There are times when, after the fans have left the CU Events Center following a game, Sophie Zadel will return to the court and put up shots for several minutes.
In terms of basketball development, Zadel is behind many of her Colorado teammates, but she’s making up ground as fast as she can.
Colorado Buffaloes Sophie Zadel, left, and College of Charleston Cougars Grace Ezebilo, right, battle for a rebound at the CU Events Center on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
“I think Sophie’s done a great job adjusting (to college basketball),” CU head coach JR Payne said of the 6-foot-4 freshman forward from San Antonio. “Her personality is just come in, work hard, do the best you can, be a great teammate, show up with a smile. Everybody loves to be around her. She plays really hard, she works really hard.
“It’s just a steep learning curve for her because she probably started playing the latest on the team.”
A former cheerleader and high jump champion, Zadel didn’t start playing basketball until four years ago, as a freshman at Alamo Heights (Texas) High School. She didn’t get serious about the sport until her sophomore year.
“My body fit (basketball) better,” she said. “I knew that my coaches saw a lot in me that I didn’t, so I really trusted them and I knew that whatever they had for me, I knew it was going to be good for me.”
Zadel blossomed quickly. She played on the varsity team as a freshman, and filled a bigger role as a sophomore, ranking third on the team in rebounds (6.2 per game). As a junior, she led the Mules in scoring (14.5 points per game), rebounding (10.6) and blocks (2.3), earning first-team all-district honors.
Then, in the summer of 2024, at an AAU tournament, she suffered a torn ACL in her knee and missed her senior season.
Despite the lack of experience, CU sees great potential in Zadel, whose father, David, played football at Wake Forest and briefly for the Dallas Cowboys in 1998 (where he was teammates with CU head coach Deion Sanders).
“She doesn’t have as much experience as the others, but I mean you can watch her run and jump and see that she’s unbelievably gifted athletically,” Payne said. “She’s going to play and going to play this year and going to impact. It’s just going to take time, as it usually does with freshmen.”
Zadel has appeared in 12 of 13 games for the Buffs (9-4, 0-1 Big 12), who will return to action Wednesday against Arizona. She’s averaged just 8.5 minutes, but is one of the Buffs’ best rebounders, with 29 (2.4 per game) in her limited minutes. She’s also blocked three shots.
While Zadel would love to be playing more, she’s grateful for the experience she’s gaining as she adjusts to college basketball.
“It’s amazing,” she said. “I’m coming off an ACL injury, so it’s been quite a year. Just to be here, I’m so blessed and grateful.
“I knew committing here, I just needed to work really hard and I knew that no spot was safe for me. I knew that really working hard, getting in with the coaches was my point to come here and stuff. … It’s been a change for sure. I haven’t played since my junior year of high school, so it’s been a sec. To shift to this is a change, but I think it’s good.”
Payne said that, like most freshmen, Zadel has to continue understanding the scheme, which could lead to more playing time. But, Payne added Zadel is “pouring a lot of time and effort into it” and expects her to make more of an impact as the season goes along.
Zadel said there have been frustrating days, but “that’s basketball,” adding that she leans on her faith during the tough days. Overall, however, Zadel has a long-term perspective of her growth as a player and her enjoyment of being a part of this team.
“I really love this team and I think we all have such a great culture outside of basketball,” she said. “It’s fun to play for them and I think that any minutes I do get is a really cool opportunity to showcase what I’m able to do.”