'All Glass': Deas is best freshman rebounder in US

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Australian Bonnie Deas is the best rebounding freshman guard in the United States through 16 games of the 2025-26 NCAA Women's Basketball season.

Deas, who plays for the Arkansas Razorbacks, is remarkably one of three Australians in the Top 10 freshman rebounders. The Australian Gem World Cup silver medallist has ripped down 163 rebounds (10.2 RPG), fourth overall in the country and second overall in offensive boards.

Stanford forward Lara Somfai (10.0 RPG) is third overall with 150 total rebounds and Buffalo forward Meg Lucas (10.3 RPG) has monstered the boards off the bench for the Bulls with 124 rebounds to be seventh overall among all freshmen.

Deas said she learning to adjust the NCAA game after competing in the WNBL last season and leading the Gems into the gold medal game of the FIBA Under-19 Women's World Cup earlier in the year.

"I’ve been getting a lot of fouls, but I think just having to adjust to the physicality and what they’re gonna allow and and will let go by," Deas said on the podcast Pig Trail Nation.

"But probably one of the biggest adjustments for me currently at the moment, and I’m still trying to figure it out slowly."

Deas, who is 1.75m, is averaging an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double, Somfai an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double and Lucas 8.3 points and 10.3 rebounds.

🇦🇺 Australians in the Top 10 – Freshman Rebounding (2025–26)

Bonnie Deas (Arkansas)

Guard | 16 starts | Heavy minutes

• Total Rebounds: 163 TRB – 4th overall
• Defensive Rebounds: 105 DRB – 4th overall
• Offensive Rebounds: 58 ORB – = 2nd overall

Lara Somfai (Stanford)

Forward | 15 starts

• Total Rebounds: 150 TRB – 3rd overall
• Defensive Rebounds: 116 DRB – 3rd overall
• Offensive Rebounds: 34 ORB – outside top 10

Meg Lucas (Buffalo)

Forward | Only 2 starts

• Total Rebounds: 124 TRB – 7th overall
• Defensive Rebounds: 84 DRB – 7th overall
• Offensive Rebounds: 40 ORB – top-tier, near top 10

Deas, who is studying for a business degree, said guarding 2025-26 WNBL MVP Sami Whitcomb as a development player for the Sydney Flames was an inspiration and helped her understand what it is to compete at the next level.

"I really look up to Sammy Whitcomb," she said.

"I got to guard her in the WNBL this year, this past season, and yeah, she just works unbelievably hard, and she’s just a great role model for honestly any young basketballer coming through. And yeah, I really idolise her, and I want to shape my game around her.

"And I really love Steph Reid as well. She’s another Australian basketballer. She’s playing in Europe at the moment, and she coached me when I was growing up. I just love how hard she works and how much she hustles, so probably be the most."

And then I want to ask, I mean obviously fans are familiar with the name Georgia Amoore too. What do you think this says about Australian basketball, that now in the college space here we’re really getting familiar with players coming from Australia and performing well?

Deas revealed she was mentored by WNBL teammates last season, which has continued into her first US college campaign.

"I had a few players on my WNBL team, Sydney Flames, that had been at college, and they were constantly reminding me, just like through practices and throughout the season, of things about college and what I need to prepare for and how much fun I’ll have," she said.

"I kind of just took advice from them, and they just kind of helped me. And they’re still with me at the moment, like texting me and checking up on me."

But she said it was first-year head coach Kelsi Musick that had given her the confidence to play her tough brand of basketball.

"I love Coach Musick," Deas declared.

"She’s put so much confidence in me, and she allows me to play whatever role we need to, whether that’s defending the best player or just hustling and rebounding.

"She just gives me so much confidence, and I’m really grateful for that."

Deas is just one of more than an extraordinary 100 women's basketballers playing in the US NCAA basketball system and she said it was an important connection being so far away from home.

"I’ve got two in the SEC group. Monique Williams, she played on the Australian team with me just a couple months ago — well, a bit more than that — she’s at Vanderbilt. And then I’ve got Emilija (Dakic), she was also on my Australian team, and she’s at Florida.

"I’m really excited to play them and just catch up with them. Like, it’s good seeing friends and playing against them."