot of talent that FIU brought in through the transfer portal, hailing from some of the biggest conferences in the NCAA, some solid Mid-Major programs, and the JUCO level.

Keep an eye out for senior forward Isnelle Natabou, transferring in from the Iowa State Cyclones. (Before them, Sacramento State) Hailing from the Czech Republic, Natabou has scored over 1,000 points. With a height of 6’4, she’s one of the tallest players in CUSA.

Senior Aaliyah Pitts used to compete against FIU when she was a member of Western Kentucky. Now, she’ll join the Panthers to complete her collegiate career. Her mother, Tatana Pitts, was a former member of FIU.

Parris Atkins already has a solid resume from Dodge City Community College in Kansas, where she averaged 14.5 points per game in 2023. Even more impressive than that, she played in every single game for the Conquistadors.

The Freshman Faces

There are a pair of true freshmen that were added to the team. Minutes might be hard to come by initially, but there should be opportunities down the line for them to see action.

Freshman guard Ndate Ndiaye was a member of the Greenforest Christian Academy that won the Georgia state championship. A native of Senegal, Ndiaye was also part of the FIBA U18 Women’s African Championship.

Keep an eye out for Claudia Marina Gonzalez. Hailing from Spain, she averaged 14 points and six rebounds in Madrid’s U18 league.

FIU will open up its 2024 campaign at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Monday, November 4th at 7pm against Florida National.