Bolstered by talent both new and returning, domestic and international, and all hailing hundreds if not thousands of miles from Ely - the Vermilion Ironhawks should be much improved in 2025-26.
In head coach Ryan Zyla’s first year at the helm, the community college women’s basketball team struggled with numbers - at times carrying on with the bare minimum of five players on the floor and winning just five times in 28 contests.
But this winter, which starts with two games over the weekend in Austin, figures to be a much different story.
First, Zyla has recruited one of the largest rosters in Vermilion women’s basketball history, with 16 players competing for time.
“We feel we have much more depth,” said Zyla. “I feel like we can play faster and compete more on an every night basis. That was the goal. We’re looking to consistently play 14 players, and we will play double-digit players every night. That’s what I’m most excited about.”
Among the returning players is forward Tamia Cahee, a Louisiana native who led the Minnesota College Athletic Conference in scoring a year ago while averaging 19 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game.
Cahee is just one of the Vermilion athletes to come great distances to Ely to continue their studies and play collegiate basketball.
The Vermilion roster is full of players from Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Colorado, and Zyla has also gone international, adding athletes from the Virginia Islands, the Bahamas, Ecuador and even Uganda.
How does he find players from so far away?
“A lot of it is just online, there are so many recruiting sites now,” said Zyla. “And just connections, and then trying to find kids who need an opportunity. Especially with our international kids. They were just looking for a chance.”
Early-season scrimmages have shown that Zyla assembled a talented group, with Cahee leading a group of five sophomores.
“Tamia was the leading scorer in the league, and the expectation is there for her to have a big year,” said Zyla.
Sophomore guard Amyia Yunker (5-5, Bradenton, FL) earned third-team all-division honors last season while guard Ny’Jai Wright (5-3, Detroit) serves as team captain.
Back in the front court is Angie Schuhardt, a 5-11 post player from Houston who averaged six points and nine rebounds per contest as a freshman.
Rounding out the sophomore group is 5-11 Trina Roberts (Houston), who adds more size and returns to the Vermilion roster after an absence.
Behind the sophomores is a loaded group of first-year talent,.
“We can play eight or nine freshmen,” said Zyla. “We’re very deep and very excited about what we have right now.”
Zyla said that 6-1 Alyria Greene (Abbevile, LA) could start at center and team with Schuchardt to give Vermilion a potent shot blocking combination.
Big things are also anticipated from Aleysha Maya, a 5-4 guard who came to Ely from Quito, Ecuador.
“She could be one of the leading scorers on our team,” said Zyla.
Another freshman who might make an immediate impact is Danita Gonzalez, a 5-3 guard from Henderson, Texas.
“Danita is another quick guard who allows our pace on offense and defense to be where we want it to be,” said Zyla.
The Vermilion depth is also bolstered by Trinity Bodie (5-4, Bahamas), Jalaya Lee (5-0, New Orleans), Mariah Harris (5-7, Virgin Islands), Heavynn Eagle (5-6, Kildeer, ND), Madison Bowling (5-8, Belton, TX), Ruth Wandulu (5-7, Uganda), Kye Clater (5-5, Henderson, TX) and Aiden Ibarra-Ramos (5-8, Littleton, CO).
The group has ventured out into the community and enjoyed some of Ely’s natural surroundings.
“It hasn’t snowed yet, but they’ve liked it and embraced it,” Zyla said of the group. “It’s 45 some days now and they complain it’s cold so they’re in for a little bit of a surprise. But when it’s coldest we are most busy with our season. We’ve volunteered with the marathon and gone to some Ely sporting events and they’ve done some things like hiking and going to the waterfalls.”
Vermilion tangles with host Riverland and division rival Itasca this weekend as part of Riverland’s season- opening classic.
The Ironhawks are looking to make a big jump in the MCAC, which includes three nationally-ranked teams in Anoka-Ramsey, Minnesota West and defending Northern Division champion Northland.
“Those are the three monsters,” said Zyla. “In the north, Northland is our main competition. We feel we can be second and complete with Northland for the top spot. We have a very tough schedule first semester where we’ll find out what we’re made of. Our goal is to make it through and then roll in the second semester.”
The bulk of Vermilion’s early-season schedule is on the road.
The Ironhawks make their first home appearances Dec. 5 and 6 with contests against Anoka-Ramsey and Riverland, respectively.
