The Big 12 is changing, and BYU women's basketball is changing with it

PROVO — BYU women's basketball coach Amber Whiting knew the Cougars had to change something.

After two years of her tenure as head coach of her alma mater, the Cougars were 32-34, with postseason appearances in the WNIT and last year's inaugural WBIT.

But the departure of the squad's top two scorers and the program's all-time rebounding leader in Lauren Gustin (graduation) and Kailey Woolston (church mission) made changes necessary as the Big 12 moves from 14 teams to 16 following the departures of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC.

As the conference evolves with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah, BYU is evolving with it.

"We have had a challenge this summer of trying to find a starting five," Whiting said during Big 12 women's basketball media day in Kansas City of a team with five true freshmen, including four-star Canadian international Delaney Gibb and senior transfers Kendra Gillispie and Kemery Congdon. "They went at it every day. I think we're starting to find it.

"Knowing the rotations," she added, "I think I've got a lot more depth than I had last year."

That was only the beginning of a number of changes for the team that was picked to finish 12th in the Big 12, though.

Whiting also revamped her coaching staff, adding former BYU standout and Utah Valley assistant Keilani Unga to take advantage of new NCAA legislation that permitted two more coaching positions.

Unga will focus on basketball operations as part of her coaching responsibilities, while former director of player development Josh Edwards has been moved to an assistant coach role, and John Wardenburg has been moved to an assistant coach over staff development.

Whiting also added former Eastern Washington assistant Jordan Loera as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator after the departure of former assistant Morgan Bailey to Utah. Then, the third-year head coach "turned the offense over" to top assistant and associate head coach Lee Cummard.

What does that mean?

"Playing faster, shooting more 3s," Whiting said, and more offseason weight training.

"The guards were getting knocked off their base a lot," she added.

One player has already taken to the adjustment.

"Like coach said, shoot more 3s," said Congdon, the former Alta and Corner Canyon star who shot 35% from deep in two seasons at Cal. "Sign me up; I'm there."

After battling injuries and the Pac-12 at Utah and Cal, Congdon (nee Martin) returns home where she was named Utah Gatorade Player of the Year and Deseret News Ms. Basketball in 2019. But she's not the same person she was when she committed to Utah out of high school.

For starters, there's that last name.

"It's still newer, but it's been great," said Congdon, who married Brandon Congdon on Aug. 17. "I've enjoyed being home, and now married; it's been a good change. It's definitely what I needed, and it's super refreshing."

Amari Whiting has also been through a "needed change" in her offseason, which was significantly different than last year.

A year ago, the younger Whiting was focused on recovering from an ACL injury that kept her out of her senior year in high school, when the 2022 Gatorade Idaho player of the year transferred to Timpview after he mother was named head coach at BYU.

But the injury lingered, even as she graduated early, enrolled at BYU, and took advantage of the Cougars' medical resources during her rehabilitation. All through the summer, she focused on getting medically cleared and eligible to return to the court.

Now?

"It was time to get to work," Whiting said after a freshman season averaging 10.6 points, 3.7 assists and a team-high 1.5 steals per game in 33 starts. "I got in the weight room, got stronger, and I felt like I needed to add a lot to my bag. It was eye-opening, being in the Big 12 and how good everyone was."

Getting to work also means working with her mother. But in the gym, Amari Whiting said, she's just "coach" or "Amber." The "mom" part? That's reserved for Sunday dinners and biweekly trips to the nail salons, where the mother-daughter duo can talk, gossip — and not say a word about basketball.

"There's definitely a line," Amari Whiting said. "But I feel like we do a good job of keeping our mother-daughter relationship, as well."

To which a cheeky coach Whiting added: "I can hold her to a higher standard, and she's not going to transfer; that's one of the benefits. I'll say it: she's not going anywhere. But in this day and age, it's a real thing to be able to coach players hard. ... I feel like if I can coach her hard, I can coach everybody hard."

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