The last time the Aztecs won a Mountain West Tournament was in 2012 against New Mexico. Thirteen years later, they accomplished the goal they had been pursuing since head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson took over the program after the 2012 season. The team appears primed to do the same as they prepare to take the court for the 2025-26 season. 

This past season, the Scarlet and Black defeated Wyoming State 72-68 in triple overtime, punching them a ticket to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Their journey ended quickly, though, with a 103-48 loss to LSU. 

Fast forward after the off-season, and the Aztecs’ lineup looks different, with seven new players on the roster and seven returning. Terry-Hutson also returns in her 13th season as head coach of the Aztecs.

“Excited about this team,” Hutson said in an open practice to the public on Saturday. “I think we have a great combination of returners and newcomers coming on and looking to see how we can put it all together. We’re at that point, we’re excited to play somebody else, other than each other and our scout team.”

With every new season comes a different roster, and Terry-Hutson discussed the game plan for this year’s team.

“We’ve kind of set the standard to win a championship, so that’s always the goal, but it’s not going to happen here in October,” Hutson said. “We have to get better every day in practice. We have to really work on the fundamentals and learning who we are and defining who we are. Once we get that solidified, I think we have a chance to be really good.”

On the new roster, the Aztecs have seven newcomers, including two freshmen and five transfers.  

“I think it’s a testament to the kids we have on our team,” Hutson said. “These young ladies wanted to come because they want to play for a winner. They want to play with young ladies that are like-minded, that want to be great at basketball, but also just are good human beings.” 

Nala Williams, a senior guard from Long Beach, is one of the transfers coming from Division II’s Cal State Dominguez Hills. 

“It’s been a step up for sure,” Williams said. “I’ve been having a lot of fun just learning my new teammates and the new system, but I do believe that Dominguez Hills did prepare me for the pace of this level and also just the fundamental things that I’ve learned there. But I’m so excited to be here under Coach Stacie and learn so many new things every day.”

Entering a new program can bring in mixed emotions for transferring players. The first practice often brings both nerves and excitement. 

“It’s like the little butterfly jitters in your stomach, because you just want to do everything right,” Williams said. “You want to make your teammates happy, your coach happy, but at the end of the day, you just have to be yourself. So let’s just learn how to be Nala in this new system. But its  been amazing so far.”

Bailey Barnhard, a sophomore forward from San Diego, is one of the seven returners, having appeared in 28 games last season. 

“As a team, I think that being unified is a main goal for me, that there’s no clicks, no drama, but ultimately I want to get back to where we were last year in that same championship game, cutting down nets,” Barnhard said. “I feel like everybody in the Mountain West probably has that goal, but ultimately that’s just where we want to be.”

Barnhard was a first-year player last season and now has a championship under her belt. After the MW Tournament, she began focusing on where she will be needed in the upcoming season. 

“I’ve had time to develop since my time last year, and just being able to work with coach Stacie and the coaching staff and figure out what my role is going to be,” Barnhard said. “Hopefully being a more higher contributor this year, getting some more playing time in that aspect. But ultimately doing whatever she needs me to do.”

Last year, the motto was “We Over Me.” This season, they decided to go with “All In.”

“We are all in,” Hutson said. “In all aspects and making sure that we are defending at a high level, practicing at a high level, going to class, and being consistent in the classroom, everything we do we’re going to do it 110% and we’re all in and everything that we do.”

The Scarlet and Black open their season at the Honda Center in Anaheim, facing UCLA at the Orange County Hoops Classic at 7 p.m.

“What a great way to start the season, to see where we are and what we tell our young ladies, it’s we’re going to end up playing somebody like that,” Terry-Hutson said. “I’m going to speak it into existence when we win the championship and go to the NCAA tournament, that’s the type of opponent we’ll be playing.”