Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball (17-10, 8-8 Big 12) will host the Arizona State Sun Devils (9-19, 3-13 Big 12) for its final home game of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday night, honoring six superb seniors that have been key members of the roster during their time with the Buffs.
While these players did not all begin their collegiate careers at CU, they have all impacted the Buff family in unique ways, no matter how many years they have worn the black and gold.
With several traveling across the world to play for the Buffs, it has been quite the journey for each of the six players finishing their careers in Boulder.
Frida Formann, Sara-Rose Smith, Kindyll Wetta, Nyamer Diew, Lior Garzon and Johanna Teder have exemplified a strong culture of heart and toughness developed by the women’s basketball team at CU under head coach JR Payne.
Two of these resilient players being honored spent the entirety of their college years playing for Payne and the Buffs. Formann and Wetta will be remembered as a major part of a remarkable stretch of CU women’s basketball history.
Formann made her mark on Buff Nation with her standout performances in back-to-back March Madness appearances, earning All-Region honors in the 2023 NCAA tournament. Her 5-for-8 performance from beyond the arc led the Buffs to a first-round win against Middle Tennessee in her junior season. A 5-foot-11 guard, the Denmark native will enter her final home game as CU’s all-time leader in made 3-point field goals (300).
Prior to Wednesday’s senior night, the Buffs awarded their season-long superlatives at a team banquet. Wetta received both Defensive Player of the Year and the Iron Buff Award. In her career with the Buffs, Wetta’s accolades rolled in beginning in her freshman year. Boasting both Pac-12 All-Freshman and All-Defensive team honors, the 5-foot-9 guard’s impact was clear from the start. The Colorado local has always had the goal of, “...making CU a top program again,” and has certainly achieved that over the course of her career.
The remaining seniors haven’t been in Boulder as long as the other two, but have used their unique skill sets to level up the depth of a team in the process of rebuilding.
Diew’s length and athleticism made her a great addition to a CU team lacking any major size. Transferring to CU after one year of experience playing for Butler and three at Iowa State, the graduate student was also a member of the first South Sudan Women’s Basketball National Team. Averaging a career-high 7.5 points per game this season, Diew has quickly become a fan favorite for the Buffs.
Garzon joined the newcomer-heavy CU squad for her senior season after previously playing two seasons for both Villanova and Oklahoma State. Originally from Ra’anana, Israel, the 6-foot-1 sharpshooter is averaging just over 10 points per game for the Buffs in her senior season. Garzon has shown her ability to score at all three levels at each of the teams she has been a part of over the course of her career.
One of two Australians currently playing for CU, Smith has spent the last two seasons on Payne’s squad and helped the Buffs to two consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances. After playing three years at Missouri previously, her leadership stands out on a team that introduced 10 new players this season. Though technically listed as a guard, Smith was awarded the Lisa Van Goor Rebounding Award at the Buffs’ banquet earlier this week–averaging 6.1 rebounds per game in her fifth and final year.
Finally, Teder, the speedy guard, was another critical piece of the puzzle for Payne this year. A 5-foot-8 shooter with range, her dynamic offense and tenacious defense provided a huge spark for CU off the bench. Bringing her talents to Boulder all the way from Estonia, Teder’s passion for the game is easy to see. Previously playing five years at Washington State–including an injured fifth-year–her ability to step up whenever the Buffs needed her never went unnoticed.
Each of the women being honored on senior night has played vital roles during their time in a CU jersey. Their legacy as a group will long be felt by coaches, teammates and fans alike.
Tune in to ESPN+ at 7:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday to see six outstanding members of the CU community take the floor on their home court for the last time.
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