By R.L. Bynum

The Jersey girl is going home.

Destiny Adams, one of Carolina’s most aggressive and dogged defenders during her two seasons in Chapel Hill, will transfer to Rutgers University, where she’ll be a junior with three years of eligibility.

“Coming home,” Adams, from Manchester, N.J., posted on social media with a smile emoji in announcing her decision Saturday evening.

The 6–3 Adams scored 220 points in 61 career games for UNC, with 34 blocks and 73 steals. She was versatile last season for the Tar Heels, able to play on the wing and at the five spot.

After scoring all eight of her points in the fourth quarter of UNC’s 56-47 victory over N.C. State in Carmichael Arena on Jan. 15, she sprinted to the stands to hug her mom and sister. They had flown down to Chapel Hill that morning to see her play.

“I just wanted one more hug just to say goodbye, and I thought that was the perfect time to do it so I didn’t miss anything,” said Adams, in photo below cheering in front the bench, said that day.

Her career-high was 23 points last season against South Carolina State. She got a career-high six steals on Feb. 12 last season against Boston College and blocked three shots twice, the last time last season on Jan. 12 against Virginia.

Adams is one of two players from last season’s team to transfer, along with Kennedy Todd-Williams, who will play next season at Ole Miss.

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Rutgers went 12–20 overall and 5–13 in the Big Ten last season, the first under head coach Coquese Washington.

Adams is Manchester Township High School’s all-time leading scorer, made the 2021 McDonald’s All-American team and was the Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year.

Year	No.		Players	Pos.	Height
Freshman	11		Kate Harpring	PG	5–10
Freshman	52		Noelle Bofia	F	6–4
Sophomore	3		Gabby White — W	G	5–10
Sophomore	7		Nyla Brooks	W	6–1
Sophomore	26		Taissa Queiroz	G	6–1
Junior	34		Blanca Thomas	C	6–5
Junior	1		Jordan Zubich	G	5–11
RS junior	21		Ciera Toomey	F	6–4
RS junior	4		Laila Hull	W	6–1
Senior	5		Sophie Burrows — X	G	6–2
Senior	8		Achol Akot — Y	F	6–1
Senior	10		Reniya Kelly	G	5–7
Senior	15		Sydney Barker	G	5–6
Graduate	13		Chloe Clardy — Z	G	5–9

W — Virginia transfer; X — Syracuse transfer; Y — Oklahoma State transfer; Z — Stanford transfer

Former players who entered transfer portal

Player	Class next season	Pos.	Hgt	Next school
Elina Aarnisalo	Junior	G	5–10	UCLA
Lanie Grant	Junior	G	5–9	TCU
Taliyah Henderson	Sophomore	W	6–1	Clemson
Liza Astakhova	Sophomore	G	6–2	BYU

Non-conference schedule

Date	Day/ month	Time	Opponent/event (rank in final poll)
	November
2	Monday	TBA	Oui-Play in Paris vs. No 12 Oklahoma
8	Sunday	TBA	Ally Tipoff in Charlotte vs. No. 2 South Carolina
11	Wednesday	TBA	vs. N.C. Central
14	Saturday	TBA	at Penn in Palestra
			WBCA Showcase Orlando
19	Thursday	6 p.m.	vs. Texas Tech
21	Saturday	5 p.m.	vs. No. 24 Alabama
		———
24	Tuesday	TBA	vs. Gardner-Webb
27	Friday	TBA	vs. Army
29	Sunday	TBA	vs. Brown
	December
2	Wednesday	TBA	ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge vs. No. 8 LSU
6	Sunday	TBA	vs. Elon
9	Wednesday	11 a.m.	vs. Winthrop
21	Monday	TBA	vs. Norfolk State
28	Monday	TBA	vs. UNCW

ACC home opponents: Duke, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Virginia.
ACC road opponents: Duke, Stanford, California, Louisville, Clemson, Miami, Syracuse, SMU and Pittsburgh

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Photos courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications