The Colorado Buffaloes have had immense recent success, coming off back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances in the NCAA Tournament. However, this year will feature many new faces and big changes for the Buffaloes.
With only four returning players and 10 newcomers, the team will look vastly different and have to lean on other threats to try and rebuild their success over the past few years. Including freshmen, transfer portal adds, and foreign players, the Buffs have a lot of new pieces to weave together, and re-entering the Big 12 conference will provide another challenge.
For one four-star freshman, Grace Oliver is willing to contribute whatever is asked of her in order to help her team succeed.
A forward with a strong 6-foot-1 frame, Oliver has enjoyed putting in work so far in the offseason. As the 2023 Massachusetts Gatorade Player Of The Year, she is no stranger to high-level competition and will rely on her rigorous boarding school experience to thrive in her first collegiate outings.
Attending Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, MA, Oliver was able to participate in a more rigorous schedule in her final two years of high school. Spending five days a week away from home provided her with experience in the adjustment of traveling and living closely with a team. Oliver said that the distance created by boarding school also gave her more confidence in the transition to a new environment in Colorado.
Having been with the team since this past June, the forward has found adapting to a new community to be smoother than she could’ve imagined.
“You need to be close if you’re going to bring in 10 new people and try to win a championship,” Oliver noted.
She also mentioned that the team got close almost immediately and smiled at the thought of all the fun they had had together already.
When asked about her role in the 2024-25 season, Oliver didn’t hesitate.
“Two words: team player,” she said. “Whatever they need me to do.”
With this ambitious attitude combined with an explosive skill set, CU will be able to use Oliver in a variety of positions.
“It’s really about knowing your role,” she continued, expressing her eagerness to contribute to her team in any way possible, on and off the court.
Despite the vast majority of newcomers coming in, Oliver has still had some model leaders in close proximity to look up to in her short time at CU. Specifically, Oliver said she admires Frida Formann’s way of leading by example.
“She's the kind of player I want to be,” Oliver mentioned, highlighting Formann’s immediate impact on her from the time of her official visit. “Just being able to be on the sideline and learn from them and then be(ing) able to try and go do that on the court.”
Oliver will have to adjust to the quicker pace of the game at this new level.
“I’ve been getting used to it,” she commented, praising the coaching staff for their support in her first few months.
She will also be able to adapt to this new rhythm with three fellow freshmen including Erin Powell, Lova Lagerlid, and Tabitha Betson.
The Buffs will have their hands full with their conference season beginning on Dec. 21 with a top-20 opponent, No. 16 West Virginia. With matchups against powerful teams such as Louisville, Baylor, and Kansas State coming up in the first portion of the season, their team chemistry will need to be strong from the jump. However, Oliver believes her team is in a good position after their first scrimmage.
“We’ve been looking really good,” Oliver stated. “Everyone is so excited before the games.”
The Buffs will look forward to growing as a program along with their new talent, and will no doubt be an exciting team to watch.
Colorado plays their first home game against the Colorado School of Mines in an exhibition on Oct. 27 at 1:00 p.m. MT.
Cover photo by Cogan Nguyen/Sko Buffs Sports
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