Florida Atlantic Women’s basketball set the stage for the 2025-26 season at Media Day at the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on Oct. 8. 

Head Coach LeAnn Freeland spoke to the media on Wednesday afternoon ahead of her inaugural season, followed by graduate student and NSU transfer Jess Moors and graduate student Ta’Ziah Jenks, who shared their determination to improve as the season unfolds. 

Freeland spent the 2024-25 season at Nova Southeastern University, where she coached for 13 seasons and led her team to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament’s Elite Eight four times. She ended her last season at NSU with a conference record of 16-4 and an overall record of 27-7. Freeland is looking forward to new challenges, and she hopes to turn the program at FAU around. 

Since former head coach Jennifer Sullivan departed from the team to sign with the University of Missouri in March of 2025, the Owls have had to rebrand their entire team – but no one said change was a bad thing.

With an overall record of 11-21 (3-15 AC), Freeland is focused on improving the team’s statistics and culture, with the hope that this will lead to more wins. 

Jess Moors followed Freeland from NSU to FAU, where she played in 61 games and started in 38 of them. She helped the team make back-to-back appearances in the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16. She holds an average of 6.5 points a game in the 2025-26 season.

Freeland added, “She’s one of those players that you just can’t take off the floor because you notice it immediately, she makes people around her better, [and] she’s just so nice.”

Moors’ familiarity with Freeland has helped her step into a leadership role as the team is brought together.  

“Makes me feel really good that if I, you know, see my teammates have any questions, I can kind of be there for them and help them to understand, [and] hopefully I will do a good job at that,” Moors mentioned. 

Jenks expressed her outlook on the season ahead with: “I’m excited. We have a lot of new pieces, which we have to put together, and I think we will be really good this year.” 

While the coaching staff is entirely brand new, one member is new to the staff but not to the program. Jada Moore joins the coaching staff as a graduate assistant after playing for the Owls for three seasons. Freeland hopes that having Moore will help bridge the connection with returning players Zahira Arizmendi, Ta’Ziah Jenks and Erin Rodgers. 

“I interviewed one person. It was a quick interview; I knew she was the one I wanted,” said Freeland. “She can make a significant contribution to the team and provide valuable insights to the incoming coaching staff, which will help them move the team closer to its goals.” 

Team unity is the key to moving the FAU women’s basketball program to the next level after a disappointing season.

“Selfless players, selfless identities…and overall having a healthy culture,” said Freeland. 

FAU women’s basketball will open its season against Florida Memorial University on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at home in the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.

Aldana Jure is a Contributing writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email her at ajure2023@fau.edu or contact her on Instagram @jezabeljure.