Updated 10/3/2022 3:00 AM

The Oregon State women’s basketball team is in the midst a near complete makeover, with seven new players and only four returnees from the 2021-22 team that went 17-14 and lost to UCLA in the NIT quarterfinals.

It’s not ideal for Coach Scott Rueck, beginning his 13th season at the Beaver helm. But he has done it before, with remarkable results.

In 2008-09, in his 13th of 14 seasons at George Fox, Rueck began with only four returnees, no returning starters and 10 true freshmen. The Bruins went 32-0 and claimed the NCAA Division III national championship.

“This is not uncharted territory for me,” Rueck told me Thursday after the Beavers’ first practice session in the school’s basketball training facility. “I’m unfazed by it. I love first-year players, always have, whether they’re freshmen or transfers. I look at this year with a lot of optimism.”

OSU’s opponents this season won’t be the likes of Whitman, Willamette and Linfield. Rueck, though, lives by a glass-three-quarters-full philosophy, and he thinks he has the horses to compete at the highest level.

“It was great to be back in the gym as a group,” he said moments after the Beavers’ opening practice session. “It was a little more normal than the past two years. A little longer. More detailed. The energy was great. It’s a gym full of optimism.”

Rueck has grown used to winning. His OSU career record is 240-113 overall and 121-70 in Pac-12 play. His teams had made the NCAA Tournament the last eight years it had been held — claiming three straight conference titles and reaching the Final Four in 2016 — until last season, when the Beavers finished 17-14 overall (6-9 in Pac-12 action) and lost to UCLA in the WNIT quarterfinals.

It started badly when All-Pac-12 center Taylor Jones underwent shoulder surgery and played only nine games. Then the season was delayed three weeks due to Covid. The 2020-21 campaign had been limited to 20 games, with no NCAA Tournament staged, during the pandemic.

“Last season was disjointed a bit for the second straight year — the year before (2020-21) had been so disrupted,” Rueck says. “We were hoping for a bit more normalcy and it started that way, but then we had the Covid pause around and after Christmas. Losing (Jones) to injury at the beginning of Pac-12 play, we had to start again. Under the circumstances, we played well and got better to the end. Fort that reason, overall I felt good about it.”

OSU’s defense was solid last season, holding opponents to a .359 field-goal percentage, including .304 from 3-point range. The Beavers’ shooting, however, was suspect — .419 from the field and .329 from 3-point territory.

“That was our nemesis,” Rueck says. “We had a hard time making shots at the level we’re used to. We really struggled in that category, and that put a lot of pressure on our defense. We weren’t quite good enough at that end of the floor to overcome it.”

I ask Rueck if he felt the 2021-22 Beavers had a problem with chemistry, or camaraderie.

“I though we practiced really well all year,” he says. “Individually, every single player is a great person. I loved every one for them. Collectively, though, we didn’t come together quite like we needed to. I’m not sure why that was.”

In the weeks after season’s end came defections through the NCAA’s transfer portal. Jones to Texas. Greta Kampschroeder to Michigan. Kennedy Brown and Taya Corosdale, joining ex-Beaver star Aleah Goodman, now director of recruiting/player development at Duke. All with remaining eligibility at OSU. Together with seniors Ellie Mack — the Beavers’ second-best player last season — and Emily Codding, Rueck lost four starters and two key reserves. It was a big hit.

“It’s not any coach’s design to lose players,” Rueck says. “Certainly, though, we’re not the only program impacted. Four transfers was about the average for the Pac-12.”

During his first 23 years as a head coach at George Fox and Oregon State, Rueck says he lost four transfers. After the 2020-21 season, he lost three. That’s seven the past two years.

“I can’t say I was too surprised based upon my perspective,” he says of the 2022 exodus. “For our fans, I knew it hurt to see that news. It’s part of college sports right now. The transfer rules have created more opportunities for people. That’s why it’s been so prevalent in college sports.

“You always look in the mirror. Every year is an opportunity to assess how things are going. I do that year in and year out. We say, ‘OK, is there anything to learn from this?’ And we go to work on what we can control.”

So will Rueck change anything in his coaching approach or philosophy?

“You’re always looking to see if you can do everything a little better,” he says. “Communication is at such a premium these days. That’s an area I have made a point to continue to try to do a better job.”

One key piece — the most important piece — stayed on board.

On April 5, after the four Beavers announced their transfers, freshman guard Talia von Oelhoffen tweeted this: “I want to make it clear that I made a commitment to this program, this university and this fan base, and I’m not going anywhere. … can’t wait to see you all in Gill next year. I promise you’re not gonna want to miss it. #22 is rocking with you til the end, Beaver Nation. Back to work.”

The 5-11 von Oelhoffen — who burst onto the scene in Corvallis as an early enrollee during what would have been her senior year of high school in Pasco, Wash. — was one of only two freshmen and the only Beaver on the 15-player All-Pac-12 team last season.

“For a couple of weeks there, things were moving fast,” Rueck says. “To have a player leave before her eligibility is up has been rare for us. Our fans love these players like no other. They become like family members. I know our fans were hurting. They care for these athletes so much. My heart was breaking for them.

“For Talia to give our program and fan base that vote of confidence was special and meaningful. I felt good for Beaver Nation.”

Rueck hails the return of another important figure in Eric Ely, the popular former assistant who was with Rueck from his first season (2010-11) until 2020. Ely, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Texas Tech, will serve as director of player personnel/assistant to the head coach. 

“Eric is invaluable to me,” Rueck says. “One of the hardest things I‘ve dealt with was losing him. Getting him back is an absolute blessing for all of us. I feel like we’re back in business. We really missed him the last two years.”

With seven new players and only four returnees (ironically, Rueck prefers flying well under the NCAA limit of 15 scholarships so as to keep all his players happy with playing time), Rueck hasn’t looked at this kind of turnover since his first season at OSU. He is not crying uncle.

“I’m an ‘anything is possible’ guy,” he says. “My experiences have led me to be that way. I’m always been an optimist, like, ‘Why not us?’ That (championship) year at George Fox taught me if you work hard and have the players, the sky is the limit. But it’s a young group. We’ll need to grow together quickly.”

Von Oelhoffen led the Beavers in scoring (13.7), 3-point shooting (.362), free throw shooting (.888) and assists (3.0) in her first full college season playing mostly shooting guard.

“(Former OSU coach) Aki Hill calls Talia a ‘1.5 guard,’ ” Rueck says. “I like that. That describes Talia well. She can play both (guard) positions, but (the 2 guard) is where she’s at her best.”

What can Talia, now a sophomore in eligibility, achieve this season?

“Next level,” Rueck says. “That’s how I describe it. Talia is in position to be ‘next level’ in every category. She has done a great job of leadership through the offseason and preseason. She has embraced it. She has worked extremely hard on her game. She has taken a mature approach to her shortcomings a year ago and has put herself into position for a terrific season. I’ve been really impressed.”

Jelena Mitrovic, a 6-9 redshirt sophomore, is OSU’s only true “big.” The native Serb averaged only 12.5 minutes a game last season but came on late, hitting 8 of 10 shots and scoring 16 points in the season-ender against UCLA.

“Jelena improved so much a year ago — she was the model of improvement,” Rueck says. “It was so fun to watch her development, and that has continued this offseason. She is in the best condition of her life. She is the healthiest she has been since her early teen years. Because of that, she is able to play the game at a higher level more consistently.”

The other key returnee is AJ Marotte, a 6-1 sophomore guard from Cedar Park, Texas. Rueck expects her to shoot better than she did as a freshman (.371 from the field, .306 from 3-point range) and perhaps contend for a starting spot.

“AJ had a great offseason,” he says. “Really worked hard in the gym. I see her naturally progressing. She’ll be more disruptive defensively, and she’s been knocking down the 3 more consistently.”

Two of the newcomers are transfer guards — 6-1 redshirt junior Shalexxus Aaron and 5-10 senior Bendu Yeany.

Aaron is with her third school in three years. She was at USC for three seasons — redshirting twice due to Covid — and played last year at Texas Southern, averaging 12.0 points and 4.3 rebounds.

“Shallexxus visited us in 2014,” when she was a sophomore at Seattle’s Juanita High, Rueck says. “I’ve known the family for almost a decade.”

Yeaney, who averaged 28.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.6 steals as a senior at Portland’s St. Mary’s Academy in 2016-17, is also on her third college team. She played her first two years at Indiana, starting both seasons, and spent the last two seasons at Arizona. Yeany, who has started in 125 Division I games in her career, was also recruited by Rueck out of high school.

“Both Shalexxus and Bendu bring so much experience,” he says. “I’ve always been fans of both of them. They’ve always loved Oregon State even though they didn’t start their college careers here. For them to land here now feels great. They were in high school during our very best teams. They know us and we know them. It’s two perfect fits at the perfect time.”

Aaron is a wing, but could play any one of three positions.

“I can see her playing some 4 for us,” Rueck says. “She is a little bigger than you think. She’s strong and savvy and plays good post defense. As we’ve gotten to know her game better, we’ve seen that she’s a great shooter, unselfish and a leader.”

Yeaney is a true point guard who shot poorly last season at Arizona (.378 from the field, .300 from the 3-point line). Rueck appreciates her work on the other side of the ball.

“We’ve not had a defensive player like Bendu since Gaby Hanson (Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016-17),” he says. “To have somebody who loves defense first — we haven’t had that for awhile. That’s who Bendu is. She’s a disrupter, the type of player (the opponent has) to pay attention to. That one person sets the tone, and she does that for us every possession.

“Bendu is also embracing the opportunity to be more of a scorer this season. She has been a consistent threat from 3 in our preseason workouts.”

Headlining the five-player freshman class are forwards Timea Gardner and Raegan Beers. Both were McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic All-American and second-team Naismith All-American as high school seniors.

“They’re as highly rated as you can possibly be,” Rueck says. “They both have such a humble confidence about them. They’re both incredible passers and are so versatile.

“They love to compete, they love the game, they’re great teammates and very coachable — exactly what you would hope. They’re a little bit ahead of where I expected them to be coming in.”

The 6-3 Gardiner, from Ogden, Utah, “has a nice back-to-the-basket game,” Rueck says, “but she is also a good 3-point shooter. She can take it to the rim off the dribble. She could play three positions (2, 3 and 4) for us.”

The 6-2 Beers will likely play power forward and center for the Beavers.

“She is very explosive,” Rueck says. “While she has played her career with back to the basket, her future is also face-up from 3. We can play through her on the perimeter. She and Jelena form a dynamic duo at the 5.”

The other three freshmen are guards — 6-2 Lily Hansford from DePere, Wisc., 6-foot Adlee Blacklock from Lubbock, Texas, and 5-5 Martha Pietsch from Berlin, Germany.

Hansford has impressed Rueck in several ways.

“Lily grew up as a point (guard) until a growth spurt, so she is a great passer and can handle,” he says. “She is still growing into her body, but she has some strength to her game. I love her feel for the game, her (basketball) IQ. I see the feel that she naturally plays with. It’s hard to teach the things she does. I like long guards, and she fits.”

Blacklock, Rueck says, is a “shooting guard who can slide to the 1. She is a catch-and-shoot player, but she also has great handles and can make moves to create space. (She has) not the most orthodox shot, but the thing goes in.”

Pietsch was the last Beaver recruit to sign a letter-of-intent. She has been a part of the German national program for several years and played as an amateur on a pro team last season.

“Martha (pronounced “Marta”) is a point guard with international experience,” Rueck says. “She is a true floor leader. She runs the show. I watched her play against some of the best teams in Germany, and I loved the way she handled herself, how she took care of the ball. She understands the game at a high level and loves the defensive end of the floor.”

Rueck has often fielded one of the tallest teams in the country. This year’s team is smaller, with only the 6-9 Milicic standing taller than 6-3. Is that just the way it worked out, or is it a nod toward the women’s game becoming faster and more 3-point-oriented?

“A great question,” Rueck says with a chuckle. “I’ve always liked height and length, but I also like skills and ability. There are a lot of ways to get it done.”

Will that mean a change in offensive philosophy?

“For sure,” he says. “This group is so versatile. All three of the post players (Milicic, Beers and Gardiner) can shoot the 3. We’re going to be able to do a few things I’ve not been able to do with my teams athletically in the past.”

And, he adds this: “I’d love to have four or five point guards on the floor at the same time.”

Despite the dip last season, Rueck’s goals haven’t changed. The Beavers will get a big early test with games against Iowa and either Duke or Connecticut in the Phil Knight Invitational at Moda Center Nov. 25-27. They’ll have the earliest Civil War rivalry matchup in memory, visiting Matt Knight Arena for a game against Oregon Dec. 11. Then they’ll play Nevada and LSU in Maui on Dec. 17 and 18.

“The standard here is to be an NCAA tournament team,” the veteran OSU coach says. “We have the pieces to do that. We have some big tests early in our schedule, and we’ll need to grow quickly. We have to get great play from our point guards and from our bigs on the inside. We’ll have to be able to rebound and knock down shots. I think we can do all those things.

“I’m very optimistic about this team. (Making the NCAA Tournament) is what we’re all here to do, and that includes me and the rest of our coaching staff. I think we’ll have a chance to win every night.”

My final questions push back to the topic of transfers. How best to handle the situation?

“As a coach, you have to understand that’s the reality,” he says. “It might not be your preference, but that doesn’t matter. That’s how we have to operate from now on.

“If there are going to be massive transfers every year and you have to build one-year teams — well, that’s a lot different than what I’ve done in the past. I’ve tried to transfer-proof my program. But now, if it’s just (coaching a player) for a year, it’s a year. It’s going to be more work in April, for sure. We’ll just have to embrace that. If I choose to coach, that means I choose to handle the transfer world. I’m going to have a good attitude about it.”

Does the transfer portal change the way a coach has to coach? Does he have to play everybody a little more to keep them happy?

“I don’t know about that,” Rueck says. “You can continue to be yourself. It puts communication at a different level, which is healthy. There are times when transfers make sense, for sure. As long as you’re on the same page, the right thing will happen.”

Three years ago, All-Pac-12 guard Destiny Slocum transferred to Arkansas for her final year of eligibility after three years in the Oregon State program. This past summer, Slocum worked the Beavers’ camps.

“I don’t burn bridges,” Rueck says. “When someone decides to go, it’s fine. My attitude is, ‘Thanks for your contributions to our program and I’ll be a fan watching you in the future.’ I wish them the best. I’m not going to let a transfer impact my relationship with anyone.”

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