Texas women’s basketball’s transfer senior forward Jada Bediako suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury, according to a Texas Athletics spokesperson. Bediako will have surgery on Thursday, per the statement.
This news comes less than a week before Texas plays its first exhibition game against UConn on Oct. 19 and about three weeks before the Longhorns open their regular season against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 4.
Bediako transferred to Texas in the offseason after playing two seasons at Marquette following her freshman year at Georgia Tech. She averaged 2.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last season in her 26 games played.
Bediako will have the opportunity to return for a fifth season next year due to the NCAA’s new 5-for-5 rule.
While Bediako may not have been expected to be an instant starter for Texas, head coach Vic Schaefer said she was expected to bring in a veteran presence for freshman forwards Isi Etute and Brihanna Crittendon.
Bediako will still have the opportunity to teach the new faces, but now from the courtside.
Bediako’s injury puts an increasing amount of pressure on senior forward Breya Cunningham and junior center Lovisa Asbrink Hose to carry the frontcourt.
Change has been the recent narrative for the Longhorns, with so many new and young faces added to the roster. Losing an upperclassman with a wealth of experience for an entire season poses a hurdle to Schaefer and his young team.
The Longhorns take on the UConn Huskies on Oct. 19. Without Bediako, Schaefer will already be forced to make adjustments to his preseason lineups and strategies.
