‘It was a pretty easy decision’ - St. Thomas More’s Reese Ross excited for her new home as a Baylor Bear

By Matt Gade 

605 Sports 

RAPID CITY — When Reese Ross decided to enter the transfer portal for her fourth year of college basketball, the St. Thomas More alum wanted to go somewhere she could really showcase her skills. 

The former Utah Ute knew Baylor was the place for her the moment they reached out. 

“I've actually had the privilege to play against them for all three years of my college career so far, and that definitely had an impact on my decision,” Ross said of Baylor. “I think the Big 12 is a very good fit for my style of basketball, and as I like looked for a new home. I didn't really want to get away from those traditions of fast-paced basketball, intense offensively and defensively. 

“So I just really liked the vision Tony Green and Nikki (Colleen) had for me coming to Baylor in such a short period of time. I actually committed over the phone without even being here. That's how much I was excited to be a Bear. So it was a pretty easy decision, just because I'd had a lot of prior connections and knew they have such a good winning culture. It was something I wanted to be a part of.” 

During her three years at Utah, the 2023 St. Thomas More graduate totaled 648 points, 516 rebounds, 114 assists, 59 steals and 31 blocks.  

In her third year, she recorded five double-doubles, averaged 9.3 points per game, while posting a career-high 22 points against Iowa State in February. Led the Utes in rebounds at 8.2, including 51 offensive boards while starting all 30 games. 

Ross was also second in blocks and third in steals for the Utes last season. 

“As I left Utah, it was so important that I didn't go somewhere lesser. I always want to, if I have the opportunity to go out and go find something greater, it's such a privilege to be able to do that… It's more so about individually getting better and getting pushed outside of my comfort zone, and not even necessarily in minutes and stats, but more so just like what attributes can another program bring out of me that I think I got comfortable in at Utah,” Ross said of what she was looking for in a new program. 

Last year, Baylor finished 25-9, third in the Big 12 that includes extending the nation's second-longest active streaks of 20-win seasons (26) and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (22).  

While the Baylor Bears season hasn’t officially started, the Bears hosted West Texas A&M in an exhibition on Oct. 25, where she was the second-leading scorer with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting while recording three steals and a block.  

The Bears also faced No. 6 Texas in an exhibition on Oct. 29, where Ross was again the team’s second-leading scorer with 13 points, along with recording five rebounds and a steal. 

“I think my style of basketball is very unique individually that can be exploited in a program like Baylor… It's a very decision-making style offense where it's all reads and it's a lot of free-flowing opportunities. So being able to be an undersized four, but also be able to play at like underneath the basket at times when I have a guard on me, or being able to play out on the perimeter,” Ross said. “Not all schools know how to do that, so I think like the Big 12 displays that the best… Coming into a new offense, new defensive principles can always be scary at times. So, it's very important to just get back to those core values and things that you do every single day that allow you to stand out.  

“I came from a very pressure gap type defense at Utah, where here I get to guard 94 feet. We're in a lot of hard hedge-and-ball screen coverages that make teams play fast and create turnovers. So, with a high-pressure defense here, it's just a different mindset. But being a lengthy player and being able to play around players here who also have that "I'm gonna do whatever it takes" mindset makes this defense so effective and such a fun piece of basketball to be a part of.” 

Ross said she has aspirations of playing basketball as long as she can, with the hopes of reaching the WNBA.  

She said she sees an opportunity to do that with the Bears. Additionally, since Ross committed to the Bears back in April, the NCAA unveiled its 5-for-5 eligibility rule, which gives Ross the option of a fifth year of eligibility to continue playing collegiate basketball. 

Something that has Ross excited.  

“God has a plan, and I truly think this was a part of it. And having that year to get back is such a privilege. I mean the Class of 2023 has got some real tough forwards, so it gives another opportunity to see who's going to go to the draft this year, and who's left to stay for another year of that college. Because it's not a mandatory thing where you have to take it. So I'm excited to see who declares for the draft this year, leaving more of an opportunity next year, or vice versa,” Ross said. “I would love to play in the United States. I mean, WNBA is a dream for sure, and if that's an unreachable thing right now or in the shortcoming, I would love to take my career overseas and continue developing as a player and potentially have another opportunity to get drafted.” 

At Baylor, Ross said she’s really enjoyed the short time she’s had so far playing for her coaches and with her teammates, and at the same time has gotten accustomed to Waco, Texas.  

“I'm getting a little soft, like going from the South Dakota cold to maybe a couple snowfalls a year in Utah to literally no snow and 114 all summer here,” Ross said. “I'm getting a little soft in the winter category. But I've loved Texas so far. Waco's a unique place… you're still able to get the whole college experience for sure. And I mean, it's beautiful. The campus is amazing. I like that it's smaller, and going to private school my whole life, I kind of missed that religious aspect a little bit.  

“But here it's implemented. We pray before every single practice, and we have team chaplains, and we're actually taking religion classes again, and it's something I think my heart's missed, and it's allowed me to really just like, understand I'm here for a reason, and I think this growth in my relationship with God too has just made this whole experience so much easier and such a more flowing transition.” 

Ross said she originally thought this would be her last year playing college basketball before the NCAA 5-for-5 rule, and her family would make it to most of her games as they could. Now that she has another year of eligibility, she said her family will still watch her play but maybe not as many games as they originally planned for.  

But Ross said traveling from Rapid City to Dallas/Fort Worth, about 40 miles from Waco, is actually less expensive than when the family traveled to Salt Lake City.  

“During those winter months, it gets a lot more spendy there, just because it's touristy for skiing and snowboarding and all the winter things, so yeah, yeah. And I get to the opportunity here to live by myself as well,” Ross said. “So my family can come visit whenever they want, have a place to be, and the older I get, the more I miss them a little bit. I like to have them in my space. I mean, fresh out of high school, I was so ready to be out of my parents' home and live by myself and do all the things. But now I'm starting to get to the end of my college career, and it's more heartwarming to know that they want to come and see me, and I do want them to stay in my space and see where I live and do what see what I do every single day.” 

Ross and the Bears kick off the 2026-27 season this evening, hosting Fairleigh Dickinson University.