University of Georgia Athletics
October 29, 2026 | Women's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
In her first college basketball game, Dakota Howard made six of her nine shots, scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and had a pair of steals. The 5-foot-11 forward, a freshman at McNeese State last season, was off and running.
Howard started every game for the Cowgirls and finished her freshman year with 25 double-digit scoring games, including six of 20 or more. She shot 48.3% from the field, and averaged 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Howard was also the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, first-team All-SLC and she made the All-Defensive team.
"I did have a big year last year," said Howard, now a sophomore at Georgia after following her coach at McNeese State, Ayla Guzzardo, to Athens. "Coming from high school into college was different, but it was like, if you come in coachable — I came in coachable, ready to get put to the test, and I was able to convert and be ready."
Guzzardo said she first started watching Howard play as a seventh-grader. She's seen her develop tremendously as a player and person, and that will continue with the Lady Bulldogs.
"I watched a lot of her maturity and her growth. As a freshman, she had to learn a lot. The game was fast, but she picked it up very quickly," said Guzzardo, who led the Cowgirls to the Southland regular-season championship and a school-record 28 wins last season.
"Now, I'm watching her leadership on the court. Her being able to take the criticism and give it out. Also, when she talks, her players, her teammates listen. I've watched her leadership; she's (developing) into that leader role that we need, that voice that we need, and she leads by example, not only by her voice."
Guzzardo brought Howard and junior guard Tyreona Sibley with her from McNeese State. On a Georgia squad with only a couple of returning players, their experience with Guzzardo and her system has been critical as the Lady Bulldogs start a new season with a new coaching staff and 11 new players. For Howard, her relationship with Guzzardo goes well beyond the court.
"Coach Ayla will be there for you, whether it's basketball, (or) outside of basketball," Howard said. "She's there anytime you need her. You can call her at 12 a.m. and if she's up, she's going to pick it up, and you can call on her for anything."
Howard said the players have spent a lot of time together over the past few months, both practicing and working out, but also over meals and just hanging out together. Building chemistry takes time, and Georgia's players have done everything they can to come together as a group ahead of Monday's season opener against West Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum.
"We hang out outside (of basketball), even if we just go eat together or go hang out at someone's house or go to the pool and talk to each other," she said. "Even in the summer, when (transfer guard/forward Jordana Codio) wasn't here, when she got here, we made her feel welcome because we know we have to have that chemistry on the court."
Codio, who spent three years at Texas before playing at Seton Hall last season, said Howard's play has stood out in the preseason.
"Dakota, I mean, she is a great player. Obviously, she has progressed from the preseason, but I feel like ... just going into the season and into the preseason, she's just always been a very consistent player," Codio said.
Georgia's squad only has one freshman, guard Alanna Beckham, and four sophomores, but the older roster is still looking to Howard for leadership, Codio said.
"She's definitely one of our leaders on the court. And I know I respect her and I listen to her and what she has to say," Codio said.
As Howard put it, she wants to be "that coach on the court" for Guzzardo, "and just lead by example."
Georgia women's and men's basketball teams open their seasons with a doubleheader at the Steg on Monday. After the Lady Bulldogs take on West Georgia at 5 p.m., the Bulldogs host N.C. Central at 7:30.
Staff Writer
In her first college basketball game, Dakota Howard made six of her nine shots, scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and had a pair of steals. The 5-foot-11 forward, a freshman at McNeese State last season, was off and running.
Howard started every game for the Cowgirls and finished her freshman year with 25 double-digit scoring games, including six of 20 or more. She shot 48.3% from the field, and averaged 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Howard was also the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, first-team All-SLC and she made the All-Defensive team.
"I did have a big year last year," said Howard, now a sophomore at Georgia after following her coach at McNeese State, Ayla Guzzardo, to Athens. "Coming from high school into college was different, but it was like, if you come in coachable — I came in coachable, ready to get put to the test, and I was able to convert and be ready."
Guzzardo said she first started watching Howard play as a seventh-grader. She's seen her develop tremendously as a player and person, and that will continue with the Lady Bulldogs.
"I watched a lot of her maturity and her growth. As a freshman, she had to learn a lot. The game was fast, but she picked it up very quickly," said Guzzardo, who led the Cowgirls to the Southland regular-season championship and a school-record 28 wins last season.
"Now, I'm watching her leadership on the court. Her being able to take the criticism and give it out. Also, when she talks, her players, her teammates listen. I've watched her leadership; she's (developing) into that leader role that we need, that voice that we need, and she leads by example, not only by her voice."
Guzzardo brought Howard and junior guard Tyreona Sibley with her from McNeese State. On a Georgia squad with only a couple of returning players, their experience with Guzzardo and her system has been critical as the Lady Bulldogs start a new season with a new coaching staff and 11 new players. For Howard, her relationship with Guzzardo goes well beyond the court.
"Coach Ayla will be there for you, whether it's basketball, (or) outside of basketball," Howard said. "She's there anytime you need her. You can call her at 12 a.m. and if she's up, she's going to pick it up, and you can call on her for anything."
Howard said the players have spent a lot of time together over the past few months, both practicing and working out, but also over meals and just hanging out together. Building chemistry takes time, and Georgia's players have done everything they can to come together as a group ahead of Monday's season opener against West Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum.
"We hang out outside (of basketball), even if we just go eat together or go hang out at someone's house or go to the pool and talk to each other," she said. "Even in the summer, when (transfer guard/forward Jordana Codio) wasn't here, when she got here, we made her feel welcome because we know we have to have that chemistry on the court."
Codio, who spent three years at Texas before playing at Seton Hall last season, said Howard's play has stood out in the preseason.
"Dakota, I mean, she is a great player. Obviously, she has progressed from the preseason, but I feel like ... just going into the season and into the preseason, she's just always been a very consistent player," Codio said.
Georgia's squad only has one freshman, guard Alanna Beckham, and four sophomores, but the older roster is still looking to Howard for leadership, Codio said.
"She's definitely one of our leaders on the court. And I know I respect her and I listen to her and what she has to say," Codio said.
As Howard put it, she wants to be "that coach on the court" for Guzzardo, "and just lead by example."
Georgia women's and men's basketball teams open their seasons with a doubleheader at the Steg on Monday. After the Lady Bulldogs take on West Georgia at 5 p.m., the Bulldogs host N.C. Central at 7:30.
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
Players Mentioned
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