With the departure of three experienced players from last season in Faith Masonius, Iyanna “Yaya” Lops, and Amari Wright, the Seton Hall women’s basketball program has shifted its focus to recruiting a new wave of young talent.
Of the eight additions to the team, five will be freshmen this season. The rest are transfers from other programs, each seeking a new opportunity at SHU and a chance to showcase their ability in the ever-competitive BIG EAST.
Zahara Bishop, Freshman Guard
Before leading Benilde-St. Margaret High School to its third straight Class 3A State Championship last season, and being named to the All-Tournament team, Zahara Bishop announced her commitment to SHU in August of last year. A 5-foot-10 combo guard from Minnesota, Bishop averaged 18.9 points per game last season. She surpassed 1,000 career points in the previous season and was named to the All-Conference First Team twice throughout her high school career.
Bishop also played for the Minnesota Metro Stars, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) program that competes in one of the nation’s premier grassroots circuits. Considered one of the top programs in Minnesota, the Metro Stars have a history of developing players who have gone on to play college basketball and in the WNBA—the most noteworthy player being Paige Bueckers— who was the first pick in the WNBA Draft earlier this year.
Jordana Codio, Senior Guard
On April 5, Jordana Codio entered the transfer portal, and a few weeks later, SHU announced her commitment to the university. Having red-shirted her freshman season as she recovered from knee surgery, Codio spent the last three years at the University of Texas, waiting for an opportunity to show her abilities that never came. Now at SHU, where she will likely play a bigger role than she did at Texas, that opportunity for Codio is finally here.
In high school, the 6-foot-1 Florida native was the 67th best recruit in the nation, according to ESPN. She averaged 22.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game at American Heritage High School in her first three years with the school. During her sophomore year, she was named the Class 4A Player of the Year.
As a senior, she transferred to Montverde Academy—a school responsible for producing some of the best talent in men’s and women’s basketball at both the college and professional level—where she was the second-leading scorer on the team with 11.5 points per game in 15 games.
Trishay Collins, Freshman Forward / Center
Named Cape Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year her junior year, Trishay Collins is a 6-foot-2 shot-blocking center from Florida who is set to join the Pirates this season. After three years at American Heritage High School—the same high school as now-teammate Jordana Codio— she transferred to Palm Bay Magnet High School for her senior year. During her time there, she was selected to the All-Cape Coast Conference Team and helped lead the team to conference, district, and regional championships.
A double-double machine, Collins is a tenacious rebounder and reliable finisher around the rim. She also runs the floor with effort in transition, and is capable of knocking down open 3-pointers—two things that would make her a valuable asset to any college-level coaching staff.
Collins played AAU basketball for East Coast United, one of the premier girls’ travel basketball organizations in Florida. The team has produced several players who have gone on to play college basketball, Collins now among them.
Natalia Hall-Rosa, Freshman Guard / Forward
After leading her school to its fourth straight undefeated run to the league title and being named the MVP of the Southeast Conference, Natalia Hall-Rosa announced her commitment to SHU ahead of her senior season. A Massachusetts native, Hall-Rosa began her high school career at Randolph High School before transferring to Bridgewater-Raynham. She then reclassified to the class of 2025 and completed her final year at The Rivers School.
Although she surpassed 1,000 career points, Hall-Rosa is more than just a scorer—throughout her high school career, she regularly filled the box score, never averaging fewer than 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game. While in high school, she also played year-round basketball for the Bay State Jaguars, a local AAU club.
Before choosing SHU, Hall-Rosa received multiple Division I offers, including from the University of New Hampshire, the University of Massachusetts (UMass), and fellow BIG EAST program Providence College. Now with SHU, the 6-foot-1 guard / forward should help generate offense for the Pirates, who ranked sixth in the conference last year in points per game (62.7).
Cam Rust, Sophomore Forward
SHU women’s basketball head coach Anthony Bozzella announced the addition of Cam Rust to the roster on April 28. At Penn State University last season, Rust appeared in 19 games while averaging 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in nearly five minutes per game. Like fellow transfer Jordana Codio, Rust joined the Pirates in hopes of an opportunity to show what she is capable of on the court.
Before college, Rust played for Worcester Academy in Rhode Island—a high school within the New England prep school circuit, which has a strong reputation for its basketball programs. In her four years with the program, she averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per game. As a senior, she was a four-star recruit and top-100 player on several rating agencies, including ESPN.
Jada “Magic” Snow, Freshman Guard / Forward
Like fellow freshmen Zahara Bishop and Natalia Hall-Rosa, Jada Snow announced her commitment to SHU ahead of her senior season. At Sanford High School in Hockessin, Delaware, Snow averaged at least 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists in her last three years of high school basketball. Nicknamed “Magic” for her playmaking and dribbling ability, Snow combines size and finesse to score at will, especially in isolation.
Although from Bear, Delaware, Snow also played for HUrban Legends—the top-ranked AAU / grassroots program in New Jersey. Players on the team routinely generate attention from Division I college programs, Snow not being an exception: as one of the best guards in the class of 2025, she received offers from a range of schools across multiple conferences, like Northwestern University in the Big Ten, Harvard University in the Ivy League, and fellow BIG EAST programs like St. John’s University and Providence College.
Mariana Valenzuela, Senior Forward
Just a day after announcing the addition of Cam Rust, coach Bozzella also announced the addition of Florida State University transfer Mariana Valenzuela to the roster on April 29. Over the last three seasons, Valenzuela appeared in 80 games for the Seminoles. In high school, she was the No. 95 recruit in the 2021 class while playing for Montverde Academy.
A 6-foot-2 senior forward, Valenzuela is originally from Mazatlan, Mexico. In 2019, she represented Mexico at the 2019 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup, and again this past summer for both the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup and the FIBA Central American Women’s Championship. In the latter tournament, she was named MVP, earned the Best Center award, and was selected to the All-Tournament First Team after averaging 15 points and 17 rebounds per game.
Ari Woodard, Freshman Guard
A former teammate of Jada Eads at Lake Highland Prep in Orlando, Florida, Ari Woodard announced her commitment to SHU in February. Last season, she averaged 15 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 steals per game and was named to the Orlando Sentinel All-Area Second Team. In her four years with the Highlanders, she helped lead the team to 90 wins and their fifth consecutive state title in 2024.
Woodard can serve as an inspiration to anyone trying to overcome adversity. During her freshman year, she suffered a devastating ACL injury, which sidelined her for the season. Motivated by dreams of playing in the WNBA, Woodard refused to give up and worked hard to come back even stronger than before. Now with SHU, her journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, determination and resilience.
Zachary Mawby is the head editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at zachary.mawby@student.shu.edu.
