Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus San Diego State on February 4, 2026 , Win , 57, to, 44
W Basketball
vs San Diego State
W 57-44
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Blended experience forms big potential
10/2/2024 4:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU seeks 1st WAC title with battle-tested team of returnees, newcomers
Grand Canyon women's basketball knows it boasts a defense that statistically ranks among the nation's best annually, returns most of its scoring from last season and lines up the experience of 12 players who have been starters, including nine Lopes in their fourth or fifth seasons.
Meshing the GCU vehicle's gears is the pressing challenge for a team that is talented enough to be the program's best. Four weeks remain before its debut in an exhibition game.
"I'm really excited to get my hands on them finally in a full practice season and see if we can mesh, but the talent's there," Lopes fifth-year head coach Molly Miller said. "It'll be good to get reps in and gain chemistry."
GCU is coming off its winningest campaign (24-8) and highest NCAA postseason ranking (No. 93) in 11 Division I seasons. The Lopes' returnees are topped by conference honorees Tiarra Brown and Trinity San Antonio and have been provided reinforcements with seven newcomers.
A summer of workouts began the work of building this season's product, which stepped up the intensity and workload last week with the first official practices. The Lopes went through the Miller tradition of themed camp days – Camp Go (transition offense), Camp Buckets (shooting), Camp Lockdown (pressure defense) and Camp Grit (screening, taking charges, rebounding, trapping, etc.).
"Now we have a group of players who are more content with buying in and more content in playing their roles rather than trying to be satisfied with doing something that they're not comfortable doing," said GCU senior guard Trinity San Antonio, who was an Olympian starter for Puerto Rico this summer. "That will help everybody establish who they are on the court and establish the team culture."
Last season's Lopes finished closer to first place in the WAC than ever (two games back) but were eliminated in a WAC Tournament semifinal for a second consecutive season.
"It was a gut check," said GCU graduate forward Laura Erikstrup, who is teaming with her twin, Sydney, for a second Lopes season. "It really made us re-evaluate some things and look into different things. I think we put a product on the floor this offseason that we've never seen before. I'm excited to see that translate this season.
"This is it. There's no next year. There are no what-ifs."
Miller is leaning on the system and game experience that Brown, San Antonio, the Erikstrups and rotation guards Callie Cooper and Anna Ostlie have to help incorporate new players.
That GCU incoming group runs the gamut of experience, from a pair of seasoned UNLV transfers in sharpshooter Alyssa Durazo-Frescas and multi-dimensional scorer Nneka Obiazor to a potential impact freshman in guard Naomi White.
"It's a winning culture," said Miller, whose GCU teams have gone 85-35. "They know what that looks like. A lot of it is sacrifice. If you want to be one of one, you have to play like you're one of one. Our goal ultimately is the WAC championship and to make it to the NCAA tournament. We've got experience that has done it before, so now we've got to get that locker room piece."
GCU ranked 19th nationally for fewest points allowed per game last season and had the fourth-most steals in the nation two seasons ago. Defense will always be embedded into a program for Miller, but she also feels this team's offense will close the gap sooner than usual.
"I'm beyond excited for this season," said Laura Erikstrup, who won WAC Sixth Woman of the Year after improving from 45% shooting in three seasons at San Diego to 60% for GCU. "I think we're going to put an amazing product on the floor. I hope we're able to accomplish all our goals this season and cut down nets at the end of the season."
Brown's return was a boost. She put four years into the program, was an All-WAC first-team honoree and graduated, but she still elected to use the NCAA's COVID-19 waiver to return for this season. Already the program's Division I-era career leader in rebounds, blocked shots and steals, Brown could add the program's D-I scoring record to her Lopes legacy.
Brown was Miller's first commitment in 2020, starting the turnaround for GCU's four years with her (85-35, .708) vs. the Lopes' first seven D-I seasons before her arrival (101-98, .509).
"GCU is no longer a hidden gem," Miller said. "It's a school of choice. To bring kids in here that are that talented and at that elite level, our program and our brand are able to grow quicker."
Meshing the GCU vehicle's gears is the pressing challenge for a team that is talented enough to be the program's best. Four weeks remain before its debut in an exhibition game.
"I'm really excited to get my hands on them finally in a full practice season and see if we can mesh, but the talent's there," Lopes fifth-year head coach Molly Miller said. "It'll be good to get reps in and gain chemistry."GCU is coming off its winningest campaign (24-8) and highest NCAA postseason ranking (No. 93) in 11 Division I seasons. The Lopes' returnees are topped by conference honorees Tiarra Brown and Trinity San Antonio and have been provided reinforcements with seven newcomers.
A summer of workouts began the work of building this season's product, which stepped up the intensity and workload last week with the first official practices. The Lopes went through the Miller tradition of themed camp days – Camp Go (transition offense), Camp Buckets (shooting), Camp Lockdown (pressure defense) and Camp Grit (screening, taking charges, rebounding, trapping, etc.).
"Now we have a group of players who are more content with buying in and more content in playing their roles rather than trying to be satisfied with doing something that they're not comfortable doing," said GCU senior guard Trinity San Antonio, who was an Olympian starter for Puerto Rico this summer. "That will help everybody establish who they are on the court and establish the team culture."Last season's Lopes finished closer to first place in the WAC than ever (two games back) but were eliminated in a WAC Tournament semifinal for a second consecutive season.
"It was a gut check," said GCU graduate forward Laura Erikstrup, who is teaming with her twin, Sydney, for a second Lopes season. "It really made us re-evaluate some things and look into different things. I think we put a product on the floor this offseason that we've never seen before. I'm excited to see that translate this season.
"This is it. There's no next year. There are no what-ifs."
Miller is leaning on the system and game experience that Brown, San Antonio, the Erikstrups and rotation guards Callie Cooper and Anna Ostlie have to help incorporate new players.
That GCU incoming group runs the gamut of experience, from a pair of seasoned UNLV transfers in sharpshooter Alyssa Durazo-Frescas and multi-dimensional scorer Nneka Obiazor to a potential impact freshman in guard Naomi White.
"It's a winning culture," said Miller, whose GCU teams have gone 85-35. "They know what that looks like. A lot of it is sacrifice. If you want to be one of one, you have to play like you're one of one. Our goal ultimately is the WAC championship and to make it to the NCAA tournament. We've got experience that has done it before, so now we've got to get that locker room piece."
GCU ranked 19th nationally for fewest points allowed per game last season and had the fourth-most steals in the nation two seasons ago. Defense will always be embedded into a program for Miller, but she also feels this team's offense will close the gap sooner than usual.
"I'm beyond excited for this season," said Laura Erikstrup, who won WAC Sixth Woman of the Year after improving from 45% shooting in three seasons at San Diego to 60% for GCU. "I think we're going to put an amazing product on the floor. I hope we're able to accomplish all our goals this season and cut down nets at the end of the season."Brown's return was a boost. She put four years into the program, was an All-WAC first-team honoree and graduated, but she still elected to use the NCAA's COVID-19 waiver to return for this season. Already the program's Division I-era career leader in rebounds, blocked shots and steals, Brown could add the program's D-I scoring record to her Lopes legacy.
Brown was Miller's first commitment in 2020, starting the turnaround for GCU's four years with her (85-35, .708) vs. the Lopes' first seven D-I seasons before her arrival (101-98, .509).
"GCU is no longer a hidden gem," Miller said. "It's a school of choice. To bring kids in here that are that talented and at that elite level, our program and our brand are able to grow quicker."
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