Indiana Women's Basketball solidified its front court on Saturday night with the addition of UCLA transfer and McDonald’s All-American Zania “Big Z” Socka-Nguemen.

The 6’ 3” center was a top-30 recruit out of the Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. As a senior, she averaged 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. She was named a McDonald’s All-American and was invited to try out for Team USA’s U18 roster.

Socka-Nguemen had both Indiana and UCLA in her final schools out of high school before joining the Bruins. As a freshman at UCLA, Socka-Nguemen averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in her limited playing time. Big Z was part of a Bruins team that finished the season 34-3, reaching the Final Four for the first time in school history. Following this historic season, Socka-Nguemen decided to take her talents to Bloomington, where she will have three years of eligibility left.

As a 6-footer who is a consistent scorer and rebounder, Socka-Nguemen brings some much-needed height to an Indiana team that lost Lilly Meister to the transfer portal and Karoline Striplin to graduation this offseason. Look for her to be a day-one starter for the Hoosiers.

Big Z is the Hoosiers’ third transfer commit, joining Arkansas transfer Phoenix Stotjin and Alabama transfer Chloe Spreen. With the commitment of Socka-Nguemen, Teri Moren’s new-look squad is up to ten scholarship players, with Shay Ciezki, Lenee Beaumount, Valentyna Kadlecova, Faith Wisemen, and Sydney Fenn returning. In addition to the five returners and three transfers, the Hoosiers’ also have a pair of Top-75 incoming freshmen with Indiana Miss Basketball Maya Makalusky and Missouri Miss Basketball Nevaeh Caffey joining the squad.