WBB Signs Reese Ross
4/11/2026 4:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Nicki Collen adds Utah transfer averaging a career 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds
WACO, Texas – Baylor women's basketball head coach Nicki Collen announced the addition of Utah transfer Reese Ross to the program on Saturday.
"We are thrilled to welcome Reese Ross to the Baylor Family," said Collen. "Reese is an elite energy forward with the ability to run the floor, straight-line drive, move without the ball, make threes and defend multiple positions. She is an experienced Big 12 player who rebounds the basketball at a high level and does all the little things to help her team be successful. Our fans will love her tenacity, toughness and burning desire to win."
Ross recorded five double-doubles during the 2025-26 season, including four in Big 12 Conference play. She averaged 9.3 points per game and posted a career-high 22 points against Iowa State in February. In that game, the junior shot 8-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and went 4-of-6 from the foul line.
The 6-foot-1 forward shot 47.2% from the field and 32.8% from beyond the arc, making 103 field goals on 218 attempts. She was one of four Utah players to surpass 100 made field goals on the season.
Ross led the Utes in rebounding, averaging 8.2 rebounds per game, including 51 offensive boards. She recorded 10 games with double-digit rebounds, highlighted by a career-best 14 against Arizona in Tucson. That performance was sandwiched between 13-rebound outings against UC Riverside and Arizona State.
Against the Bears in Baylor's 61-45 win at the Huntsman Center in January, Ross collected eight rebounds and went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. She started all 30 games for Utah during the season, marking the first starts of her collegiate career.
As a sophomore during Utah's first season in the Big 12, Ross averaged 7.8 points per game while shooting 50.3% from the field. She came off the bench for just over 19 minutes per contest and produced 10 double-digit scoring games. Her season-high 19 points came against Arizona State in 2024-25 on 6-of-10 shooting, including two 3-pointers. She followed that performance with a season-best 11 rebounds at Arizona.
One of Ross' double-digit scoring games as a sophomore came against Baylor, when she totaled 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
During her freshman season, Ross appeared in 31 games, shooting 51.1% from the field while averaging 4.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Over her first 12 non-conference contests, she averaged 7.8 points per game and scored 20 points against the University of Alaska Anchorage at the 2023 Great Alaska Shootout. In that game, she added 11 rebounds, one assist and one steal for her first career double-double.
A native of South Dakota, Ross was the No. 1 player in the state in the Class of 2023. She was named First Team All-State and earned 2023 Gatorade South Dakota Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors out of St. Thomas More High School. Ross was also a multiple-time selection to the Black Hills All-Conference Team and the SDHSAA All-Tournament Team.
Baylor is coming off a 25-9 campaign in 2025-26, finishing third in the Big 12 while extending the nation's second-longest active streaks of 20-win seasons (26) and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (22). The Bears led the conference in blocks per game and 3-point percentage defense and ranked 14th nationally in field-goal percentage defense. Building on success, Baylor owns the most victories among Big 12 teams since Collen took the program's reins ahead of the 2021-22 season, while Collen ranks third among active major conference head coaches in wins through their first five seasons at their current school and fifth in winning percentage in that same category.
Baylor women's basketball is presented by Central National Bank, a family-owned, independent bank headquartered in Waco, Texas, that provides uniquely personal service while simultaneously embracing the latest developments in banking technology.
To stay up to date, follow the team on its official Facebook, X and Instagram accounts: @BaylorWBB.
"We are thrilled to welcome Reese Ross to the Baylor Family," said Collen. "Reese is an elite energy forward with the ability to run the floor, straight-line drive, move without the ball, make threes and defend multiple positions. She is an experienced Big 12 player who rebounds the basketball at a high level and does all the little things to help her team be successful. Our fans will love her tenacity, toughness and burning desire to win."
Ross recorded five double-doubles during the 2025-26 season, including four in Big 12 Conference play. She averaged 9.3 points per game and posted a career-high 22 points against Iowa State in February. In that game, the junior shot 8-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and went 4-of-6 from the foul line.
The 6-foot-1 forward shot 47.2% from the field and 32.8% from beyond the arc, making 103 field goals on 218 attempts. She was one of four Utah players to surpass 100 made field goals on the season.
Ross led the Utes in rebounding, averaging 8.2 rebounds per game, including 51 offensive boards. She recorded 10 games with double-digit rebounds, highlighted by a career-best 14 against Arizona in Tucson. That performance was sandwiched between 13-rebound outings against UC Riverside and Arizona State.
Against the Bears in Baylor's 61-45 win at the Huntsman Center in January, Ross collected eight rebounds and went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. She started all 30 games for Utah during the season, marking the first starts of her collegiate career.
As a sophomore during Utah's first season in the Big 12, Ross averaged 7.8 points per game while shooting 50.3% from the field. She came off the bench for just over 19 minutes per contest and produced 10 double-digit scoring games. Her season-high 19 points came against Arizona State in 2024-25 on 6-of-10 shooting, including two 3-pointers. She followed that performance with a season-best 11 rebounds at Arizona.
One of Ross' double-digit scoring games as a sophomore came against Baylor, when she totaled 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
During her freshman season, Ross appeared in 31 games, shooting 51.1% from the field while averaging 4.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Over her first 12 non-conference contests, she averaged 7.8 points per game and scored 20 points against the University of Alaska Anchorage at the 2023 Great Alaska Shootout. In that game, she added 11 rebounds, one assist and one steal for her first career double-double.
A native of South Dakota, Ross was the No. 1 player in the state in the Class of 2023. She was named First Team All-State and earned 2023 Gatorade South Dakota Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors out of St. Thomas More High School. Ross was also a multiple-time selection to the Black Hills All-Conference Team and the SDHSAA All-Tournament Team.
Baylor is coming off a 25-9 campaign in 2025-26, finishing third in the Big 12 while extending the nation's second-longest active streaks of 20-win seasons (26) and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (22). The Bears led the conference in blocks per game and 3-point percentage defense and ranked 14th nationally in field-goal percentage defense. Building on success, Baylor owns the most victories among Big 12 teams since Collen took the program's reins ahead of the 2021-22 season, while Collen ranks third among active major conference head coaches in wins through their first five seasons at their current school and fifth in winning percentage in that same category.
Baylor women's basketball is presented by Central National Bank, a family-owned, independent bank headquartered in Waco, Texas, that provides uniquely personal service while simultaneously embracing the latest developments in banking technology.
To stay up to date, follow the team on its official Facebook, X and Instagram accounts: @BaylorWBB.
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