Rutgers women’s basketball is entering a new chapter.
After a difficult stretch for the program, the Scarlet Knights will have a different look in 2026-27 under first-year head coach Gary Redus II. The former LSU assistant arrives in Piscataway with experience on a national championship staff and a roster that has changed significantly.
There are familiar faces returning, but Rutgers has also added several transfers who bring experience from the SEC, Big Ten and other programs. The biggest question
is how quickly this group can develop chemistry and compete in one of the toughest conferences in women’s college basketball.
The Scarlet Knights opened the preseason with a 104-49 exhibition win over Caldwell. Now, with the regular season beginning against LIU, it’s time to see what this team can become.
Getting to Know the Roster
The Guards
Chikae Desdunes — Freshman
Desdunes made quite an introduction in Rutgers’ exhibition against Caldwell. The four-star freshman finished with 17 points, three assists, and an eye-catching 10 steals, a unique double-double.
She shot 5-of-8 from the field and 5-of-7 from three-point range, showing an ability to contribute on both ends of the floor while providing strong outside shooting.
Desdunes arrives from DME Academy in Florida as one of the more intriguing additions to the backcourt. The New Orleans native has the potential to become an important piece of Redus’ rotation, and her exhibition performance certainly gives Rutgers fans something to be excited about.
Lauryn Swann — Junior
Swann returns to Rutgers for her second season with the Scarlet Knights after transferring in following her freshman breakout season at Arizona. Swann will look to stay healthy this year after struggling with injuries last year, appearing in 16 games and starting four.
She finished with 10 points and three rebounds against Caldwell, shooting 4-of-6 from the field. With the roster turnover, her familiarity with Rutgers could be valuable as she looks to establish herself within Redus’ rotation.
Mya Pauldo — Sophomore
Mya Pauldo returns to New Jersey after beginning her college career at Tennessee. She appeared in 20 games as a freshman, averaging 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds.
While the numbers were modest, Pauldo was a highly regarded recruit coming out of Morris Catholic. Returning closer to home and with a fresh start could give her the chance to develop into a bigger contributor.
She finished the Caldwell exhibition with seven points, four assists, and three steals. Her ability to create opportunities for teammates and disrupt opposing offenses could make her a valuable part of the backcourt.
Mia Pauldo — Sophomore
Mia Pauldo is one of the biggest additions to Rutgers’ backcourt. After a standout freshman season at Tennessee, she returns home to join her twin sister in Piscataway.
Pauldo averaged 10.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors. She also recorded 13 double-digit scoring performances and three 20-point games.
She continued to show her offensive ability against Caldwell, finishing with 11 points and five assists. Rutgers will need her scoring and playmaking throughout the season, and she could quickly become one of the team’s most important players.
Deja Young — Graduate Student
Young returns for her third season with the Scarlet Knights after previously walking on at Hampton. The Teaneck native offers experience and familiarity with the program, something that could be especially important during a coaching transition.
She did not score against Caldwell but recorded one rebound, two steals, and a blocked shot. Her defensive contributions are worth monitoring as she looks to find a role in the rotation.
Hope Masonius — Junior
Masonius joins Rutgers after spending time at Bucknell. The New Jersey native and sister of former Maryland standout Faith Masonius appeared in 23 games last season, making seven starts while averaging 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds.
She also contributed 31 assists and 19 steals. Against Caldwell, Masonius finished with two points, one rebound, and one assist at the end of the contest with a nice putback jumper.
She may not be expected to carry the offensive load, but her ability to contribute in multiple areas could be useful as Rutgers builds its rotation. Masonius was also a strong perimeter shooter in high school for Manasquan.
Kennedy Brandt — Senior
Brandt is now the longest-tenured Scarlet Knight as she enters her senior season with the program. The Glen Ellyn, Illinois native has spent her past three seasons at Rutgers and will have an opportunity to contribute under the new coaching staff.
She finished the exhibition with one point, three rebounds and one assist. Her experience could be useful as the team works to establish its identity, particularly with so many new players joining the roster. Like Masonius, she flashes as a strong outside shooter off the bench.
Tara Daye — Graduate Student
Daye arrives after playing last season at Purdue, being the lone Boilermaker to play in and start all 30 games. She led Purdue in scoring and rebounding at 12.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and now returns to her home state after playing on three different Power Four teams in four seasons.
She was one of the standout performers against Caldwell, recording 16 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Daye shot 5-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Her ability to contribute in several areas makes her an intriguing addition. Rutgers will need experienced players to step up, and Daye showed she could be one of them.
The Wings and Frontcourt
Jaylah Lampley — Sophomore
Lampley arrives after spending her freshman season at Mississippi State. She averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while appearing in 30 games and making six starts.
The 6-foot-1 guard showed an ability to contribute in multiple areas, including scoring, rebounding, and perimeter shooting.
She continued that production against Caldwell, recording 14 points and 10 rebounds. Lampley shot 6-of-9 from the field and added two steals and a blocked shot.
Her experience in the SEC should help with the adjustment to another challenging conference. If she builds on her freshman season, she could become an important part of Rutgers’ rotation.
Zachara Perkins — Junior
Perkins is one of Rutgers’ most important returning players after averaging 11.4 points per game last season. The 6-foot-3 guard/forward provides size and scoring versatility on the wing.
She finished with six points, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots against Caldwell. While her scoring output was relatively modest, her defensive activity stood out.
Rutgers will need Perkins to remain a consistent offensive presence. With several new players joining the roster, her ability to carry over last season’s production could be crucial to the team’s success.
Zennia Thomas — Graduate Student
Thomas arrives after a standout season at Howard, where she earned MEAC Player of the Year honors. She averaged 15.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, helping lead the Bison to both the MEAC regular-season and tournament championships.
She also brings previous experience at Kentucky. Thomas gives Rutgers an experienced frontcourt scorer who has already demonstrated an ability to be a focal point of an offense.
She finished with nine points, five rebounds, and one blocked shot against Caldwell. Her production at Howard makes her one of the most intriguing transfers on the roster. The question will be how that success translates against Big Ten competition.
Imani Lester — Graduate Student
Lester is another important returning contributor, averaging 10.8 points per game last season. At 6-foot-3, she gives Rutgers size and another scoring option around the basket.
She contributed seven points, three rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot against Caldwell. With Thomas joining the frontcourt, Lester should have an opportunity to form an important interior combination.
Rutgers will need both players to be productive, particularly against the size and physicality it will face throughout conference play.
Precious Gem Wheeler — Sophomore
Wheeler returns after her freshman season with an opportunity to take another step forward. At 6-foot-3, she has the size to contribute in the frontcourt, and her development will be worth monitoring as the team establishes its rotation.
She did not record a statistical contribution against Caldwell. Rutgers could benefit from Wheeler becoming a more consistent presence around the basket, especially when facing bigger Big Ten opponents.
Natassja Kolff — Junior
Kolff brings an international background to Rutgers after playing professionally in Argentina. The 6-foot-2 forward averaged 7.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in the Argentine league and has also represented her country internationally.
She finished with four points, seven rebounds and three assists against Caldwell, adding two steals. Her rebounding and ability to facilitate from the frontcourt could give Rutgers another dimension. Her immediate impact in the exhibition is promising as she posesses the ability to start at the five spot for the Scarlet Knights.
Previewing the 2026-27 Schedule
Rutgers opens the season with seven consecutive home games, giving Gary Redus II an opportunity to establish his rotations and build chemistry before conference play begins. The nonconference schedule includes an early road test at Princeton on November 25, followed by matchups against South Dakota State and Georgetown in the Daytona Beach Classic (Quad 3 and Quad 2 in that order).
With the first seven games being against Quad 4 competition, the first major test will certainly be the road game against Princeton (Q1), in which the Scarlet Knights have lost four straight contests to the Tigers, all by double-digits. Rutgers will also take on in-state rival Seton Hall (Q3) for the first time since 2023 on December 8th.
The Big Ten schedule gets underway December 5 against Ohio State, with several difficult stretches awaiting the Scarlet Knights. Road games at Indiana and Iowa, along with matchups against USC, Michigan and defending national champion UCLA, will provide significant tests in January. Rutgers will also have opportunities to pick up important conference wins, particularly during a stretch featuring home games against Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State and Purdue.
The season concludes with a challenging finish that includes road trips to Washington, Oregon and Maryland. There is no shortage of difficult opponents, but Rutgers will have opportunities to demonstrate how much progress it has made under its new coaching staff.
What Should Rutgers Expect This Season?
There are reasons to be optimistic about the direction of Rutgers women’s basketball, but there are also plenty of questions.
The roster has talent. Mia Pauldo brings proven scoring ability from Tennessee, Thomas arrives after a dominant season at Howard, and Perkins and Lester give Rutgers returning production. Lampley also has an opportunity to build on her freshman season at Mississippi State, while Kolff adds a strong frontcourt presence for the Knights.
The challenge is putting all those pieces together.
Redus has to establish a system, determine his best rotations and get a group with several new faces comfortable playing together. The Big Ten schedule will not give Rutgers much time to figure everything out.
The biggest question may be whether the Scarlet Knights can find enough consistent offense to compete with the conference’s top teams. Rutgers has several players capable of scoring, but it will need contributions across the roster.
This is a new beginning for the program. It may take time for everything to come together, but Redus has brought in a group with experience and potential.
For Rutgers, the goal should be to show tangible progress, compete more consistently and build a foundation for the future, while competing in the stacked Big Ten Conference after last year’s team limped to just one conference win. How much of that happens in Redus’ first season will be one of the biggest storylines to follow on the Banks.
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