Becky Burke arrived at Arizona last season without a finished roster — she had to assemble one. The only returning player on the roster was redshirt junior Montaya Dew, who had played just one game the year before before suffering an injury. Burke brought some players with her from Buffalo and leaned heavily on the transfer portal to fill out the team after taking the job.
The Wildcats opened with a strong nonconference stretch, compiling a 9-2 record and then entering Big 12 play confident. Once league play began, however, the schedule exposed the gap between where the team was and where it needed to be: Arizona managed only three conference wins and closed the year 12-18 overall. Burke believes the team exceeded many external expectations given its makeup, pointing to competitive performances in games the roster might not have been favored to be in on paper.
Burke says the first season was marked by uncertainty — a brand-new staff and a largely new roster required time to gel. Timing in the transfer portal played a key role: she notes that the portal opened later for her last year than it did this year, which limited options for attracting high-level Big 12 talent. Still, she praised the players who committed, saying their enthusiasm and early work in practice were obvious and helped the program settle into its identity.
Part of the season plan was deliberate scheduling. Burke admits the nonconference slate was not particularly challenging by design; it was intended to let the group find confidence and chemistry before facing the rigors of the Big 12. That choice, she acknowledges, meant the team did not face the caliber of opponents it would see in conference play, and the jump in size, speed and physicality was a shock for many players. Even so, she feels the coaching staff got the most out of the personnel on hand.
Looking ahead, Arizona will return guards Sumayah Sugapong and Molly Ladwig, and added a 6-6 center from Phoenix, Callie Hinder, who signed late last year. Burke says the staff has finished assembling the roster for next season: a five-player signing class and what she describes as the best freshman group in the Big 12, including four four-star recruits. She also highlighted several impactful portal acquisitions that should change the team’s competitiveness.
Burke emphasized that culture starts at the top — leadership, attitude and daily approach set the tone for the program. With a fuller, more talented roster and strong fan support at McKale Center, she is aiming for an NCAA Tournament berth next season and expressed real optimism about the team’s trajectory and what they can accomplish together.
