Junior captain and guard Madison St. Rose, star of Princeton women’s basketball, will miss the rest of the season due to injury.
Late in the fourth quarter in just the fourth game of the season against Quinnipiac, St. Rose sustained a left leg injury in what was later evaluated as a torn ACL.
Already trying to fill the shoes that All-Ivy cornerstones Kaitlyn Chen ’24 and Ellie Mitchell ’24 left behind, the Tigers had a young starting lineup to start this season. Prior to St. Rose’s injury, sophomores Skye Belker, Ashley Chea, and Fadima Tall joined St. Rose and senior Parker Hill in the starting five. Head coach Carla Berube issued a statement on St. Rose’s value to the team and her hopes for St. Rose’s recovery.
“We are heartbroken for Maddie and her season ending injury,” Berube wrote. “She was playing some of the best basketball of her career. We know that Maddie will attack her rehab and recovery like she does every practice and game with grit, toughness and an undeniable work ethic.”
St. Rose started off her career with the Tigers as the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2023 and did not let up in her sophomore campaign, earning a Second-Team All-Ivy nod last season. This year, St. Rose was more than one of three captains; as last year’s second-leading scorer behind Chen, St. Rose was supposed to pick up the pieces to usher in this new era of Tiger basketball.
With massive expectations on her shoulders, St. Rose had picked up where she left off in 2023. She accumulated a team-leading 19.6 points per game in the three full games she played this season, logging the most minutes of any Tiger by a wide margin. After a promising start to a potentially stellar junior season, St. Rose is now relegated to cheering from the sidelines.
“Although it stinks that my career is at a pause, I’m extremely thankful for all the love and support I’ve been receiving from everyone,” St. Rose said in a statement. “I know this recovery process won’t be easy, but I’ll be back and better before you know it.”
The Tigers will now search within themselves as their young lineup becomes even younger in St. Rose’s absence. Most notably, Belker and Chea will now face even more pressure to perform at their highest day in and day out.
A starter in every game last year, Belker had the best game of her career in Princeton’s recent 78–75 triumph over Seton Hall. Scoring 21 points on 4–5 shooting from three and tacking on six assists, she played a huge role in upsetting their Big East foe on the road. Belker is a dangerous threat from long distance and currently shoots just over 35 percent from three on the season.
Belker’s backcourt partner in crime, Chea, has already emerged from a promising freshman season into a talented sophomore. Playing in every game off the bench last year, she has improved in nearly every statistical category and started every game this year, carrying Princeton to victory over Villanova and leading them with 20 points in a recent 66–49 victory over Rutgers.
Together, these sophomores might be able to fill in the offensive deficit the Tigers must overcome after losing a scoring machine like St. Rose. However, to approach the sustained success of the past few years, the Tigers will need to look beyond just Belker and Chea. Head coach Carla Berube’s decisions the last two games in St. Rose’s absence offers hints to potential breakout stars.
Sophomore Olivia Hutcherson, who played in just nine games last year, has slid into St. Rose’s spot in the starting lineup and scored four points per game this season. Also gaining increased minutes are the first-year duo of Toby Nweke and Cristina Parrella, who have played double-digit minutes in each of the last two games.
Despite the fact that she will remain on the sidelines, St. Rose will still serve as a valuable leader for this young Tigers squad attempting to recapture the glory of their elders as the 2024 campaign progresses.
“[S]he will continue to be a tremendous leader and teammate for our young team this season,” Berube said.
Emilia Reay is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Max Hines is a senior Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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