CEDAR CITY, Utah - With tipoff less than two weeks away, the new-look Southern Utah women's basketball team is prepared to show Cedar City — and the rest of the Western Athletic Conference — what they're made of. The 2025-2026 season will be a critical one for the development of Head Coach Tracy Mason's program.

After graduating Daylani Ballena and Samantha Johnston, two Thunderbirds who litter the career leaderboards at SUU, it's time for a new generation of guards to step onto the court and into the spotlight.

Head Coach Tracy Mason said:

"We love the pace that our guards have established for this team. We are a much faster group this year, and this will create more transition opportunities for us. We also have some terrific shooters and slashers on the perimeter."

Names to Watch For

Sierra Chambers

In the 2024-25 season, Chambers acted as important depth at guard, playing in every game for the Thunderbirds and averaging 16 minutes a game. She led the team with 82.9% shooting from the free-throw line and scored a team-high 15 points against the University of Utah.

After showing impressive flashes in her freshman season, Chambers is primed to rise to the occasion in her sophomore campaign and play an important role as one of the team's primary ball-handlers.

Coach Mason said, "Sierra has been phenomenal. She has become a true leader at the point guard spot. She is calm, poised, extremely fast, and has proven she can score in a multitude of ways while also distributing like a true point guard."

Ava Uhrich

Uhrich is a name that many Thunderbirds fans have become familiar with through the course of her first two seasons. She's appeared in all 60 games since she arrived in Cedar City, Utah, and started 56 of them. At the Division I level, Uhrich has a team-high 683 career points and 354 career rebounds.

However, the junior sensation is far from finished with her success in southern Utah. Playing a hybrid role between the front and back court, Uhrich will remain one of the team's crucial athletes as she looks to add to her totals.

Coach Mason said, "Ava has worked so hard all summer, and it is paying off in a big way. She plays with so much energy and is such a competitor. She raises the caliber of practice every day. I think we are going to see even greater things from her this season."

Kortney Doman

In only 10.7 minutes per game in her freshman year, Doman averaged 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds. She also cemented herself as a defensive presence, racking up 17 steals across all 30 games.

Doman will look to build on her solid start with a breakout sophomore year. Expect her to see an increase in playing time and contribute significantly to the team's performance.

Devyn Kiernan

Part of an exciting group of new faces on the Southern Utah team, freshman Kiernan boasts a decorated high-school career. Averaging a well-rounded nine points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals per game, she's a three-time Trinity League Champion from Mater Dei High School.

While she's only just beginning her career with the Thunderbirds, Kiernan will be an integral piece of the team in the 2025-26 season.

Charli Kay

In the past two seasons, Kay has contributed to the team both as a starter and as a spark off the bench. Appearing in 25 games for Southern Utah last season, she recorded a season-high five rebounds against Grand Canyon University in a brief six minutes of play.

Kay will continue to be a factor for the Thunderbirds, and her veteran presence will make a profound difference in the development of this year's young guards.

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