Emma Ronsiek gives CSU Rams a different kind of star | CSU rams

FORT COLLINS – Emma Ronsiek is not McKenna Hofschild. She wants to make that very clear.

But no one wants her to be that good.

It’s a new era for Colorado State women’s basketball, but that doesn’t mean the Rams lack star power despite the loss of Hofschild, who left her mark on the program and the record books by putting up marks for four seasons surpassed only by Becky Hammon .

“Everybody who’s watched CSU women’s basketball has known who McKenna Hofschild is from the last four years,” Ronsiek told The Denver Gazette. “She kind of elevated this program, and I wouldn’t even say I’m half as good as she is (at) what she did for this program because I’m only going to be here for one year. I just think I will be completely different. I can’t do the things she does. I think we’ll be playing a lot differently this year.”

After four years of earning all-Big East honors at Creighton, including averaging nearly 16 points and over five rebounds per game last season for a Bluejays team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, there is a simple reason why Ronsiek chose to play his final. years of college basketball at Moby Arena: to join her younger sister, Hannah, who is entering her third season at CSU.

“It’s been great,” Emma said. “Obviously the basketball part is the key to why I’m here, just to be able to play with her and meet new people. But I just go back to living with her. That’s one of the more important aspects of why I is here We haven’t lived together since high school and this is probably our last year ever because we’re going on to bigger and better things (after college) I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else in my last year.”

The last time the Ronsiek sisters played together was in the 2019-20 season at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, SD. That season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the two sisters didn’t know at the time if they would ever get the chance to play together again.

It certainly played a role in Emma’s decision to move, she said.

But having both in practice has added intensity the Rams haven’t had recently.

“Really competitive,” CSU coach Ryun Williams described the Ronsiek sisters. “There are times in practice where they end up being switched and they’re guarding each other. When Hannah is guarding Emma, ​​she’ll foul her 20 times. It seems like her goal is to get a bloody nose . I don’t know if they had a fight at home or something, but they’re very competitive. If they go at each other, I should just let them figure it out.”

Even aside from Emma, ​​this is a new team in Fort Collins filled with experienced veteran transfers and promising youngsters around the few returners like Hannah.

This won’t be a team that looks to Hofschild to bail them out of every possession, although Emma will likely be the one facilitating from the attacking spot.

“You’re going to see a lot more energy in that basketball,” Williams said. “Yeah, we can definitely play through Emma, ​​but that’s not what we’re trying to do here. We’re not trying to replace McKenna with Emma. She’s just a really talented piece to what’s on the floor. We’re going to have energy in that ball. We want it to be more of a collective effort to find a good shot.”

That’s exactly how Emma likes to play too.

“I love to play point guard. I love to pass. I really love to get my teammates involved,” she said. “Be ready for it all.”

It might not look pretty to start, especially in what Williams described as a “challenging” non-conference schedule, but this Rams team is confident they’re going to play their best basketball when it counts in March.

“We’re going to have to be patient with this group,” Williams said. “We’re challenging this group and that’s because I really believe in what they’re going to be. I expect some growing pains, but I think this group has the maturity to keep figuring it out.”

Colorado State women’s basketball 2024-25 schedule

Monday: vs. San Francisco (5:30 p.m., Mountain West Network)

Friday: vs. Oregon State (5:30 p.m., MW Network)

Nov. 13: at BYU (11 a.m., ESPN+)

November 16: vs. Columbia (Mo.) College (1 p.m., MW Network)

November 19: vs. Southern (6:30 p.m., MW Network)

November 23: vs. Northern Arizona (6 p.m., MW Network)

November 25: vs. Black Hills State (6:30 p.m., MW Network)

November 29: vs. Kent State (12:30 p.m. in San Juan, Puerto Rico)

November 30: vs. Brown (12:30 p.m. in San Juan, Puerto Rico)

December 8: vs. Gonzaga (1 p.m., MW Network)

December 16: vs. UTEP (6:30 p.m., MW Network)

December 19: vs. Georgia (2 p.m. at San Diego)

December 21: vs. Stephen F. Austin (noon in San Diego)

Dec. 29: at Utah State (2 p.m., MW Network)

January 1: vs. San Diego State (1 p.m., MW Network)

January 4: vs. San Jose State (Time TBA, MW Network)

Jan. 8: at UNLV (7:30 p.m., MW Network)

Jan. 15: at San Diego State (7 p.m., MW Network)

January 18: vs. New Mexico (Time TBA, MW Network)

January 21: vs. Boise State (Time TBA, MW Network)

Jan. 25: at Wyoming (2 p.m., MW Network)

February 1: vs. Air Force (Time TBA, MW Network)

Feb. 4: at New Mexico (8:30 p.m., FS1)

Feb. 8: at Boise State (2 p.m., MW Network)

February 12: vs. Utah State (Time TBA, MW Network)

Feb. 15: at Air Force (1 p.m., MW Network)

February 19: vs. Fresno State (Time TBA, MW Network)

February 22: vs. UNLV (Time TBA, MW Network)

Feb. 26: at Nevada (7:30 p.m., MW Network)

March 1: vs. Wyoming (Time TBA, MW Network)

March 4: at San Jose State (8 p.m., MW Network)

King’s prediction and team prices

Prediction: 3rd place in the Mountain West and WNIT appearance

Team MVP: Emma Ronsiek

Defensive player of the year: Hannah Ronsiek

Breakout star: Marta Lemaine

Impact freshman: Brooke Carlson