By R.L. Bynum
The Carolina women’s program welcomed its first transfer when former Richmond guard Grace Townsend committed to the Tar Heels as a graduate transfer.
It will be the fifth season for the 5–5 Midlothian, Va., product, known for her speed, quickness and perimeter shooting, who announced the news on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening. The first-team All-Atlantic 10 pick last season attended the same high school, James River, as incoming UNC freshman guard Lanie Grant, who was in eighth grade when Townsend was a senior.
“I picked UNC because it felt like the right fit instantly,” Townsend said. “I had such genuine conversations with the coaches and the players. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and it is everything I was looking for.”
“Richmond, thank you for your unconditional love and support,” Townsend said in the post. “You will always be family, and I’m proud to be an alum. Next Chapter, Best Chapter! Tar Heel Nation, let’s get it.”
Richmond went 29–6 last season, won the Atlantic 10 regular-season (16–2 record) and tournament titles and earned the program’s first NCAA berth in 19 years and fourth all-time. It was the Spiders’ first league title in 34 years and third all-time.
“In the transfer portal, you hunt the perfect add, the player that can provide value and contribute in the most meaningful ways,” UNC coach Courtney Banghart said. “Grace is a proven winner and an impactful competitor, and she and her family will be the perfect add to the Carolina family.”
Richmond lost to Duke 72–61 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Townsend had 18 points, eight rebounds, two steals and only one turnover against the Blue Devils in a game the Spiders led 37–28 at halftime.
“We knew coming into this game what we had been through the past few years with playing Duke, and we kept that chip on our shoulder,” said Townsend after that season-ending defeat. Richmond had lost 83–53 at Duke earlier in the season on Nov. 6 and lost to the Blue Devils at home 100–49 on Dec. 4, 2022. “I think we came out great. When we go into the half up nine, I think that’s incredible. It really gave us the energy and the motivation to keep going. I think Duke is a great team, and I’m proud of how we played this year. We came together. I think it shows how special this group was and we’re so grateful to be a part of this group.”
Townsend, who also made the Atlantic 10’s All-Academic team, averaged 10.5 points and 4.7 assists, shooting 30.9% from 3-point range in her four seasons with the Spiders. Last season, she averaged a career-high 13.4 points, 5.2 assists and only 2.7 turnovers, and shot 30.9% from 3-point range.
She was a key part of the resurgence of the Richmond program that went 15–17 the season before she arrived. The Spiders went 13–9 her freshman season when she was a walk-on, 16–14 her sophomore season and 21–11 her junior season.
“She knows how to set the table so incredibly well,” Richmond coach Aaron Roussell told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in a January story. “What she’s done this year has really gotten everybody involved. The poise and the confidence that she plays with right now is an all-time high for her. She’s willing to score for herself, and she’s willing to set the table for everybody else. That’s good comfort for me as a coach, having a point guard like that.”
Even at 5–5, she has 559 career rebounds, including double-figure totals in three games topped by 13 against Fordham on Feb. 23, 2022.
“Part of it is just desire,” Rousell said in a Times-Dispatch story in February. “I think that’s something that’s big with rebounding.”
That would leave Carolina with three available scholarships, assuming that all other underclassmen and graduate guard Lexi Donarski return.
She scored a career-high 26 points twice last season: at George Washington on Dec. 30 and at home against Rhode Island on Jan. 14. She scored a career-high five 3-pointers on Jan. 3 against VCU.
Townsend has three career double-doubles, the last on Feb. 1, 2023, with 11 points and a career-high 11 assists against UMass.
She is finishing her undergraduate work at Richmond, where she is a double major in political science as well as PPEL (philosophy, politics, economics and law), according to her LinkedIn page.
| 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 | 8 p.m. | vs. UNCW | ACCN |
| 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 via @SpiderWBBall
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