BLOOMINGTON — The Indiana women’s basketball debuted a new-look lineup featuring only one returning starter in a 100-32 preseason win over Missouri S&T on Monday night at Assembly Hall.
Moren had three names penciled in as starters when the team opened preseason practices. The obvious ones were Shay Ciezki, the former Penn State transfer who started all 33 games last year, and Lenée Beaumont, the longest-tenured member of the team.
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High-profile UCLA transfer Zania Socka-Nguemen was another clear-cut choice. She played for Moren on USA Basketball’s U19 team over the summer and was a former elite prospect from the 2024 signing class.
“They still had to earn it,” Moren said.
There was a competitive battle in the backcourt over the final two spots that ended up going to true freshman Nevaeh Caffey and returning sophomore guard Valentyna Kadlecova.
More: How Indiana women’s basketball’s new players performed in exhibition win over Missouri S&T
Indiana women’s basketball freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey heats up the opposition
Moren credited Caffey for “setting the table” in Monday’s win over Missouri S&T with a defensive intensity that was contagious. Missouri S&T had just one field goal in the first quarter and was looking up at a 26-5 deficit.
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The Miners ended up shooting just 18.5% from the field — going 0-for-13 from 3-point range — and turned it over 27 times.
“We asked Nevaeh to set the table for us and be really aggressive from the jump,” Moren said. “Her teammates took her lead and guarded extremely hard at the beginning of the game and set the tone for the rest of the game.”
Those are the qualities that helped Caffey earn a spot in the starting lineup.
Moren compared the true freshman to former IU guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary, who made the All-Big Ten Defensive team in 2021-22.
“She gives us something completely different that we never had other than Nikki Hillary,” Moren said, “somebody that can pressure the ball the way Nevaeh can. We didn’t have that a year ago or last probably two years, with somebody that can heat the ball up the way Nevaeh does. We like that about her.”
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More: Indiana women’s basketball star Shay Ciezki embracing being the face of the program
Indiana’s Nevaeh Caffey (2) shoots during the Indiana versus Missoui S&T women’s basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025.
Why Indiana guard Valentyna Kadlecova landed starting role over Maya Makalusky
Kadlecova won’t go under-the-radar this season like she did as a true freshman. The 6-foot guard was late arrival from the Czech Republic ahead of the 2024-25 season and ended up playing in just 11 games (37 total minutes) with long gaps between appearances.
She made some pretty big strides to earn a spot in the starting lineup on a team with very few returning faces.
After Monday’s game against Missouri S&T, Moren told reporters that Kadelecova just edged out true freshman Maya Makalusky.
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“Val has been in the system and gave us comfort with how we do things,” Moren said. “The one area, and it’s always with freshman and Nevaeh is bit different, trying to learn and understand how to guard. The one thing Val gives us is a steady, sound defender. That’s why she got the nod to get in the lineup.”
Kadlecova had 13 points (3 of 7 from 3-point range) and three assists in 22 minutes while playing with a variety of different lineups. She scored eight straight points midway through the second quarter after Zania Socka-Nguemen had to go to the bench in foul trouble.
She provided the Hoosiers a steady presence on defense as the lone starter on the floor to close out the game.
Makalusky will still be heavily featured in Moren’s rotation this year. She was the first reserve player off the bench with 4:44 to go in the first quarter alongside Phoenix Stotjin. She heated up in the second half with a pair of 3-pointers and was a major factor on the boards.
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She finished the game with 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists, but her energy on defense is what Moren notice most.
“She heard our message,” Moren said. “I think the last couple days she’s been more in tune with how much we value that side of the ball, but they both are going to play a lot for us.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: What we know about Indiana women’s basketball new starting five
