There’s something about freshmen jumping right into the college game. 
 
It starts with the unknown, and then morphs into the tantalizing potential and excitement of what could be not just for the rest of the season, but the three years to follow. In that spirit, here are five Summit League freshmen that have immediately become important parts of their respective teams. 
 
Jade Hill, Guard (St. Thomas): Ruth Sinn praised Hill’s playmaking potential on National Signing Day, and she turned out to be spot on. Hill has been a burst of neon light in the Tommies’ inaugural Division I non-conference campaign, grabbing Sinn’s faith immediately and rarely coming off the court (34.9 mpg). The Minneapolis native has played with a down-hill style that’s produced 11.9 points and 2.7 assists per game as she, and her program, navigate uncharted waters. She’s scored in double figures in the last four games heading into Wednesday, and played all but one minute in UST’s landmark, seal-breaking Division I win against Chicago State.
 
Paige Meyer, Guard (South Dakota State): What can’t Paige Meyer do? The South Dakota State guard has been a jack-of-all-trades in her debut season, contributing from all corners of the court (9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.6 apg). The Jackrabbits’ leading scorer’s seamless transition to the college game has been especially important as the team has been without superstar Myah Selland for the majority of the season. Her career outing against Mississippi State (25 points, 5-7 3FG) should have SDSU fans excited about the ceiling she could reach during her time in Brookings. 
 
Tirzah Moore, Forward (Oral Roberts): It’s been a bright start for Moore in navy and gold. The forward has jumped onto the scene in Tulsa, leading the Golden Eagles in scoring (10.9 ppg) while coming up big in the Nov. 27 win against Arkansas State that snapped a four-game losing streak and set the stage for the team’s two-game sweep of the ORU Thanksgiving Classic. Moore scored a career-high 20 points against the Red Wolves with the sort of low post efficiency (7-10 FG) that she’s shown all year en route to a team leading 51.8 shooting percentage from the field. The Oklahoma City native has also pitched in on the glass (4.6 rpg) right away. Her twin sister Trinity has had an exciting start in her own right in a smaller role (5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and the pair, which led their high school to its first ever postseason appearance, will look to build on that momentum in Tulsa. 
 
Grace Cave, Guard (Omaha): The Weeping Water, Neb. native has been a part of a trio of Mavs’ freshmen already making an impact this season. Cave played a big role (13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) in supporting Elena Pilakouta’s 32-point, superhero effort in UNO’s’ big road win at UIC in late November. She also grabbed six critical rebounds in a low-scoring win over Northern Colorado in the team’s most recent outing. The guard is coming off a D1 Nebraska state championship, and will look to form that sort of long-term legacy alongside fellow freshmen Kennedi Grant and Alexis Pratt, all of whom have averaged at least 17 minutes per game.

Jodi Anderson, Guard (North Dakota): The Fighting Hawks’ guard seized the moment when it was there early in the season. Backcourt minutes were available from the jump in Mallory Bernhard’s rotation as star junior guard Kacie Borowicz missed the season’s first three games. Anderson stepped in smoothly, averaging 10 points per game in tough season-opening games at Weber State and UTEP, and has eased into a supporting role (5.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg) since Borowicz’s return. UND is 5-2 since Borowicz came back, and the experience Anderson gained early on should add important depth on a Fighting Hawks team riding that uptick.