Gabby Casey and Aleah Snead step into major roles for Saint Joseph’s

And, in the age of the transfer portal, it’s hard for most college basketball teams to find much consistency at all. But despite many roster changes, St. Joseph’s has found consistency in two players who have bought into the program’s values since Day 1.

After returning 11 players and not losing a single person to the transfer portal heading into the 2024-2025 season, things looked different for the Hawks this season. All three of their top players from last year are gone — Talya Brugler and Mackenzie Smith graduated, and Laura Ziegler transferred to Louisville.

A lot of things have changed for the Hawks, with eight new faces on their roster between freshman and transfers. But the one thing that hasn’t changed for St. Joe’s is its ability to pull out some big wins. 

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Last season, the Hawks were 5-2 heading into the third place game of the Women’s Big 5 Classic. This season, the Hawks were 6-2 heading into the Big 5 title game on Dec. 7. 

Head coach Cindy Griffin, a former St. Joe’s basketball player herself who is in her 25th year at the helm of the program, said that despite all the roster adjustments, the way the team plays hasn’t changed. And junior returners Gabby Casey and Aleah Snead are two big reasons why. 

“They’re taking on primary roles, and I think they’re not only prepared, but they’re willing and they’re able,” Griffin said. “With each game, I think they’re getting more confident.” 

Casey, who averaged 28.2 minutes and 7.7 points as a starter for the Hawks last season, now leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points and 32.4 minutes per game. 

Snead, the Atlantic 10 Sixth Woman of the Year last season, started just six games for the Hawks last year, averaging 20.9 minutes and 6.4 points. Now, Snead leads the team in minutes with 34.1 per game. She also leads the team in rebounds, with 59, and is second behind Casey in scoring, with 13 points per game. 

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Their two years of prior experience, their shared understanding of the team’s values, and the way they’ve embraced their growing roles on the team have enabled them to bring that key consistency to the Hawks as they rise in prominence.

“To be bumped up right to the primary scorers, you can just see their eyes light up because they’re excited for it,” Griffin said. “They know that they’re prepared for it because of what they’ve seen the last couple of years.” 

Casey said taking on this new role, on the court and as a leader in the locker room, feels “really natural,” because she and Snead had no other choice but to step into these roles. 

During their first two years on the team, Casey and Snead were also learning how to be leaders from the players around them, absorbing lessons that they now have the opportunity to pass on as the upperclassmen on the team. Casey named Brugler as one of the leaders she admired for her consistency, day in and day out. 

“That’s really something that I looked up to her for, and I’m trying to replicate the things that she did here at St Joe’s,” Casey said about Brugler, the forward who graduated last year.

Casey and Snead are not just passing on the lessons they learned from other players; they also rely on their own experiences with St. Joe’s to be strong and relatable leaders.

“They understand what maybe a freshman is going through. Maybe you’re not playing as many minutes, or not getting any minutes,“ Griffin said. “They’re a great example of — keep working hard, when it’s your time, you’ll be ready to contribute at a higher level.” 

As St. Joe’s settles comfortably into the Casey and Snead era, their focus remains on maintaining the consistency.  

“The big thing here at St. Joe’s is the culture, and [for] the coaches and all the teammates who have come back this year, that has really been a focal point for us — be a team who’s always selfless and relentless and is always willing to do the little things to get wins on the season,” Casey said. “I think the culture has really brought us together as a team.”

And Snead and Casey live this culture, setting an example as players and leaders for the team as a whole. 

“They are St. Joe’s kids through and through.” Griffin said. “They bought into the whole experience here at St. Joe’s, and that’s what we want for all of our players.”

Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women’s Sports Daily

We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women’s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women’s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!