Is Ace Austin Alabama’s Next Women’s Hoop Star?

After the Alabama Women's Basketball team's 2024-2025 season ended in a 111-108 double-overtime loss to Maryland, head coach Kristy Curry is ready to reload and prepare for next season.

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The Crimson Tide lost six seniors this past season, three of whom- Sarah Ashlee Barker, Aaliyah Nye, and Zaay Green- were drafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

To fill the void, Kristy Curry has brought in seven new additions for the upcoming season, including Ace Austin, who has what it takes to step up and fill the shoes of the departed stars.

Austin was a four-star guard out of Spring Garden High School and the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama's class of 2025. She led the Panthers to a 36-1 record and a third straight state title, capping off her senior year as a back-to-back Gatorade Alabama Girls Player of the Year.

She finished her senior season averaging 26.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 4.2 steals per game while shooting 60% from the field.

Austin is a unique player with a quarterback-like presence on the court. Her playmaking ability stands out--she controls the game at her own pace, spaces the floor effectively, and finds open teammates with precision. She also excels as a shooter, both from the mid-range and beyond the arc. Despite being an average-sized guard, her defensive IQ is college-ready, thanks to her knack for generating steals and forcing turnovers. Austin has the capabilities to be a jack of all trades player with very little weakness in her game.

With a loaded guard rotation led by senior Karly Weathers and redshirt senior Jessica Timmons. On top of that, playing in the SEC won't be easy when teams like South Carolina, Texas, and LSU all finished last season with 30-plus wins overall. However, if Austin's game translates over to college ball, she has all the tools to contribute immediately and help elevate an already stacked Crimson Tide squad for years to come.