By R.L. Bynum
Coach Courtney Banghart continues to be a big winner in the women’s basketball offseason, and the evidence comes with a couple of recent rankings.
According to 247 Sports, Carolina’s three-player transfer portal class is No. 2 in the country, behind only reigning national champion LSU.
In a Top 25 list AP poll voter Mitchell Northam compiled, UNC is No. 9 in the country. Last season, the Tar Heels finished 22–11 and twice ascended to No. 6 in the AP poll.
Carolina will face many tests next season, considering they will play seven teams on that Top 25 list: No. 2 UConn, No. 5 Virginia Tech, No. 16 Notre Dame, No. 18 Louisville, No. 21 Florida State, No. 22 N.C. State and No. 23 Miami.
Carolina’s transfer portal class includes 5–10 sophomore guard Indya Nivar from Stanford, 6–0 senior guard Lexi Donarski from Iowa State and 6–3 junior center shot-blocker Mara Gakdeng from Boston College.
Nivar (No. 20 in the Class of 2022) and Donarski (No. 14 in the Class of 2020), last season’s Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, are two of six former five-star recruits on UNC’s roster, including 6–4 stretch-four freshman Ciera Toomey (No. 4 in the Class of 2023), 6–4 redshirt sophomore Teonni Key (No. 9 in the Class of 2021), 5–8 senior guard Deja Kelly (No. 10 in the Class of 2020) and 6–2 senior forward Anya Poole (No. 49 in the Class of 2020).
Carolina will have five former four-star recruits in 5–8 redshirt sophomore guard Kayla McPherson (No. 17 in the Class of 2021), 5–9 sophomore guard Paulina Paris (No. 27 in the Class of 2022), 5–7 freshman guard Reniya Kelly (No. 30 in the Class of 2023), 6–4 senior forward Alexandra Zelaya (No. 89 in the Class of 2020) and 5–7 freshman guard Rylee Grays (No. 90 in the Class of 2023).
In addition to Toomey, Reniya Kelly and Grays, the freshman class includes 6–1 wing Laila Hull, the Indiana player of the year and Miss Basketball. Reniya Kelly, Grays and Toomey all were state players of the year.
Hull earned MVP honors on Saturday as she produced her second 22-point game with a double-double in as many nights to lead the Indiana All-Stars to a 71–67 victory in Indianapolis over the Kentucky All-Stars.
Walk-on freshman 5–7 guard Sydney Barker from Durham’s Jordan High School will play in the East-West All-Star Girls Basketball Game on July 17 in Greensboro.
Read about UNC’s 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
Walk-on guard Sydney Barker
— Barker walking on at UNC to follow dream
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(UNC is one below the 15-player limit)
| 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 |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
