Four of Coach Grant Cole’s starters on last year’s 10-13 Auburn girls basketball team graduated, leaving junior Addie as the only returning starter in 2024-25. Coach Cole, in his 8th year as head coach of the program, says he is excited to see who will step up to fill those key roles this season. The Bulldogs will have continuity on the coaching staff with Coaches Tommy Grafton and Shawn Wehenkel returning as assistants.
Along with Darnell, who lettered in each of her first two seasons, four previous letter winners are among the players expected to fill the starting roles. Ariale Franke, the team’s only other junior besides Darnell, has also earned varsity letters in her first two seasons at the high school level. Sophomores Avery Snodgrass, Bree Wehenkel and Ella Swanson also earned letters in their freshmen outings.
Darnell averaged 3.3 points on 60 percent shooting from the field, but really made her mark on the defensive end with 22 steals and a team high 55 deflections last season. She also recorded 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a sophomore earning an all-state honorable mention nod.
