Baylor WBB: Senior Guard Jana Van Gytenbeek To Miss Rest of Season with Torn ACL

Baylor guard Jana Van Gytenbeek (5Sr.) will miss the rest of the 2024-2025 season after suffering a torn ACL in the opener against Incarnate Word on Thursday, Nov. 7.

Van Gytenbeek was a key reserve for the Bears, and fourth-year head coach Nicki Collen noted that she was one of the improved players on the team this offseason. 

In 17 minutes of action against UIW, she scored 10 points, drilled two 3-pointers, dished out five assists and collected two rebounds. Van Gytenbeek suffered the non-contact injury late in the third quarter after going up for an offensive rebound on a fastbreak.

Van Gytenbeek is Baylor’s best shooter and the Bears’ biggest threat from beyond the arc. She shot a team-high 39% from deep and 80% from the free-throw line last season while averaging 4.6 points and 2.7 assists per game.

Florida guard Aliyah Matharu (Sr.) will replace Van Gytenbeek, whom Collen added via the transfer portal on Nov. 5. Matharu led the Gators in scoring, averaging 19.0 points per game last year, as well as 2.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals.

Matharu has one year of eligibility remaining and is scheduled to finish the semester at Florida before she can join Baylor’s roster in mid-December at the start of conference play. Before Matharu’s arrival, Van Gytenbeek’s absence will test Baylor’s already thin depth. 

Guard Ines Goryanova (Fr.) is redshirting the season and recovering from an injury, guard Waiata Jennings (Jr.) transferred to Baylor from junior college and guard Yaya Felder (Sr.) is playing “banged up” per Collen.

Forward Madison Bartley (5Sr.) is also dealing with an injury, and forward Bella Fontleroy (Jr.) played just two minutes in the loss to Oregon before exiting with an ankle injury.

Van Gytenbeek will get a medical redshirt for this season and will return for a sixth year in 2025-2026.

The Bears (1-1) will look to rebound against East Texas A&M (1-1) on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at Foster Pavilion.