Physically, Frida Formann felt better at the end of Colorado’s women’s basketball season than she had in previous years.
Once the Buffaloes’ thrilling run to the Sweet 16 came to a close, however, it all caught up to the junior guard.
“Definitely fatigued, especially mentally,” Formann said this week. “Going back to school and all that was a little hard because I had pretty much postponed everything just to be 100% focusing on basketball.
“When you finish a season like that, it’s not like you want it to end, but you’re still super fatigued and it’s really a whirlwind to be in those last couple of weeks.”
It was an experience Formann will never forget, though, and she’s in the early stages of working on finding a way to get to that whirlwind once again next year.
A 5-foot-11 guard from Denmark, Formann finished the season averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while connecting on 39.3% of her 3-pointers and 89.3% of her free throws.
Following a bit of a sophomore slump in 2021-22, Formann regained her freshman shooting form and elevated other parts of her game to help the Buffs (25-9) finish third in the Pac-12 and reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years.
“I was just in a really good place mentally and very focused on my role and what I bring to the table,” she said. “I was very confident in that and I think it also just came from having really good team chemistry this year and being a little more intentional about communication and about getting reps in and being intentional with pretty much everything.”
Formann found another gear in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 17.0 points and knocking down 10-of-22 (45.5%) from 3-point range in the Buffs’ three games.
“I’ve always been a player that I love big moments and I really love when there’s something on the line,” she said. “So it was just really great to feel that I’ve still got that instinct in me.”
More than a month removed from last season, Formann is looking ahead to improving her game for her senior year. She’s likely going to play for the Danish national team this summer, but even when not with that team, she’ll be working on her game.
“I’m excited to just stay that course (from this past season) because I think I kind of found some things that worked for me,” she said. “Areas of improvement are just to continue to build on my leadership and then I have lots of things that I want to build on my game; lots of different shots I want to get to. I want to be able to have more threats to my game than shooting, which I think I do, I just think I need to become even better.
“We just want me to be a really well-rounded player, and then be able to have that leadership and keep us at a high standard.”
CU is projected to return four of its five starters, including Formann, as well as eight of the 10 players who were in the regular rotation. The Buffs also add Michigan graduation transfer Maddie Nolan and five incoming freshmen that make up one of coach JR Payne’s best recruiting classes in Boulder.
Following CU’s 87-77 loss to eventual national runner-up Iowa in the Sweet 16, Formann stayed in Seattle with her parents to watch Iowa’s victory over Louisville two days later. That served as some extra motivation, even as the fatigue of a long season set in.
“It was really cool to just be in the atmosphere and seeing the play (of Iowa and Louisville) and knowing that I was in that position – we were in that position – to play in front of that crowd and play at that level,” Formann said. “I think it just kind of reminds you of what you are capable of doing if you just put the work in. It really just motivates you to actually put that work in here over the offseason.”
