For a second year, Cincinnati Bearcats women’s basketball coach Katrina Merriweather took three of her players to Kansas City for Big 12 media days. This time at the T-Mobile Center, UC’s group wasn’t the “new kids on the block”.
After a 14-18 campaign (5-13 Big 12) the Bearcats look to turn some heads and compete with some of the league’s finest teams.
It could be an uphill climb as Big 12 coaches voted the Bearcats to finish 13 of 16 teams. Kansas State is the favorite, with Iowa State and Baylor also receiving first-place votes.
Merriweather has some new additions that she hopes bring fans to Fifth Third Arena. One to notice right away is Texas A&M point guard transfer Tineya Hylton who led the Aggies in assists and has experience with Canada’s national team.
“She’s been a welcome addition from the coaching staff to the team,” Merriweather said. “A’riel (Jackson) is probably the happiest person because she no longer has to play point. Reagan Jackson (guard) is the next one. It allows everyone to be in their natural positions on the perimeter.”
Other “newbies” to know are freshman Chloe Mann, a Fort Worth, Texas state champion in basketball and track who will perform in both sports at UC. Alliance Ndiba, from the Congo, is a 6-foot-3 post and an Arizona Western transfer who will help out 6-foot-4 Destiny Thomas underneath. Fifth-year player Daylee Dunn from Loyola Marymount provides some perimeter shooting. The 5-foot-10 guard also played three seasons at Fresno State.
What will be different about the 2024-25 Bearcats women?
“I think we’ll be better defensively,” Merriweather said. “Year two, regardless of personnel, you just are better because the system is in place. We have evolved offensively in a space that fits our personnel a little better.”
Attending Big 12 media days with Merriweather were fifth-year player Jillian Hayes, junior A’riel Jackson and senior Hylton.
UC forward Jillian Hayes
Hometown hero Jillian Hayes from Loveland High School, a 6-foot-1 forward, made Big 12 Honorable Mention last season after leading the team in points (12.9 per game), rebounds (8.4) and steals (1.2). In her fifth year, she’s the sister of Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers and the daughter of Jonathan and Kristi Hayes.
Jonathan Hayes is a former NFL tight end and a former Bengals coach who is now Moeller High School athletic director. Kristi Hayes was a standout high school basketball player and was once Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Drake. Younger brother Jewett plays football at Virginia and the youngest Jonah is at Moller and committed to Northwestern.
In the modern era of college athletics, a five-year player at one school may be a thing of the past.
“I think there were moments where I think maybe it was tough to be a Bearcat,” Merriweather said of Hayes. “Instead of running, she decided to stay and make this place better. I think she’s going to leave it better than she found it.”
In addition to the family DNA in athletics, Jillian has been a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and has thrown out a first pitch at a Cincinnati Reds game.
Merriweather’s squad has been known as “The Sisterhood” since her arrival. Hayes says she wouldn’t change anything about coming to UC. Merriweather is a big reason she’s still around.
“She brings a lot of alumni around,” Hayes said. “It shows us that even when we’re done hooping, she still cares and loves us. We’re always welcome.”
UC transfer Tineya Hylton
Hylton is a 5-foot-7 transfer guard from Texas A&M who is originally from Toronto. She began her college career at Georgia. “The Sisterhood” has completely embraced her and Merriweather swayed her.
“What she (Merriweather) wanted to do with the Big 12,” Hylton said when asked what sold her on UC. “Winning games and coming together as a team.”
UC guard A’riel Jackson
Jackson is a 5-foot-9 guard from Brooklyn who averaged 9.4 points per game last season. Her mother, Kym Hampton was the number four overall pick in the inaugural 1997 WNBA Draft. This season she’ll get to see her mother’s alma mater, Arizona State. UC visits Tempe Jan. 25.
“She’s in the rafters,” Jackson said of her mother’s uniform. “I haven’t been there since I was younger.”
Jackson likes that “The Sisterhood” has her back. She also likes the speed that Hylton, Mann and Dunn bring to the their game.
“We’re going to be running in transition trying to get quick buckets,” Jackson said.
Women’s basketball popularity on the rise
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark mentioned the popularity in his opening remarks Tuesday morning and UC players have noticed. At the Big 12 women’s gathering, TCU brought former LSU and Louisville player Hailey Von Lith who is No. 5 in On3’s top women’s basketball Name, Image, and Likeness earners with a valuation of $779,000.
From the WNBA, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have continued their collegiate impact.
“I remember when I was younger, no one really watched women’s college basketball,” Hayes said. “Now, I’ll go into the grocery store and they’re talking about, ‘Who do you like better? Angel Reese or Caitlin Clark?’ Those conversations never happened. The growth of that is extremely important for younger girls and for us and for the people that came before us and paved the way.”
The Cincinnati Bearcats women’s team has an exhibition Sunday at 2 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena with Thomas More. They begin the regular season Nov. 5 at Illinois-Chicago, then the home opener is Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. against Delaware State.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats women’s hoops at Big 12 media day in Kansas City
