Virginia women’s basketball has yet to appear in the NCAA Tournament in its first three years under Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton. In fact, it has been over 10 years since the Cavaliers even reached the ACC Championship game.
Virginia hopes to change that fact this season.
In Coach Agugua-Hamilton’s fourth year in Charlottesville, the team is ready to add fuel to the fire with the help of a revamped roster. In the offseason, Virginia added two new coaches, seven veteran transfers and a four-star high school recruit. The roster may finally have the depth to generate a dynamic threat and the experience to adapt to adversity. The Cavaliers put up a promising performance in the preseason — here is how they can succeed this season, with the season opener coming Tuesday.
Maximizing offense — with and without Kymora Johnson
Last year’s late-season fatigue and uneven scoring displayed the limits of revolving the entire playbook around star junior guard Kymora Johnson — a pattern Virginia seems intent on fixing. The Cavaliers should maximize Johnson’s skill by leaning on the team's versatility, allowing her to play freely with the support around her.
Even in an offseason of change, the spotlight has remained on Johnson, who has proven in her first two years of Virginia basketball to be the ultimate playmaker. However, Johnson consistently averaged a taxing 36.7 minutes a game last season due to short rotations. Despite her tenacity on both sides of the ball at nearly 18 points per game and 1.9 steals per game last season — which landed her All-ACC first team honors — Virginia must prioritize building around her rather than relying on her.
With Virginia’s additions of depth and height to their roster — perhaps most noteworthy is the 6-foot-2 junior transfer Sa’Myah Smith from LSU — the Cavaliers will be able to attack the glass and capitalize on second-chance opportunities more effectively.
In the impressive 99-38 blowout exhibition win against Frostburg State Thursday, Virginia’s bench performed well. In particular, 6-foot-5 Central Florida sophomore transfer Adeang Ring was a bright spot in limited action, finishing with 17 points and eight rebounds. Her scoring will be a welcome addition to a team that struggled to generate points off the bench — especially when Johnson took a breather.
Taking care of the ball
No one would have guessed by the final score of Thursday’s exhibition that Virginia started off the first minute of the game with two consecutive turnovers. Finishing with 19 total turnovers, the Cavaliers had the Bobcats matched at 16 turnovers at the end of the third quarter.
Turnovers are certainly a reminder of the consequences of starting a new season with a fresh roster — newness breeds inconsistent and, at times, rushed basketball. With eight newcomers, the players are still learning each other’s tendencies during games — where to cut, when to pass and how to communicate under pressure. These early miscues likely stem less from sloppiness and more from a team searching for its rhythm.
However, the team’s chemistry and communication can only grow from here. Spacing and timing during offensive possessions tend to become more in sync as players build trust. If the Cavaliers prioritize forming that chemistry off the court, it will translate to better on-ball discipline and ball movement on the court.
As Virginia faces tougher competition later in the season during ACC conference play, maintaining composure, valuing possessions and limiting turnovers down the stretch will be key to converting offensive potential into success.
Creating a defensive identity
For the Cavaliers this season, defense must be more than an effort — it should be an identity. Their length, particularly in the frontcourt, gives them the tools to contest shots, secure the boards and exploit transition opportunities. Sustaining that energy will determine whether Virginia can consistently pack a punch, especially against elite ACC matchups.
Against Frostburg State, Virginia impressed on the stat sheet defensively with eight blocks and 16 steals. Defensive efficiency allowed the Cavaliers to increase their score margin tremendously, whether on fast break or from possession to possession.
Beyond the statistics, their defensive intensity clearly set the tone. Virginia thrived in help defense, passing lane anticipation and aggressive closeouts. When each player committed to strong rotations on every possession, they not only limited Frostburg State’s offense but also generated scoring opportunities of their own as a result.
A commitment to defense has the potential to be the defining factor of Virginia’s season. If the Cavaliers make defense the backbone of their style of play, they can turn close matchups into decisive victories and position themselves for a run in the ACC and NCAA tournaments next spring.
Virginia appears poised to move forward into a strong regular season. Though the preseason only offered a glimpse of their gameplay, the Cavaliers’ fresh energy and veteran experience suggest that this season could finally mark a turning point — one that transforms potential into lasting success.
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