By R.L. Bynum
A North Carolina women’s player entered the transfer portal for the second consecutive day, this time two-year starter Kennedy Todd-Williams.
On Wednesday, reserve Destiny Adams entered the transfer portal.
Todd-Williams, a 6–0 wing, announced her decision Thursday in a social media post, leaving the Tar Heels with three returning starters in rising seniors Deja Kelly, Alyssa Ustby and Anya Poole.
“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my decision to enter my name into the portal,” Todd-Williams said in the social media post. “Since the age of 10, Carolina has been my dream school, and committing after my freshman year in high school was a momentous achievement.”
Todd-Williams was a key part of a Carolina team that was ranked No. 6 in two AP Top 25 polls this season and finished 22–11. She was one of UNC’s best defensive players and expanded her offensive game, scoring a team-high 52 3-pointers and shooting 32.3% from outside the arc after making 25 during her sophomore season.
“The decision wasn’t an easy one, but it was the right one for me and my family,” said Todd-Williams, who scored 16 points in the Tar Heels’ season-ending 71–69 loss Monday at Ohio State.
Todd-Williams, who is from Jacksonville, N.C., averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds this past season in starting all 33 games after also starting all 32 games during her sophomore season when she averaged 10.8 points per game. She was second on the team this past season in free-throw percentage (75.3%) and third in steals (42) and rebounds (5.4 per game).
Todd-Williams made a huge 3-pointer late in the 45–41 victory Feb. 26 at Duke to tie that game. She scored a career-high 22 points in a 72–57 Jan. 26 victory at Pittsburgh.
During her sophomore season, Todd-Williams scored a team-high 19 points in a 66–65 home upset of No. 3 Louisville (below video) on Feb. 17, 2022.
She expressed her love and support for the Carolina community and gratitude to Coach Courtney Banghart and the coaching staff for trusting her and her teammates.
“You have been instrumental in my growth both on and off the court,” Todd-Williams said of the coaches. “I will forever cherish the memories we have created together.”
Todd-Williams will be a senior next season wherever she plays, and could play a fifth season after that under the COVID-19 rules.
She was the No. 1-ranked player in the state coming out of Jacksonville High School and first-team All-State her senior season. She scored more than 1,000 points in high school despite missing more than half of her junior season with a torn ACL.
Although UNC loses Todd-Williams, Adams, Eva Hodgson, Malu Tshitenge and Ariel Young, it welcomes a talented incoming freshman class, led by five-star 6–4 stretch-five Ciera Toomey, the No. 4 Class of 2023 player. Also in that class are 5–7 point guard Reniya Kelly (No. 30), 6-3 center Rylee Grays (No. 90) and Indiana Player of the Year 6–1 wing Laila Hull.
Toomey led Dunmore High School to the Pennsylvania state 3-A title Thursday night.
| Year | No. | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 5 | Liza Astakhova (LEE-zah uh-STAH-koh-vuh) | W | 6–2 | |
| Freshman | 7 | Nyla Brooks | W | 6–1 | |
| Brooks brings dazzling skills, confidence to UNC | |||||
| Freshman | 3 | Taliyah Henderson | W | 6–1 | |
| Long wait, journey for 5-star freshman Henderson after second knee surgery nearly over | |||||
| Freshman | 26 | Taissa Queiroz | G | 6–1 | |
| Queiroz came to USA from Brazil to chase her dreams | |||||
| Sophomore | 17 | Elina Aarnisalo (EH-lee-nah AHR-nee-sah-loh) | G | 5–10 | |
| Aarnisalo brings flash, IQ and pro experience to backcourt | |||||
| Sophomore | 0 | Lanie Grant | G | 5–9 | |
| Sophomore | 34 | Blanca Thomas | C | 6–5 | |
| Sophomore | 1 | Jordan Zubich | G | 5–11 | |
| RS sophomore | 21 | Ciera Toomey | F | 6–4 | |
| RS sophomore | 4 | Laila Hull | W | 6–1 | |
| Junior | 10 | Reniya Kelly | PG | 5–7 | |
| Junior | 15 | Sydney Barker | PG | 5–6 | |
| Senior | 2 | Nyla Harris | F | 6–2 | |
| It was hard for Harris to say ‘no’ to UNC again | |||||
| Senior | 24 | Indya Nivar | G | 5–10 |
Class of 2025
| Player | Rating | ESPN rank | Position | Height | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nyla Brooks | Five star | No. 13 | Wing | 6–2 | Alexandria, Va. |
| Taliyah Henderson | Five star | No. 27 | Wing | 6–1 | Vail, Ariz. |
| Taissa Queiroz | Four star | No. 77 | Guard | 6–1 | Santa Rosa, Calif. |
| Liza Astakhova | — | — | Wing | 6–1 | Moscow, Russia |
| Date | Day/month | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 3 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 4 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 2 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 16 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Charleston Southern | ACCN Extra |
| 29 | Monday | 8 p.m. | at Boston College | ACCN |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | Noon | vs. California | ACCN |
| 4 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | vs. Stanford | ESPN |
| 11 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at No. 20 Notre Dame | ESPN |
| 15 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Miami | ACCN Extra |
| 18 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | at Florida State | The CW |
| 22 | Thursday | 8 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| 25 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | The CW |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 6 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 5 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ACCN |
| 8 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 12 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. SMU | ACCN |
| 15 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at Duke | ABC |
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 22 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 26 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Duke | ESPN |
| ACC tournament | ||||
| 4–8 | Wed.-Sun | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | ||
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 20–24 | Fri.-Mon. | First, second rounds | ||
| 27–30 | Fri.-Mon. | Regionals Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif. | ||
| April | ||||
| 3, 5 | Fri., Sun | Final Four Phoenix |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
tarheeltribune.com 
1 Comment