Who is on Beth Cunningham's first Missouri State Lady Bears roster so far?
New Missouri State Lady Bears coach Beth Cunningham enters her first season with a different roster than the one that just went to the NCAA Tournament for the third-consecutive season.
Cunningham has had to use the transfer portal to add some pieces while a few notables have carried over heading into 2022-23.
Cunningham has two scholarships still to play with and it's still a question as to whether she will use them. She currently has 13 players on the roster with seven being newcomers.
The proud Lady Bears program will still be expected to compete for championships and contend for another NCAA Tournament berth this upcoming season.
More: Who in the world is on the 2022-23 Missouri State men's basketball roster right now?
Here's a look at who is on the Lady Bears roster:
Sydney Wilson, fifth year
Wilson returns to her fifth season with the Lady Bears and she will be the most experienced having been a key figure in the program's most recent run that includes three NCAA Tournaments and two Sweet 16 appearances.
Wilson is a versatile player who can play anywhere she's asked. She's coming off a season in which she averaged 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Her stats don't show how valuable she's been to the program as she's been one of the best defenders in the Missouri Valley Conference and she can score when needed.
This should be the year that Wilson is finally recognized at the conference level.
Aniya Thomas, fifth year
Thomas joins the Lady Bears as a graduate transfer and she figures to have an immediate role on a team that lost some key guards this past offseason.
Thomas transfers to MSU after four years at Kansas where she started 16 games and averaged 8.5 points and 2.5 rebounds as a senior.
She was a top 50 prospect out of high school and she's shown over her KU days that she's a willing defender. Thomas should have a major role this upcoming season.
Ifunanya Nwachukwu, senior
Nwachuku returns for her second season in a Lady Bears uniform after showing late last year that she was turning into a reliable contributor.
Nwachuku appeared in all 33 games for the Lady Bears and averaged 3.3 points and five boards per game. Her best performances came in the two games at the NCAA Tournament which included a nine-point, 17-rebound game vs. Ohio State.
Nwachukwu will be one of the more experienced post players on the upcoming team. Her role shouldn't diminish in 2022-23.
Capria Brown, junior
Another transfer guard, Brown moves to Springfield from Dayton where she was coached by new assistant Olivia Applewhite.
Brown averaged two points and 2.2 rebounds in her 24 appearances as a sophomore. She was the No. 61 recruit in the country out of high school.
A role for Brown will be expected as the Lady Bears address their guard depth following the departures of Brice Calip and Mya Bhinhar.
Paige Rocca, junior
The hope is that Rocca's role on the team continues to expand this upcoming season after appearing in 14 games in 2021-22.
Rocca could be a 3-point weapon for the Lady Bears after the team struggled to shoot from the outside last season. She was a 30.4% shooter from deep on only 26 attempts. She came to MSU after making 45.2% of her shots from deep during her senior year of high school.
Outside shooting was something the Lady Bears desperately missed last season. If Rocca grabs a role and is consistent from deep, MSU will be pretty dangerous once again.
Isabelle Delarue, sophomore
Delarue was the most impressive true freshman for the Lady Bears last season as she appeared in 23 games and had an MVC Newcomer of the Week next to her name.
She averaged just 3.2 points and 0.9 rebounds while sitting behind an experienced guard group. She has an outside shot that the Lady Bears will hope to see improvement on after shooting 25.7% from long-range last season.
Delaure showed promise during her freshman year. A step forward this year and the Lady Bears will have to like what they have in her for the future.
Lindsey Byers, sophomore
Byers returns for her sophomore season after playing 76 minutes for the Lady Bears a season ago. She was 6-for-11 from deep with all of them coming in consecutive games.
We'll see if Byers can carve out a role for herself as she competes with the different newcomers on the team. She was an all-state performer as a senior at Helias Catholic in Jefferson City. Look for her to compete for minutes.
Indya Green, sophomore
Green, a former Kickapoo star, returns home after playing her freshman season at Moberly Area Community College. She averaged 18.9 points and 11.4 rebounds in 32 games en route to being named an NJCAA All-American.
The numbers are similar to those she put up in a Lady Chiefs uniform when she averaged 19.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as a senior.
Green was considered a little undersized at 5-foot-11 but her elite rebounding ability carried over to the juco ranks. If it carries over to the Division I level, the Lady Bears have a hometown steal and someone who will be playing big minutes immediately.
Kennedy Taylor, sophomore
After Amaka Agugua-Hamilton pursued Taylor out of high school, she chose Colorado and entered the transfer portal after a year. When Cunningham came calling, Taylor answered.
Taylor appeared in eight games on an older Colorado team that went 22-9 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. She was the No. 2 player in Kansas out of high school and was named the Sports in Kansas 6A Player of the Year.
At 6-foot-3, Taylor is a great prospect and will have an opportunity to compete for minutes early on.
Taylor Woodhouse, sophomore
Woodhouse is listed as a sophomore on Missouri State's roster but she will likely receive a medical redshirt after making one appearance for the Lady Bears this past season. She has four seasons of eligibility remaining.
A top 100 player out of high school, Woodhouse sat most of her senior year due to an ACL tear and last season to give it additional rest and because of the depth on the Lady Bears' roster.
Woodhouse could be considered the point guard of the future for the Lady Bears. Her quickness, scoring ability and ability to distribute were praised before her injuries.
If Woodhouse is back to 100% and is what she was expected to be, the Lady Bears will have a good one for the next few years.
Jaiden Bryant, freshman
Bryant comes to Missouri State after being a four-year starter and a three-time state champion at state powerhouse Incarnate Word.
Bryant was a leader for the best team in the state and averaged 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds her senior year for a squad that featured multiple Division I prospects.
Being a leader and knowing how to win will bode well for Bryant as she enters this program.
Khloe Moad, freshman
Moad, an Ash Grove star, makes her way over to Springfield after being one of the first players to commit to the former regime.
Moad is a 6-foot-2 forward who is coming off leading Ash Grove to a 20-8 season while averaging 16.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She was the Class 3, District 11 Player of the Year as a junior.
Jade Masogayo, freshman
A standout in the Dallas area, Masogayo is a 6-foot-3 forward who shot 59% from the field this past season and was named her district's defensive player of the year.
Masogayo averaged 13.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game as a senior and ranked third in the Dallas-Fort Worth area her junior year in rebounding.
Masogayo appears to be the likeliest true freshman to make an impact for the Lady Bears this season. She was a prized recruit when Coach Mox landed her and it's great that Cunningham was able to keep her committed.
Who left the team?
Abby Hipp, Brice Calip, Mariah White and Mya Bhinhar all left the team after graduating.
Abigayle Jackson entered the transfer portal and it doesn't appear she has signed anywhere for this upcoming season.
Jasmine Franklin entered the transfer portal and will use her extra year of eligibility to reunite with former Lady Bears coach Kellie Harper at Tennessee.
Jennifer Ezeh entered the transfer portal and has since signed with Virginia Commonwealth.
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the co-host of Sports Talk on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State Lady Bears roster under new coach Beth Cunningham
