Texas women’s basketball is around the corner and the Longhorns look primed and ready to make another run towards a national championship. The 2023-2024 team has a mix of youth and experience that could bode well for them as the season goes on. The Longhorns already have high expectations, receiving multiple preseason honors.
The No. 13 Longhorns are led by junior point guard Rori Harmon who looks to build off her impressive past two seasons. Harmon was named Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, an honor that is voted on by the league’s coaches who can not vote for their own athlete. The honor shows that a majority of the coaches outside of Texas head coach Vic Schaefer believe Harmon is the best player in the conference. Harmon is also a unanimous selection for the Preseason All-Big 12 team. She also found herself on the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, an award given to the best point guard in women’s Division I college basketball.
True freshman forward Madison Booker received preseason honors as well, being named the Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Booker has won three gold medals with Team USA and is ranked No. 12 in the 2023 recruiting class. Booker could have an immediate impact on this team and take them one step closer to a national championship.
Senior forward DeYona Gaston earned herself a place on the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Gaston played in 32 games last season and averaged 12.1 points per game, as well as 40 blocked shots. The forward is entering her senior year and will continue to be an anchor on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Gaston has also been named to the Katrina McClain Award watch list. The award honors the best power forward in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
Graduate student guard Shaylee Gonzales was named as a Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Last season, Gonzales averaged 12.7 points per game and was a sharpshooter for the team, shooting 41.7% from the field. The guard in her graduate year also eclipsed 2,000 career points last season and is the reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Junior forward Aaliyah Moore is also an Honorable Mention on the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Moore also finds herself alongside Gaston as a member of the Katrina McClain Award watch list. The junior from Moore, Oklahoma suffered a season ending injury in early December 2022, but showed major potential in the games she did play in. Moore averaged 11.2 points per game and nearly five rebounds per game as well. If she can stay healthy, Moore will not only add depth to this squad but can be an offensive threat as well.
The 2023-2024 team will make its debut in the Orange and White scrimmage on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. in the Moody Center.
