Senior Ganeaya Rogers, starting guard for the Idaho women’s basketball team, has been playing basketball for as long as she can remember.
Rogers originally played football but said she decided to put all her efforts into a sport in which she showed more potential.
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was small,” Rogers said. “My main sport was football but, you know, girls can’t play football.”
When she’s not competing, Rogers enjoys listening to music and laughing with friends. Rogers said she wants to work in the juvenile system when she is done with college.
Prior to coming to the University of Idaho, Rogers spent three seasons at Ohlone Junior College in Fremont, Calif. Rogers attended Milpitas High School in Milpitas, Calif., not far from Ohlone.
At Ohlone, she made the all-conference team as a freshman during the 2007-2008 season. Rogers sat out the 2008-2009 season with an injury but came back strong for her final season at Ohlone.
In 2009-10, Rogers led her team to a perfect 12-0 record in league play and was co-MVP of the Coast Conference South Division. She was also named to the California All-State team in her final season with the Renegades.
After using up her junior college eligibility, Rogers decided to continue her basketball career in Moscow. Rogers said she had connections through friend and former Idaho basketball player Derisa Taleni. Taleni, a 2010-2011 UI senior, knew Rogers and had played with her at the junior college level.
“(Taleni and Rogers) were in the same junior college league,” Idaho coach Jon Newlee said. “We got film on (Rogers) and really liked what we saw.”
Rogers liked what she saw too.
After visiting campus and seeing the basketball program, she said she decided Idaho was where she wanted to play.
“When I came on my visit, I really liked the team and the coaching staff,” Rogers said. “They made me feel welcome.”
Newlee said Rogers brings energy and aggressiveness to the Idaho team. She is not afraid to play tight defense or take the ball to the rim.
“(Rogers) can be very explosive offensively and defensively,” Newlee said. “This year she has increased her scoring. We really look to her also as a defensive stopper. I want to put her on the best player on the other team.”
Rogers has started every game she has played this year and is averaging 9.4 points a game. She also leads the team in field goal percentage, free throw percentage and is second in assists per game.
Defensively, Rogers is tied for the team lead in steals with freshman Krissy Karr and senior Keri Arendse at 11.
“I’ve been really happy with (Rogers),” Newlee said. “I think her defense opens up her offensive game. She is going to battle on every possession, that’s when (Rogers) is at her best.”