CHENEY, Wash. — Building a starting five from scratch is difficult, but having a returning group of starters and role players makes the offseason easier for a coaching staff. Head coach
Joddie Gleason and the Eastern Washington women's basketball staff will have a core group of players returning for the 2025-26 season.
Eastern returns nine players, including three starters, from the 2024-25 team. The returning starters include Big Sky Freshman of the Year Kourtney Grossman, along with power forward Jaecy Eggers and guard Ella Gallatin.
Adding to the roster's depth are power forwards Bella Hays, Paris Kirk and Camille Jentzsch, small forward Addison Hall, and guards Emily McElmurry and Léa-line Romain.
"From the 2024-25 roster, we graduated five players and will have nine returning players including starters Ella Gallatin, Kourtney Grossman and Jaecy Eggers," Gleason said. "These three will be key contributors for us next season and are joined by Bella Hays, Emily McElmurry, Paris Kirk, Camille Jentzsch, Léa Roman, and Addison Hall. They all are working hard in the weight room and in skill sessions on court this spring quarter and are excited to get back at it for the Eags next year."
Grossman earned Freshman of the Year honors after leading the conference with 10.5 rebounds per game. She pulled down 314 total this season in 30 games, breaking the EWU freshman record. Grossman also averaged 10.5 points on the game - second on the team - leading to 14 double doubles during the season. Her double-double total ranked second in the Big sky and 31st nationally, while leading all freshmen in the NCAA. Grossman's best game came against eventual Big Sky champion, Montana State (1/20), as the freshman tallied 18 points and 19 rebounds, both season-bests. For the year, Grossman started 23 games, playing in 30 during her freshman year.
Eggers developed into a strong rim defender to complement Grossman in the paint. She led the team with 32 blocks that also ranked fourth in the Big Sky, along with tying for fourth on the program's freshman block list with Tara Holgate. Eggers was second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game, while ranking 15th in the conference. The Woodinville, Wash. native had 175 total rebounds, ranking third all-time on the freshman single season list. Eggers was fifth on the team with 8.6 points per game, scoring a season-best 20 at home against Sacramento State (1/11) at Reese Court. She started 26 games as a true freshman and played in all of the team's 31.
In her third season with the Eagles, Gallatin stepped into the starting role, making 30 starts in 31 games played. Gallatin was fourth on the team with 9.2 points per game, shooting 35.4 percent from the floor, along with a team-leading 86.5 percent from the free throw line - fourth in the Big Sky. The Snohomish, Wash. native was third on the Eagles in rebounds (117) and assists (56), along with holding fifth in steals (30). Gallatin had 15 games scoring in double figures, including two, 20-point games. She scored a career-best 23 points against the Hornets (1/11), while dropping 22 against Montana (1/2) in Missoula.
Hays was a key player for the Eagles this past season, playing in all 31 games and making 12 starts. She averaged 3.8 points per game and was second on the team with 15 blocks. Hays averaged 3.1 rebounds per game, ranking fifth for the Eagles. Against Washington (11/14), Hays scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds, tying her season-best. Hays top scoring game was against Walla Walla, as she delivered with 10 points on 5-of-7(71.4%) shooting.
Kirk transferred into Eastern last offseason from Robert Morris and contributed for the Eagles off the bench with 30 game appearances. The Kelowna, British Columbia native posted six games with five or more rebounds. Kirk pulled down a career-best 13 against Washington State (11/4) in the season opener. She scored a season-best eight points against Portland (11/7).
McElmurry was the third true freshman to play significant minutes for EWU last season, as she appeared in 29 games. The Missoula, Mont. native averaged 2.8 points per game, scoring a season-best 16 against Warner Pacific (12/16). McElmurry finished the season with 10 assists and nine steals. She played a season-best 25 minutes against Idaho State (3/1), scoring seven points.
Hall will be going into her senior season in the fall and adds to Eastern's bench depth. She appeared in four games this past season, playing nine minutes against Warner Pacific, credited with one assist and one steal.
Romain joined the Eagles last season and appeared in two games during the season. She scored her first career point against Walla Walla, while scoring a season best four against Warner Pacific.
The '25-'26 season is Jentzsch's fourth in Cheney as she will be a redshirt-junior. Jentzsch did not play in the '24-25' season due to injury.
Gleason added what she looks forward to most with returning players," It's always fulfilling as a coach to see the transformation of players from year-to-year on the court, but the real joy is seeing their development into leaders off the court. We have some exceptional young women on our roster and I'm thrilled that each one of them is an Eag!"
Eastern will have to replace two starters and five players overall. Big Sky honorable mention and the Eagles' leading scorer, Peyton Howard moves on after graduating, along with senior Alexis Pettis who appeared in 121 games for EWU in four seasons. Ellie Boni also departs after graduating, with Cori Wilcox, Breeje Schuler and Valérie Cassidy-De Falco also departing the team.
The nine returners will form a strong core to build around, with Gleason bringing in six new players for the fall. The team signed three players in November, including guards
Elyn Bowers,
Dylyn Dress and
Madeline Gibbs. Gleason and her staff continued to add pieces
with three signees earlier this week in guards
Caitie Gingras,
Emma Myers and
Brielle Magnuson.
EWU went 7-11 in the Big Sky last season, going 11-20 overall.
Women's basketball season ticket deposits are now open! Reserve your general admission seats at Reese Court for the 2025-26 season for just $50 per seat. Visit goeags.com/tickets to purchase online.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
FOLLOW THE EAGLES
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
