Heading into the 2026-2027 season, Southern Indiana women’s basketball is dealing with some ideal circumstances.
In an era of college basketball dominated by the transfer portal, continuity has become uncommon. But for the Screaming Eagles, that will not be the case.
Continuity
After a 21-11 season and third-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference, 11 players return to Rick Stein’s group. Southern Indiana’s coach has gotten a chance to see them, and his three newcomers, on court over the last two months.
“11 returners is unbelievable, almost unheard of,” Stein said. “I think that when you leave in June, you better not be talking about newcomers and returnees. You better be talking about 14 strong and making sure you’re in a good place as a team, so when you return in July, you aren’t trying to start that process again.”
Stein appreciates the time he has had with his players, but with the demands of a long college basketball season in mind, he approaches the summer with some precaution.
Considering their three straight WNIT appearances and winning seasons, the Screaming Eagles will not want to experience any burnout with postseason basketball surely on the agenda.
“Summer is really important, but I think you can wear them out too,” Stein said.
While roster continuity is of benefit, Stein does not want complacency to set in. This is a new year and a new team. And as one of the OVC’s best, a target will certainly be on Southern Indiana.
Stein is looking for his team to remain grounded.
“You got to be careful because when you have 11 returners, you can’t rest on it,” Stein said. “We lost a couple really good senior guards. Team dynamics change, leadership changes and roles change. A lot of that starts to form right now in the middle of the summer.”
Losing Ali Saunders
Among those guards is Ali Saunders — an integral part to the Screaming Eagles’ success in recent seasons. Saunders led the team in scoring with a 17.8 average last season.
Replacing the All-OVC First Team guard is not happening. So, how will the absence of Saunders’ contributions be accounted for?
In the grand scheme of things, nothing changes. This is not the first team Southern Indiana has lost a talented player to graduation. Stein’s focus has always been on bettering his group, and his players carry that same mindset.
“Ali had an awesome, hall of fame career,” Stein said. “We’re not trying to replace Ali, she was who she was. What we’re trying to do is find new roles. I think we have a gym full of young women trying to get better and that’s a good problem to have.”
The Screaming Eagles have one incoming transfer and two freshman to bring into the fold this summer. The lone transfer is Tamara Ortiz, a redshirt junior from South Alabama. Stein praised Ortiz’s work ethic during her short time with the team.
Also among the new faces is Maddy Shirley, a standout at Central and the Evansville area during her four years, and Jaidan Koch who was a Kentucky All-Star. The college game is different but the two freshmen have met the challenge so far.
The biggest thing for Stein when it comes to newcomers is compatibility. Two months into summer workouts, his three additions have fit in seamlessly.
“They fit who we are,” Stein said. “I think that’s really huge when you have a big returning class is the coachability factor and how you can mesh them in. Those three are off to a great start.”
Stein’s coaching staff is also changing this offseason. Stephanie Gelhausen returns as an assistant coach after a decade away. Gelhausen, who also played for the Screaming Eagles, spent time as a head coach at Lander University during her time away from the program.
Former player Madi Webb returns to Southern Indiana in a coaching capacity. She spent last season coaching her alma mater Bedford North Lawrence.
The familiarity aspect helps and is a common thing for Stein who has only ever hired one assistant that has not played for the program.
“Certainly blessed to have Stephanie back,” Stein said. ”The experience she brings back to us is amazing and hard to find. Madi got great experience at the high school level. They both bring so much to the table when it comes to how we do things and how we go about our business.”
USI’s next step
As good as Southern Indiana has been in recent years, it is just as hard to sustain that success and take steps forward. This was a team that was one game away from the OVC tournament championship game, and one that was competing for the regular season title with Western Illinois and Lindenwood.
In Stein’s mind, the Screaming Eagles are extremely close. He wants them winning the regular season title and conference championship. The work starts now.
Their identity starts on the defensive end, Stein hopes the continuity allows the group to take a step forward on that side of the ball. But it requires a commitment to that standard.
Fortunately for Southern Indiana, the sense of urgency is there. Things will not be perfect in July, but there is an understanding throughout the team. It adds much more meaning to these summer days, the group has big goals in mind.
“I think we always go how we defend and rebound the ball,” Stein said. “We’re at our best when good defense can lead to offense for us. We set a lot of goals on both sides, but generally, those defensive goals lead to good stuff for us.”
Markos Tsegaye is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. He can be reached at mtsegaye@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @10_Markos_
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Rick Stein hopes continuity propels Southern Indiana women’s basketball
Reporting by Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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By Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press | USA TODAY Network
