By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina has made the final five list of five-star 6–1 shooting guard Jordan Speiser of Warrenton, Mo., who was the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior last season.
Speiser is No. 20 on ESPN’s Class of 2025 rankings.
Speiser told On3 that she had narrowed her possible college destinations to UNC, Ohio State, TCU, Iowa and Kansas State. She has taken official visits to Kansas State and TCU and plays to visit UNC, Ohio State and Iowa this fall.
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Speiser, who has a 3.54 GPA and plays AAU ball for All Iowa Attack, averaged 22.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals last season, leading St. Charles County High School to the Class 5 state championship game. She earned Class 5 First Team All-State honors as sophomore.
Three other members of the Class of 2025 who have scholarship offers from Coach Courtney Banghart will be playing with incoming freshman Lanie Grant on the United States team at the U17 World Cup in Mexico beginning Saturday night: 6–2 forward McKenna Woliczko, 6–2 guard Addison Bjorn and 6–2 wing Lola Lampley.
Speiser was one of 42 players to try out for that team but didn’t make the 12-player roster.
Projected roster if all players with eligibility other than Elina Aarnisalo, Lanie Grant,, Taliyah Henderson and Liza Ashtakhova and Liza Ashtakhova return, with years listed for next season (UNC is one below the 15-player limit)
| Year | No./ Stars | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 5 star | Kate Harpring | PG | 5–10 | |
| Freshman | 52/4 star | 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 | Sophie Burrows — X | G | 6–2 | ||
| Senior | 11 | 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 via @jordan_speiser
