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Message: [QUOTE="BillSU, post: 5765692, member: 6809"] [B][I][SIZE=6]SYRACUSE WOMENS BASKETBALL'S BEST TEAM TO COME. IT WILL BE BUILT AROUND:[/SIZE] UCHE IZOJE SOPHOMORE CENTER 6' 3" 165 [ATTACH type="full" alt="download - 2026-04-26T130352.426.jpg"]262641[/ATTACH] 15.6 PPG, 9.2 REB, 1.4AST, 55.4 FG% [B][I][URL unfurl="true"]https://dailyorange.com/2026/04/syracuse-womens-basketball-uche-izoje-returns-details/[/URL][/I][/B] Uche Izoje could’ve gone anywhere she wanted, her agent Gerard Colomé said. But first, she had to give Syracuse a fair shot at getting her back. On March 14, a week before the Orange faced Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament First Round, she had a long-anticipated discussion. Izoje, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack, assistant coach Khyreed Carter and general manager Mykala Walker gathered in the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center. Colomé was in Atlanta at the time, but he joined the conversation through a video call. This was SU’s best chance to convince its star center to stay rather than leave for a perennial top program. This past season, Izoje transformed a [URL='https://dailyorange.com/2025/03/syracuse-womens-basketball-season-not-surprising/']flailing[/URL] Syracuse team into a [URL='https://dailyorange.com/2026/03/syracuse-womens-basketball-column-remarkable-turnaround/']March Madness story[/URL] nobody on the outside expected. She became SU’s [URL='https://dailyorange.com/2026/03/syracuse-womens-basketball-uche-izoje-acc-rookie-of-the-year/']second-ever[/URL] Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and [URL='https://x.com/HarrisPemb6/status/2035833350531740098']received praise[/URL] from the most respected figures in the sport. Izoje and the Orange had to find a common ground on the future. Building off this past season’s success started with retaining Izoje. “From what (Syracuse’s coaching staff) told us, they intend to put together the best team possible,” Colomé told The Daily Orange. “And they plan on doing it around Uche.” The decision had been finalized since March 18, but on March 27, Syracuse [URL='https://cuse.com/news/2026/3/27/shes-back-izoje-to-return-for-sophomore-season-at-syracuse']announced[/URL] Izoje was [URL='https://dailyorange.com/2026/03/syracuse-womens-basketball-uche-izoje-returns/']officially returning[/URL] to the Orange for her sophomore season. In 33 starts this past year, Izoje led SU in points (15.6), rebounds (9.2) and blocks (2.6) while shooting 55.4% from the field. She etched her name in Syracuse’s record books all year, ranking fourth in single-season blocks (85), third in single-season total rebounds (303) and third in single-season field goals (230). In an era of transfers and rampant movement driven by name, image and likeness money, keeping Izoje became the [URL='https://dailyorange.com/2026/03/syracuse-womens-basketball-column-felisha-legette-jack-improvement/']most important task[/URL] of SU’s offseason. Although Syracuse bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round on March 23, Izoje believes the Orange can return to meaningful postseason basketball next season, per Colomé. And it starts with her. “(Izoje) wants to win,” Colomé said. “And now that we made the decision to return, the program is capable of putting together a competitive team to win.” FLJ knows how to win. She's going to begin in earnest with the '26 - 2027 team building around Uche Izoje. It's time for the SU Women's team to show up again with a strong, exciting women's team and take it to the championship. And, it's time for fans to get their behinds in the seats at the Dome and money in their pockets and support this new team as best they can. [/I][/B] [/QUOTE]

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