MILWAUKEE — Following the conclusion of the 2024-25 NCAA women's basketball season, 1,418 players entered the transfer portal. None of them were from Marquette. In fact, the Golden Eagles, led by reigning Big East Coach of the Year Kara Consuegra, were the only Division I women's basketball program to return every player from last season's roster.
“Our number one goal in the first year was our culture and our foundation, and we wanted to make sure that we gave our kids a great experience, and we did that very well,” Consuegra said at Marquette’s media day late last month. “And our players allowed us to do that. They bought in, they believed in our culture of playing from the heart, they believed in our principles, and because of that we had an enjoyable year. But they all want to continue to be a part of it. I think it's a big credit to our players, it's a big credit to our coaching staff. We have a great group of kids and coaches that believe in each other.”
When Marquette hired Consuegra (who was an assistant coach for the program from 2004-2011) as its new head coach in the spring of 2024, then-athletic director Bill Scholl praised her for having a “keen appreciation for the values that make the university and the women’s basketball program special.” Marquette not only needed a coach, but also a leader. “Essentially, she is committed to the holistic development on and off the court of the young women she will mentor, and this reflects the university's approach,” Scholl added.
The culture that Consuegra has created is built on the HEART: hustle, effort, responsibility, respect and resilience.
These are not meaningless platitudes, but the core values that drive the program. Before each season, Consuegra and her staff hold a HEART workshop to give everyone a chance to explain what each letter means to them. (This year's final event was a scavenger hunt in Milwaukee, which fifth-year senior Abby Cracknell sheepishly admitted was won by a group of coaches.)
After practice each day, these principles are reinforced on the HEART board. The entire group comes together and each player or staff member has a chance to give a player (or multiple players) a heart for showing hustle, effort, responsibility, respect, or resilience. When a player receives a heart, they can go to the board and place it next to their name while the team clicks it. Public display helps build cohesion and good habits.
“The way [Consuegra] builds relationships, makes practices and games and everything so much fun, but she's also able to hold us accountable and help us get better,” fifth-year Lee Walker said. “I think those things combined just brought everyone back.”
The Golden Eagles went 21-11 last season but had to settle for a bid to the Women's BIT where they were eliminated in the second round by James Madison in overtime. Star forward Skylar Forbes said the team is “very deeply rooted” in their “one common goal” of returning to the NCAA Tournament this season and will lean on their continuity to make that happen.
Walker said having 12 returners is a “huge advantage,” and Cracknell added that “it really helps” because “we know what Coach Kara wants and how to get it.” Walker and Cracknell weren't sure they'd be back, and even held an Alumni Day last season just in case. Ultimately, the best friends were granted a fifth year in the program and jumped at the chance to wear the blue and gold for another season. Consuegra is very happy to have them. “Abby is by far our best leader,” Consuegra said. “Lee is also a really great leader and has a lot of experience.”
While the real games don't start until Monday when they host Winthrop, having so many familiar faces on the court is already paying dividends. Consuegra said pre-season training had gone “much smoother” than usual and that her players were “really confident” ahead of the season.
“We know our rotation, we know our scheme, we know where we need to be, and those reps help us get to where we want to be,” Consuegra continued.
Cracknell noted that their camaraderie “allows us to bring each other out on the court, play hard for each other, dive into those loose balls, [play] help the assistant defend himself, and all those little things.” That kind of connection can only be created over time and through shared moments such as HEART workshops and trips to Kopp's, a local custard stand that is a favorite among the team. “Knowing that the person next to you will give you their best effort will give you the same back,” Cracknell said.
The power of friendship is real, but it also takes talent. The good news is that Milwaukee has plenty of it.
Forbes, a first-team All-Big East honoree last season as a sophomore, was named to Naismith Women's College's preseason Player of the Year list. The versatile 6-foot-3 forward is one of five players on the roster from outside the Power 4 conferences (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC) and the fourth player in Marquette history to earn the recognition. She was also named to the 2025-26 Big East preseason team along with Volker and Halle Weiss. Marquette hasn't had this many players on the preseason honor roll since the 2018-19 season, which turned out to be the last time they won the Big East and the last time they won a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Marquette was picked second in the Big East in the preseason coaches' poll, behind only defending national champions YUKON. No one expects the Golden Eagles to knock the Huskies off the top spot, but this is one of the most talented and experienced teams Marquette has ever had, and it brings real expectations, both internally and externally.
“I told the team that last year we didn’t care where we were picked, why do we suddenly care now?” – said Consuegra. “It doesn't matter to us. Our circle and everyone who is in our circle is important to us. We have high expectations for ourselves… Every day is dedicated to getting better, we focus on all the little things that brought us success last year. These are our values, these are our culture, these are our winning strategies. If we think about the right things, we can have a really successful year.”
Marquette's culture brought everyone back. Will this help them win?
“I think as long as we play Marquette basketball and play HEART, we're going to be pretty tough to beat,” Cracknell said.
