5/27/2026 11:01:00 AM | Women's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
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Defensive-minded transfer from Wagner runs Point Goddess nonprofit
By: Paul Coro
Before even delving into the disruption Keana Foz's defense has caused for two collegiate seasons, her off-the-court accomplishments reveal what she can mean to Grand Canyon basketball.
At 14, Foz founded Point Goddess, a nonprofit organization in which she aims to empower, inspire and uplift women. That same sort of personal development and team building can also lead the Lopes well next season.
Keana and Maya Foz
GCU head coach Winston Gandy did not just add a Wagner two-year starter and two-time All-Northeast Defensive Team honoree who comes to the Lopes in tandem with her talented younger sister, Maya, a Bradley transfer. Gandy found the type of point guard who truly can make her teammates better, and that is not reserved to the court.
"She is an upperclassman guard who has started and taken on different roles," Gandy said. "She brings the veteran leadership part that we didn't have to the level that winning teams have it.
"She's very, very mature for her age. She has a clear directive about where she wants to go and what she wants to accomplish. I told her, 'I don't know what on the floor you're going to be able to do, but I do know you'll be an example of what it looks like more times than not.' That is something our freshmen and underclassmen need."
Foz averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 steals last season for Wagner, where her on-ball pressure keyed a defense that created 20 opponent turnovers per game. The 5-foot-8 guard from Mississauga, Ontario, near Toronto is one of six GCU transfer portal additions who will arrive in Phoenix for June offseason workouts.
"As soon as I got on campus, it felt like home," said Foz, who was born in Montreal. "I didn't want to do any other visits. Why am I going to waste my time when I know this is where I want to be?
"GCU was honestly a no-brainer because I really love the coaching staff and the culture. The staff is really genuine, and I know they are going to care for me as more than just the athlete. I know they're going to take me like I'm one of their own."
With 53 starts over two seasons at Wagner, Foz's offensive game broke out at the end of her sophomore season with consecutive games of 20 and 22 points. But with a calling card of defense and 114 steals in two seasons, a player known for wreaking havoc is in the right place to play in front of the Havocs student section next season.
"I'm a defensive pest," Foz said. "People enjoy watching me because of my defense. Not to sound cocky, but defense is really easy for me. It brings out another joy. It hypes me up, and it hypes my teammates up as well. Defense is my go-to."
Gandy said Foz can elevate the emotional maturity of the team. He was envisioning that impact for the season, when her consistency and availability can set a tone for teammates. But it started before she arrived when she sent Gandy marketing theme ideas for GCU home games.
"I'm someone who works for everything that I have in my life," Foz said. "I'm coming into a new team and program, so I'm going to have to get accustomed to their style, but he (Gandy) wants to win just like I do. And he knows what it takes to win. He was with Dawn Staley (at South Carolina) and Kara Lawson (at Duke), so he knows how to build that championship team."
Foz distributes more than assists to teammates with her foundation work. Growing up with uncles who called themselves "point gods," she and her sister wanted that label too. Their father, Farid, corrected them that they were "point goddesses," and the name stuck.
During the Covid-19 epidemic, Foz printed "Point Goddess" shirts and sent them to deserving and influential people.
Keana Foz and Cynthia Cooper
The Point Goddess nonprofit organization evolved to putting on three annual events:
The "Her Legacy: A Tribute to Amanda Todd" event, which rekindles and strengthens mother-daughter relationships in honor of a club teammate's mother, who died from cancer
A winter camp and panel, which included WNBA great Cynthia Cooper last year ("It's always more than basketball," said Foz, who gave camp proceeds to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital)
Point Goddess Women's Celebrity Game (the fourth will be July 18 in Oakville,Ontario)
"It is dedicated to empowering women, but also it's about empowering younger girls through sports, personal development and community initiatives," Foz said. "It's just representation for them. It's them seeing me as a young Black female playing basketball and having my own business. It shows them a lot and that they're capable of anything they want, especially in this world where women of color are already behind the line. With me being able to share my story, it's going to create an impact and inspire them."
As she shares her story to connect with Phoenix, Foz gets to share the court and reconnect with her sister, Maya, for a different impact. Keana, known as "KJ," grew up playing with Maya, last season's Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year, through their prep time at Fort Erie International Academy. GCU fulfilled the sisters' shared dream of being college teammates.
"It's just really exciting to play with my sister again," Foz said. "She makes the game easier for me. She can definitely get a bucket on her own, but it's easier when you have a point guard that knows your style of play. It will be easier for me to find her, and I know she'll be able to hit those shots and make those layups."
