No. 22 WVU Women’s Basketball (15-4, 5-2) touts a formidable bench rotation to match its impressive starting five. Among the rotators is Riley Makalusky, a Butler transfer who thrives in relatively limited playing time. Read more: Player spotlight: Riley Makalusky, the underrated Mountaineer
Few teams in the country possess a deeper roster than the Mountaineers. Makalusky plays a key role in putting games to bed. The Indiana native has an extensive background in women’s hoops, something that becomes apparent when she steps onto the court.
The road to WVU
Makalusky found her stride in her final two years playing high school ball, earning Indiana All-Star nods. Her junior year at Hamilton Southern High School was a benchmark campaign, when Makalusky averaged 17.1 points per game.
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The 6’2 forward took the Big East by storm as a freshman for Butler in the 2023-24 season. Makalusky made an immediate impact, averaging more than 20 minutes of playing time. She also snagged Big East All-Freshman Team honors thanks to a conference-high 46.1% (36-77) in three-point efficiency among her class.
Year two featured steady improvement. Makalusky started 23 of 32 games in the 2024-25 season, compared to 14 the year before. Her PPG increased from 6.7 to 8.1 in the same timespan.
Her travels eventually dumped her in Morgantown to play with Mark Kellogg and the surging WVU program.
In the Old Gold and Blue
Makalusky played a heavier role in early non-conference play, thanks in part to several blowouts in WVU’s favor. Despite taking a reduced role as competition ramped up, she still rounds out the roster quite well.
As of January 20, Makalusky averages 5.4 PPG and racked up a season-high 15 points against Houston in the Big 12 opener.
The junior’s impact goes beyond the box score. Makalusky is forever etched in Mountaineer lore as a member of “The Greenbrier Five.” She played the entire second half by default in the improbable victory over No. 15 Duke, finishing the game with seven points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Related: The Greenbrier Five: WVU Women upset No. 15 Duke in historic upset
Makalusky celebrated her birthday on December 11, 2025, by putting the icing on the cake of WVU’s 82-50 win against Georgia Tech with the final basket of the contest.
What’s next?
Time will tell what role Makalusky can play as Big 12 action rolls on, but the forward is a worthy member of the Mountaineers’ deep rotation.
WVU welcomes Arizona State (17-2) to Hope Coliseum on January 21 for a marquee matchup between two impressive squads. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Morgantown.
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