When an ACL tear in the 2024-25 opener ended Jana Van Gytenbeek’s graduate season as quickly as it began, the former Cherry Creek star needed someone to sketch her basketball future. That’s where an encouraging word from Bears head coach Nicki Collen came in. “The day I tore it, Coach Nicki was like, ‘I’m requiring you to come back next year,’ and gave me a huge hug,” Van Gytenbeek recalled. “After that, I was focused on my goal of returning. I wasn’t going to let my college career end with an injury.” Van Gytenbeek got a medical redshirt, and is back in Waco for her final year of eligibility in a college career that started with two seasons at Stanford before finishing with four at Baylor. The 24-year-old, a bench player in her prior four full seasons of action, is Baylor’s starting point guard this season. Van Gytenbeek has rarely come off the floor through 16 games for the Bears (13-3), who host JR Payne’s CU Buffs on Thursday at Foster Pavilion. After what Van Gytenbeek describes as a bumpy start to her season — the point guard admits she “struggled to find my flow, and when to be aggressive and get to my shot” — she’s settled in. Van Gytenbeek is 11th in the nation with 6.8 assists per game. The turning point came on Dec. 31 in a win at Oklahoma State, when she poured in 17 points to go along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds. “In…
Want more insights? Join Grow With Caliber - our career elevating newsletter and get our take on the future of work delivered weekly.
