In her first season as head coach,Coquese Washington saw plenty of growth from her Rutgers women’s basketball program.
The Scarlet Knights finished the 2022-23 season with a 12-20 (5-13 Big Ten) record. It was a building block season for sure as Rutgers looks like they established a foundation for the program.
During the Big Ten Basketball Media Day, a question was raised to Washington, asking her what was her biggest takeaway from last year as a new head coach. Rutgers’ head coach expressed her biggest takeaway was the quality of coaching and talent throughout the Big Ten Conference.
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“When you look across the landscape of Big Ten women’s basketball, there’s so much talent. There’s so much outstanding coaching. That helps you prepare for postseason play. You have to be on your P’s and Q’s every night because you’re going to face coaches who are great at making in-game adjustments, who are great at preparation, who have varying styles of play, so it helps make your program one that you have to elevate your ability to be successful in this conference,” Washington stated during the Big Ten Basketball Media Day.
Washington and the Scarlet Knights kick off their 2023-24 season against Monmouth on Monday, November 6. Their hope is that they will continue to build a foundation.
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The Scarlet Knights will be led by sophomore guard Kaylene Smikle, one of the best players in the Big Ten, averaging 17.9 points per game last season. Also, Rutgers added North Carolina transfer Destiny Adams to their roster. Originally from New Jersey, Adams is expected to be a big upgrade in the program’s starting five.