St. John's Red Storm Rebuilds Roster After Historic Collapse
The gym floor still holds the echo of a 26-point blowout. St. John's women's basketball enters the 2026-27 season with a fragile core and a roster that has lost nearly half its identity.
The polished hardwood of the gymnasium remains silent, but the memory of the WBIT first round hangs heavy in the air. A 74-26 defeat to Columbia shattered the season, leaving the Red Storm with a Game Score of 0.0 and a roster that feels lighter than expected. The team finished 2025-26 with a 22-12 record, tied for fifth in the Big East, yet the final image is one of collapse. They trailed by sixteen points in the first quarter and scored just eight points in the second half of that decisive loss.
Now, the offseason shifts the focus to what remains. Four players who appeared in all 34 games are returning, a stability that seems almost ironic given the team’s recent fragility. The departures are not just statistical lines on a sheet; they represent the loss of starting guards, seasoned leaders, and a forward who anchored the paint. As Joe Tartamella’s contract moves into its second year, the foundation must be rebuilt from the ground up.
Departures Reshape the Starting Five
Kylie Lavelle, who started in 20 of 34 games, has left after averaging 4.8 points and 2.9 rebounds. Her departure creates an immediate vacuum in the backcourt. Jailah Donald, who missed the final game to end her perfect attendance streak, is also gone. She contributed 5.1 points and 2.0 assists per game, providing a steady rhythmic presence that the team now lacks. The loss of these two guards leaves the perimeter without its most consistent voices.
The frontcourt loses its two most reliable scorers. Shaulana Wagner, a transfer from Troy who started 27 games, averaged 6.8 points and 4.7 assists. Her departure ends a multi-year journey that included stops at Xavier and junior college. Beautiful Waheed, who started 26 games, is moving to Arkansas. She averaged 9.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, a scoring threat that will be hard to replace. Both women sat out the Columbia loss, a fun fact that highlights how thin the rotation became at a critical moment.
Skye Owen, a Staten Island native, is heading to Florida on a medical redshirt waiver. A concussion in November ended her season early, limiting her to six games. In the previous year, she averaged 7.7 points, suggesting a potential impact that never fully materialized. Her exit adds another layer to a roster that has seen significant turnover, forcing the coaching staff to look outward for replacements.
Stability Amidst the Turnover
The returners offer a glimmer of continuity. Sa’mya Wyatt leads the group, providing a familiar face in a changing landscape. The fact that four players who played in every single game are returning is a tangible benefit. It means the core defensive structure and some offensive habits remain intact. However, the quantity of remaining players is small. Returning five players total from a roster that lost its top scorers is a delicate balancing act.
The team’s 2025-26 finish was a tie for fifth, one game behind the third-place tie and four games ahead of Providence. They lost the tiebreaker for fourth to Creighton due to head-to-head records. These standings reflect a competitive mid-major team, but the postseason results tell a different story. The loss to Columbia was not just a defeat; it was a statement of how vulnerable the team can be when key pieces are missing or the rotation is depleted.
Rebuilding the Foundation
As the summer vibe check concludes, the picture is clear. The Red Storm are losing their best players but keeping their most consistent ones. The challenge for the 2026-27 season is to fill the voids left by Wagner, Waheed, Lavelle, and Donald. The team must find new scoring threats and guard depth to match the energy they showed in the regular season. The goal is to avoid another 74-26 collapse and build a roster that can compete consistently in the Big East.
According to Yahoo Sports, the narrative is one of rebuilding. The loss of key players is a setback, but the return of four core players is a foundation. The team must use this offseason to recruit aggressively and develop its remaining players. The 2026-27 season will be a test of how well the Red Storm can adapt to the loss of their top talent. The path forward is uncertain, but the desire to improve is clear.
