Indiana women’s basketball: Sydney Fenn scouting report

A new face in the frontcourt.

With the departure of program legend Mackenzie Holmes, freshman Sydney Fenn enters the fold as part of a new-look Indiana frontcourt that features three new players.

Fenn, a 6-foot-3 forward from Buffalo, New York, committed to Indiana last June, joining in-state forward Faith Wiseman in the Hoosiers’ 2024 recruiting class. Fenn played her high school ball for the AZ Compass Prep (AZ) National Team.

The Dragons play a schedule full of high-profile events and are members of the Grind Session. The GS circuit is brimming with talent and Fenn was an All-Star on it this past season.

At 6-3, Fenn played in the paint often during high school but is a reliable shooter. The XGen Elite (NY) AAU product is accurate from beyond the arc and can’t be given too much space in the corners.

After 3-point shooting, Fenn’s best asset is her decision-making. She’s great at reading the defense and acts swiftly with the ball. The Upstater is a threat to shoot, make a “one more” pass, or kick it into the post from the top of the key.

Defensively, Fenn is a hustler. The raw film and highlights showcase a player who loves to defend and is very active around the ball. She’s a solid rebounder and rim protector (and even has some post moves) but a lot of her interior success came from the size advantage she held against high school opponents.

She’ll need time to adjust to the athleticism of Big Ten foes. Indiana’s Strength and Conditioning program will get it done though… they’ve been in the gym all summer.

Given the suddenly crowded Hoosier frontcourt, Fenn is probably a project that won’t be relied on for another year or two, but this is also year one of the post-Holmes era. There’s no precedent for what this rotation will look like and Indiana head coach Teri Moren will play freshmen she trusts.

I’d love to see Fenn get some run at power forward a la Sydney Parrish or Aleksa Gulbe. A stretch four would help keep the paint open for Meister and Co. and increase fluidity between last season’s scheme and this year’s.

Fenn, ultimately, is a “sniper” with length. Let associate head coach Rhet Wierzba cook… he will find a spot on the floor for her.