The last time media members stepped into the Utah basketball practice facility last spring, Gianna Kneepkens was still limited to being a sideline watcher.
On Monday, though, the Utes’ star guard was healthy again and running the court with her teammates during the first official training camp practice ahead of the 2024-25 season.
For Kneepkens, it’s the first time in her basketball career she’s suffered a season-ending injury — she was lost for the year last season when she broke several bones in her right foot during the Utes’ win over BYU on Dec. 2, 2023.
“Oh, so good,” she said, about how she felt being back on the court. “Just really excited to be back out on the floor. This feels like great energy out there. I mean, I’m just grateful to be out there. I’ve had great staff, coaching, teammates through the process. Just excited for this year. It went by fast, even though the days felt really slow.”
Kneepkens, the sharpshooting 6-foot guard who was twice named first-team All-Pac-12, played in eight games last season before the injury — during that stretch, she averaged career-highs in points (17.8), rebounds (5.5) and assists (3.9) while shooting 63.3% from the floor and 54% from 3-point range, both career bests as well.
Better yet — because of a medical redshirt, she didn’t lose a year of eligibility and will be a junior this season.
The support of her teammates and coaches, and the entire Utah staff, helped Kneepkens push through the difficult times during her rehab.
“I think it all starts from the people around me, just uplifting me. I got a great strength coach and trainer that pushed me physically still, so you don’t lose it all. And then I think mentally, it’s something it’s a process you can’t go through by yourself,” she said.
“So just having those teammates and friends and family and coaches that will support you no matter what, on the hard days, they’re there to lift you up, and on the good days, they’re there to celebrate with you. (It’s about) just getting through that and staying consistent.”
Utah coach Lynne Roberts had a wide smile on her face when discussing what Kneepkens brings to the floor — the Utes advanced to the NCAA tournament last year without their star guard, though there was obviously a transition without her, particularly on the offensive end.
Roberts also emphasized Kneepkens is still in the process of getting back to “her normal self.”
“G’s a difference-maker in every sense of the word. And I think, she just brings a level of swagger when she plays. She’s still not feeling like she’s back to her normal self, and it probably takes a couple months to where she’s completely ready for games,” Roberts said. “She hasn’t been back that long, but she just brings a level of swagger that … you can’t put a value on it, you can’t really describe it.”
For Kneepkens and the Utes — who have played in the NCAA tournament the past three seasons and made the Sweet 16 in 2023 — the expectations are the same, even as Utah joins the Big 12 this year after a 13-year run in the Pac-12.
“Different year, same expectations. We’re in a good place with where our program’s at,” Roberts said. “… We want to make the NCAA tournament, make a run in it, have a chance to compete for a Big 12 title. Those expectations aren’t going to change.”
There are six weeks until the Utes open the season at home against Southern Utah on Nov. 4 — training camp will help Utah adapt its attack to the personnel changes they’ve seen from last year to this season.
The Utes are bringing back four players who started 10 or more games last year — Jenna Johnson, Kennady McQueen and Ines Vieira all started more than 30, while Maty Wilke started 13 — though All-American forward Alissa Pili is in the WNBA with the Minnesota Lynx.
There are also two transfers and three freshmen new to the program.
Have Kneepkens back and active again on the floor — with the leadership and playmaking ability she brings — will help in that learning process.
“Build on who we are, what we have, but we’re adding some things and doing things a little differently, because, of course, you lose Alissa Pili, you’ve got to make some adjustments on what you do offensively and defensively,” Roberts said, of the team’s training camp priorities.
“I think we’re able to do some more things defensively, and offensively we’ve got to adapt a little bit. Adding Gianna Kneepkens back is a blessing, and we’re excited about that. And then we’ve got a lot of new guys that we’ve got to integrate, because they’re going to need to play. So that’s kind of the focus is just kind of get the group together, work on what we’ve always done, but then teaching. You know, it’s a lot of teaching, and then putting it into practice.”
