Basketball returning to Moby Arena means one thing for Colorado State women’s basketball: a chance to retool and compete.

CSU will gear up for another season but with a twist this time. The 2024-25 roster will come in with more underclassmen than upperclassmen, bringing a potential new challenge for coach Ryun Williams, entering his 12th season, as the squad opens the year with nonconference matchups.

The unit dealt with the departure of eight veterans from the prior year’s roster this past offseason and will look for the help of the strong incoming first-year class alongside transfer portal obtainees to reshape the culture of CSU women’s basketball.

As the women wrapped up their final scrimmages, a key takeaway was how CSU’s new transfers seemed to fit in well prior to the season start.

“Emma (Ronsiek) can facilitate in a variety of different positions,” Williams said. “You can put her in a ball screen, in the midpost, at the nail and she can spray it. She does make people around her better, and that’s probably her greatest strength.”

Emma Ronsiek, who is a fifth-year transfer from Creighton, joins together with her sister Hannah Ronsiek for her final season with high standards for the Rams. Emma Ronsiek is coming off of a career season with the Bluejays, setting career-high marks by averaging 16.8 points per game as well as being named to the All-Big East First Team.

The Rams are accompanying five true first-year on this year’s roster, and a particular standout is guard Kloe Froebe, who was named this year’s Mountain West Preseason Freshman of the Year Oct. 16.

“Coach Williams makes it pretty obvious off the start to just do your job,” Froebe said. “My main focus right now is reiterating my role on the team and doing my job, helping to try and make the team the best we can and doing the little things.”

Froebe comes in with some major backup to what she can bring to the floor, being named 2024 Illinois Ms. Basketball as well as the 2024 Gatorade Illinois Girls Basketball Player of the Year in her senior high school season.

Averaging 28.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 steals and 4.8 assists as a senior, Froebe is a Swiss Army knife, and brings a unique skillset to Fort Collins on both ends of the floor.

“I can bring to this team competitiveness and determination,” Froebe said. “I’m going to go in every game and give it my all, and I hope that because of that, I push my teammates to be better and ultimately our team progresses as the year goes on, and I hope that I can play a big role in that.”

Froebe is not the only 5-foot-8 guard from Illinois that the Rams have coming in, as Brooke Carlson also arrives as her alma mater Batavia High School’s all-time leading scorer, looking to step into a necessary role.

“Us as freshmen, I feel like we kind of bring a different type of energy,” Carlson said. “And it’s been fun. We’re all really close, and I feel like the more we get connected, the better we’re gonna be on the court.”

With the departure of star McKenna Hofschild, Williams is putting a larger emphasis for this year on playing collectively, believing in having strength in numbers with a variety of experiences and skill sets on the squad.

“We’re not trying to replace McKenna with Emma or anyone,” Williams said. “We want energy in that ball. We want it to be more of a collective type of effort in finding good shots. … I think we shoot it well, so hopefully we spread the wealth there a little bit.” 

New additions to bolster the Rams’ lineup for the 2024-25 season also include seasoned veteran Joseana Vaz, who used a redshirt year last season, Hannah Simental, a fifth-year transfer from the Northern Colorado, and redshirt freshman Avree Antony.

The Rams start the regular season with 13 nonconference matchups before entering Mountain West play, including tough goings against teams like San Francisco, Gonzaga and Oregon State.

“The biggest thing is to compete,” Williams said. “It is a challenging nonconference schedule. We’re gonna have to be patient with this group. … I do expect some growing pains, but I think this group has got the maturity to keep figuring it out, and there’s no doubt they will.”

CSU defeated Regis University in an exhibition match 68-57 on Tuesday at Moby Arena, a strong sign and a lift of momentum before entering their regular season lineup next week.

“The fans should know that we are going to be a great team, and we’ve been putting in the work,” Froebe said. “They should come out and watch because it’s gonna be a fun season.”

Reach Devin Imsirpasic at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter at @DImsirpasic.