Entering this season, Georgetown women’s basketball (14-17, 6-14 BIG EAST) had big shoes to fill with the departure of star guard Kelsey Ransom. She led the team in scoring—averaging 20.4 points per game—and was a force for the team on and off the court.
“She was a big part of our team last year, and she was a big leader in the way she played,” sophomore guard Khadee Hession said in an interview with the Voice at the beginning of the season.
Ransom’s scoring ability was no doubt the reason for much of the team’s success last year, and in her absence, fans entered this season hopeful—yet unsure of who was going to fill her shoes. Of the 15 platers listed on this season’s roster, eight were new transfers or freshmen, and two—graduate forwards Chetanna Nweke and Brianna Scott—had missed the 2024-2025 season with injuries. The new faces on the roster this year gave head coach Darnall Haney a chance to rebuild the team and its systems.
When asked how he planned to replace Ransom in scoring, Haney told the Voice, “Well, it’s gonna be by committee. [Ransom] kind of had to do everything for us last year. This year, you don’t have an individual person who has to do as much as she did.”
Haney was right. This year, none of Georgetown’s players averaged more than ten points per game, with senior guard Victoria Rivera leading the team with 9.4 points per game. Unfortunately for the Hoyas, Rivera played in only nine games this season, her last being against Delaware State University (7-23, 4-10 MEAC) on Dec. 13.
While the Hoyas struggled to find a singular player to consistently perform offensively, there were certainly highlights from the season—most of them coming from Haney’s new recruits. One bright spot was junior guard Khia Miller. Miller averaged nine points per game, second on the team behind Rivera, and, more importantly, brought a level of defensive intensity and energy that the Hoyas desperately needed during many of their games this season.
Miller earned 42 steals and 13 blocks on the season, but the stats don’t show the key moments when Miller forced shot-clock violations, drew offensive fouls, or scored through contact to fire up her team and the crowd. The stats made Miller a good player for the Hoyas, but how she showed up made her integral to the team this season.
Another quieter yet key component of the team was sophomore transfer guard Summer Davis, who played in 27 games this season. While she only averaged 5.2 points per game, when she found the back of the net, she made it count. In a Dec. 7 game at Wake Forest, with just one second left, Davis sank a three-pointer to win the game 58-56.
Off the ball, Davis had a big impact as well. She had 36 steals on the season—the fourth-most on the team—and was known for consistently finding her teammates with assists.
The biggest game of Georgetown’s season this year was their first-round win in the BIG EAST tournament over Butler University (12-19, 6-14 BIG EAST). The postseason win came just thirteen days after a loss at home against the Bulldogs. In the rematch, the Hoyas demonstrated a level of intensity that was often only present in flashes in other games, allowing them to edge out a four-point victory.
While the season had highlights, Georgetown struggled in key areas, leading to several losses. Most of all, the Hoyas struggled to find a consistent offensive playmaker. Playing without Rivera, the offensive burden was carried by a few players who often showed up strong in one game, but not another.
Additionally, Hession hit a bit of a sophomore slump. While she was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team last year, this year she was not the key player that she could have been. Much of this is likely attributed to the fact that Hession received more attention from opponents, without Ransom drawing defenders away. Nevertheless, Hession averaged just 5.6 points per game, down from 8.1 last year, and she scored in only 10 of 29 games played.
Nevertheless, parts of Hession’s game shone in patches throughout the season, and hopefully she can return with renewed drive to perform offensively and be a key scorer and leader for the Hoyas next year.
Overall, the Hoyas showed improvement both throughout the season and compared to last season. By the end of the 2025-2026 run, they demonstrated a level of cohesion and an ability to string together four quarters of solid play—something they struggled with in November. They also marginally improved from last season, with a committee working to replace Ransom’s production. Georgetown ended the season 14-17—winning two more games than last year—and once again bowed out of the BIG EAST tournament in the second round.
Looking forward to next season, the Hoyas need to show growth in several key areas. Whether because of new team dynamics or for other reasons altogether, the Hoyas struggled to run systems and plays, and often relied on the talent of individual players creating shots for themselves. Much of next season’s success will rely on the returning roster, as well as who Haney is able to bring in. Notably, Rivera will not be on that returning roster as she has announced her intent to enter the transfer portal as a graduate student.
Currently, Georgetown has at least one committed freshman, power forward Stella Lockhart from St. John Viannay in Holmdel, New Jersey. Lockhart was named MVP in the championship of The Throne national high school basketball tournament.
If this season is any indication though, the Hoyas are likely to pick up several players out of the transfer portal, which does not open until April 6. If Haney is able to recruit well for next season, and more importantly, if he is able to keep key players like Miller and Davis, he has a good chance of making Georgetown a team that can compete with the top teams in the BIG EAST.
