Colorado women’s basketball fans already know how dangerous Frida Formann can be from beyond the 3-point arc.
Now the Buffaloes have a second veteran sharpshooter in Maddie Nolan, a transfer from Michigan.
With the season opener around the corner – the No. 20-ranked Buffs will face No. 1 LSU in Las Vegas on Nov. 6 – that duo appears to be building a good bond, too.
“Itap been really fun,” Formann said of having Nolan on the team. “I haven’t really had another shooter like me. Me and Maddie also think very alike. We understand the game in the same way, so itap been fun to just talk about what to do on the court and how to position ourselves and itap fun that I don’t always have to be the one who’s pulling the defense away in the corner. I can do some of the other stuff, too, which I think is good for me and my game.”
CU has several capable 3-point shooters, including Quay Miller, Jaylyn Sherrod, Tameiya Sadler and Kindyll Wetta. But among the returning players, nobody shoots more 3s and with better consistency than Formann.
Last year, Formann hit 75 3-pointers (nearly double Miller’s 38, which ranked second on the team) and connected at a 39.3% clip. It was the fifth-most made 3-pointers in a season in CU history. She was particularly good in the postseason, hitting 15-of-36 (41.7%) during the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments combined, helping CU to its first Sweet 16 in 20 years.
For her career, Formann ranks ninth in CU history in 3-pointers made (178), attempted (494) and 3-point percentage (.360).
Nolan’s career numbers aren’t too different, as she made 167 of 457 3s at Michigan, hitting at 36.5%. She ranks seventh in Michigan history in made 3-pointers.
Nolan helped Michigan to the first two Sweet 16 appearances (2021 and 2022) in program history, including the Elite Eight in 2022. She averaged 9.1 points last season, helping the Wolverines get to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they were knocked out by eventual national champion LSU.
“I said (to Nolan), ‘Itap really important that you look at this team, itap as much your team as it is anyone’s team,’” head coach JR Payne said. “‘I’ve been here longer, Jaylyn has been here longer, Quay has been here longer, but you know what it looks like to win. You know what it looks like to be successful, and itap really important you share that knowledge with everybody else on the team.’”
Formann and Nolan are a lot alike in that regard. They have both played at high levels and bring plenty of experience to the table. They’re also both 5-foot-11 guards who are solid rebounders, passers and defenders, in addition to being strong shooters.
Formann has enjoyed playing with Nolan and the feeling is mutual.
“Itap been really nice,” said Nolan, who made 65 3-pointers at Michigan last season. “Either before practice or after practice Frida and I will get shots up and just asking her where and what kind of shots you get within the offense. Itap been really nice to be able to lean on someone in that way. There is that competitive edge sometimes but itap really just fun to have another shooter on the team and being able to space the floor as well.”
Notable
On Thursday, Miller was among 20 players nationally named to the preseason watchlist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award. The award, introduced in 2019, recognizes the top power forwards in the country. … Payne said Sherrod, the Buffs’ star point guard, took some much-needed time off this summer, but spent a lot of time with assistant coach Matt Hower improving her shooting. “They spent a lot of time together on that and I think we’ll see that she’s shooting the ball really well,” Payne said.
