CHICAGO – A new energy radiated throughout the gym in the Goodman Center throughout the spring with Jasmine Chambers in charge.
The first-year coach got her first work with the Lakers during this past spring, and the enthusiasm has translated to preseason training. Roosevelt may have been picked last in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by the coaches this season, but that has more to do with the past than the future.
Chambers has overhauled the 21-person roster with half of them being newcomers. Some like sophomore setter Merryck Brackett have experience with Chambers, having followed the coach from Newberry to Chicago. Others like fifth-year Makena Wesol spent four years in the GLIAC – in Wesol's case Michigan Tech – before moving closer to home for her final year.
In total, there are four transfers from Division II institutions, one from a Division I, three freshmen and three junior college transfers in this class. They combine with a strong nucleus of returners led by senior Isa Grana and graduate students Aleksandra Barac and Alessia Isgro.
Barac missed most of last season with a knee injury, but is back to full strength on the outside to pair with Isgro, the Lakers' leader in kills in 2025. Grana is just two assists shy of entering the top-five in Roosevelt history with nearly 1,100 to her credit in her first three seasons.
Abigail Wutka is part of a talented sophomore class looking to take the next step with a full year of college experience under their belts. The Michigan native ranked second on the team last season in kills as Roosevelt brings back three of the four players who registered at least 100 kills a season ago. Wutka is joined in that class by setter Jessica Maier and outside Lillian Hallahan, both of whom saw their playing time increase as the 2025 season went along.
The Lakers' major overhauls came on defense with several new middle blockers and a plethora of defensive specialists added. Roosevelt added height in the form of 6-foot-1 transfer McKenzie Bernard from Quincy and 6-foot-5 Kaja Debelak, who hails from Slovenia. Then on the back end, the Lakers are deep at libero with transfer Madison Howard, graduate transfer Imani Lee and returner Cassie Lange, who redshirted last season prior to the new five-year rule being passed.
The new-look lineup will get their first test Friday when Roosevelt travels to the Hall of Fame City Challenge to face Roberts Wesleyan and Edinboro. The Lakers will then face Charleston on Saturday before returning to Chicago for the home opener on Sept. 1 against Olivet Nazarene at 6 p.m. at the Goodman Center.
