Rebuilding and rising: Tarleton women’s basketball eyes a new era

BY AVERY HARR

Multimedia Journalist

The Tarleton State University women’s basketball team is stepping into a season unlike any other. 

After finishing last year with a historic 20-win season, the Texans are entering a new chapter with only three returning players from the 2024–25 roster. For head coach Bill Brock and his staff, this rebuilding year isn’t about lowering expectations; it’s about laying a foundation that can carry the program to new heights.

Among the returners is senior guard Jakoriah Long, who has become one of the faces of the program. For Long, being one of just three veterans carries weight but not pressure.

“It honestly feels special to be one of the three returners, because it shows the trust I have in Coach Brock and this program,” Long said. “From year one, it’s been about rebuilding and learning how to fight through adversity, and that’s something I’ve really embraced. For me, it doesn’t feel like extra pressure; it feels more like an opportunity to lead, to set the tone and to show the younger players what trusting the process looks like.”

Leadership, both on and off the court, has become central to Tarleton’s culture. Long emphasized that leadership isn’t confined to upperclassmen, but rather shared across the roster.

“Every girl has stepped up and taken on leadership in their own way, and that’s made us stronger as a team this early in the year,” Long said. “We all lead each other, and as long as we keep pulling in the same direction, I believe we can do something really special with this group.”

That collective mentality is exactly what assistant coach Geoff Golden said the staff has been working to instill. He explained that recruiting isn’t just about talent, it’s about finding players who embrace both basketball excellence and academic achievement.

“We’d like for every athlete to leave Tarleton State with a championship ring and a graduate degree,” Golden said. “We place a high value on student-athletes that come from championship programs and who have exhibited strong academic performance.”

On the court, Golden noted that this year’s focus is on conditioning, shooting from the perimeter, finishing at the rim, sharper decision-making and disciplined defense. More than anything, though, he wants players to “fall in love with the process of improvement.”

That process-driven mindset has already paid dividends for Long, who emerged as one of the top three-point shooters in the conference last season. She’s hungry to expand her game this year, aiming to become more versatile offensively while helping the team chase its ultimate goals: winning the Western Athletic Conference and earning a trip to the NCAA postseason.

While the Texans are a young squad, optimism surrounds the program. Much of that confidence comes from the university’s broader growth and investment in athletics. 

The opening of the new EECU Events Center provides the women’s team with a state-of-the-art home, enhancing both the fan and athlete experience. Golden described it as a “recruiting advantage for the foreseeable future,” underscoring how Tarleton’s infrastructure is keeping pace with its ambition.

For Coach Brock, now entering his third season guiding the program, the vision is clear: build a championship culture while competing every day. 

Golden put it simply: “The quicker that process happens, the faster winning happens.”

From the outside, a roster filled with 11 new faces might look like a weakness. But inside Wisdom Gym and now the EECU Event Center, it’s viewed as an opportunity and a chance to write a new story with fresh energy, strong leadership and a shared hunger for success.

As Long put it, the team’s motto says it all: “Expect More, Demand More.”