By R.L. Bynum

North Carolina is one of the seven winners in the women’s basketball transfer portal this offseason, according to an analysis by The Athletic.

Joining the Tar Heels on the list of winners are reigning national champion LSU, UCLA, Ohio State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M.

In the story, Chantel Jennings wrote about Carolina:

“Added: Lexi Donarski (Iowa State), Indya Nivar (Stanford), Maria Gakdeng (Boston College)

“Kennedy Todd-Williams, who departed the Tar Heels for Ole Miss, was one of the more surprising transfer entrants, but coach Courtney Banghart reloaded with three impressive additions for UNC. Donarski, a former Big 12 defensive player of the year, and Nivar, a North Carolina native whose skill set went underutilized at Stanford last season, will bring depth to the perimeter on both ends of the floor following Todd-Williams’ departure and Eva Hodgson’s graduation. At 6-3, Gakdeng should help on the glass, especially offensively. Banghart already had a more than solid base with Deja Kelly, Alyssa Ustby and Kayla McPherson, but to add these three transfers as well as three top-100 recruits — including No. 4 Ciera Toomey (6-3) — gets UNC into the top-10 conversation.”

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Read about UNC’s scholarship freshmen

Five-star forward Ciera Toomey
— Big-time UNC recruit Toomey’s love for Carolina, the state stoked years ago during Pinehurst golf trip
— Five-star UNC recruit Toomey leads team to state title 10 months after ACL surgery
Four-star point guard Reniya Kelly
— Dynamic UNC guard recruit Reniya Kelly won first of four state titles at age 12; at 7, ‘Broadway’ wanted to be great
Four-star forward Rylee Grays
— Funny off court, intense on court, 4-star Grays will give UNC versatile skills for 6–3 player
Indiana Miss Basketball wing Laila Hull
— Hull, a sharpshooting, versatile wing, has expanded, refined her game after talent was evident at an early age

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ESPN ranked Donarski as the No. 3 player in the portal and Gakdeng as the No. 15 player.

The Hokies, after last season’s Final Four run, added Rose Micheaux from Minnesota, Matilda Ekh from Michigan State and Olivia Summiel of Wake Forest.

Duke and N.C. State are among the five losers, along with Stanford (which lost Nivar to UNC), Oregon and Arizona.

The Blue Devils lost Celeste Taylor to Ohio State, Shayeann Day-Wilson to Miami and Jordyn Oliver to Vanderbilt. The Wolfpack lost Camille Hobby to Illinois, Jakia Brown-Turner to Maryland and Diamond Johnson, who hasn’t committed to another school.

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UNC roster

Here is Carolina’s projected roster with their class for next season listed.

Year	Returning players	Pos.	Height
RS Soph.	Kayla McPherson	PG	5–8
Senior	Deja Kelly	PG	5–8
Soph.	Paulina Paris	PG	5–9
Senior	Alyssa Ustby	F	6–1
Senior	Anya Poole	F	6–2
RS Soph.	Teonni Key	F	6–4
Senior	Alexandra Zelaya	F	6–4
	Incoming transfers
Sophomore	Indya Nivar (Stanford)	G	5–10
Senior	Lexi Donarski (Iowa State)	G	6–0
Junior	Maria Gakdeng (Boston College)	C	6–3
ESPN rank	Incoming freshmen	Pos.	Height
30th	Reniya Kelly (4 star; Alabama POY)	PG	5–7
	Laila Hull (Indiana POY)	W	6–1
90th	Rylee Grays (4 star Alabama POY)	F	6–3
4th	Ciera Toomey (5 star)	F	6–4
	Sydney Barker (walk-on)	PG	5–7
	Class of 2024
26th	Blanca Thomas (5 star)	C	6–5
65th	Jordan Zubich	G	5–11
	Class of 2025
20th	Lanie Grant (5 star)	G	5–9
	College careers over	Pos.	Height
	Eva Hodgson	PG	5–10
	Ariel Young	W	6–1
	Malu Tshitenge	F	6–3
	Outgoing transfers
	Kennedy Todd-Williams (Ole Miss)	W	6–0
	Destiny Adams (Rutgers)	F	6–3

Photo of Lexi Donarski via @CycloneWBB