Six UNC women’s basketball players have hit the transfer portal this offseason. All have now found destinations across the country, including two within the ACC. Here’s a complete rundown of who ended up where:

Paulina Paris – Arizona

Image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jerome M. Ibrahim

Paris was the first Tar Heel to hit the portal, entering her name on March 26, shortly after Carolina’s season ended. The rising junior committed to Arizona just one week later, where she’ll try to help the Wildcats return to the Sweet 16 for the first time since reaching the national championship game in 2021.

Ali Zelaya – UNC-Wilmington

Image via UNC Athletic Communications

Zelaya, who spent the previous four seasons as a reserve in Chapel Hill, will play out her final year of eligibility down the road at UNC-Wilmington in the Coastal Athletic Association. The Seahawks are still seeking their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

Anya Poole – Clemson

Image via Todd Melet

Poole came to Chapel Hill in the same class as Zelaya, Alyssa Ustby and Deja Kelly. She also won’t travel far for her fifth and final year of college basketball, but her next school is one which has much more crossover with the Tar Heels: Clemson.

Poole will play for new Tiger head coach Shawn Poppie, who was just hired this offseason. Though the ACC women’s basketball schedule for next season has not been released, Poole’s Tigers are guaranteed at least one game against Carolina.

Teonni Key – Kentucky

Image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

Key, a former five-star recruit whose career in Chapel Hill was marred by injuries, will leave with two years of eligibility remaining. Key’s destination is a hot topic in women’s college basketball: Kentucky, coached by former Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks. Brooks has brought in several former Hokies to his team, including guard Georgia Amoore.

RyLee Grays – Virginia

Image via Todd Melet

Like Anya Poole, Grays will be taking her talents to an ACC rival: Virginia. She will have three years of eligibility with the Cavaliers.

Despite an outstanding youth basketball career that included Player of the Year honors from the Houston Chronicle and a state title as a freshman, Grays hardly saw the floor in her first year in Chapel Hill. She appeared in just five games, logging 19 total minutes and scoring seven total points. She did not play in any of UNC’s postseason games.

Deja Kelly – Oregon

Image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini

Though reports of Kelly’s entry into the transfer portal had been circulating since April, Kelly herself did not confirm the news until May with a post on social media.

By far the biggest name to hit the portal out of Chapel Hill, the four-year starter ranks in UNC’s top 10 in career points scored. Now, Kelly will be traveling to the Pacific northwest for her final season of college basketball at Oregon.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UCLA Transfer Elina Aarnisalo Signs With UNC Women's Basketball
Guard Elina Aarnisalo, who spent her freshman season at UCLA, signed with head coach Courtney Banghart and the UNC women’s basketball program Tuesday morning. Aarnisalo has three seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining. Welcome to Blue Heaven 🙌 Excited to have Elina join the squad! pic.twitter.com/YmdCzPCHBs — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) April 15, 2025 Aarnisalo, originally […]
UNC's Trayanna Crisp Enters Transfer Portal After 1 Season in Chapel Hill
After spending her junior season with the UNC women’s basketball program, wing Trayanna Crisp has entered her name back into the transfer portal. Crisp transferred to Carolina in the 2024 offseason after playing her first two seasons at Arizona State. Crisp appeared in 28 games this season with one start, averaging 5.6 points, 1.5 rebounds […]
Here's a Tracker of Every UNC Women's Basketball Player to Enter the Transfer Portal
As the offseason begins for the UNC women’s basketball program, several players have already entered their names into the transfer portal. Here’s an up-to-date tracker on which players are not expected to return for the Tar Heels next season: G Paulina Paris Paris appeared in 48 games as a Tar Heel, but hadn’t played since […]
UNC Women's Basketball Guard Paulina Paris Entering Transfer Portal
Sophomore guard Paulina Paris will leave the UNC women’s basketball program and enter the transfer portal. Paris made the announcement via social media on Tuesday. 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/TsBCu1vpF5 — Paulina Paris (@paulinaparis23) March 26, 2024 “I will always cherish my memories made in Chapel Hill and can’t wait to begin this new chapter in my life,” […]
Stanford Transfer Indya Nivar Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
UNC head coach Courtney Banghart’s busy offseason continued on Sunday, as she and the Tar Heels earned a third commitment out of the transfer portal: Stanford guard Indya Nivar. Nivar, who will have three years of eligibility in Chapel Hill, announced her decision on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by INDYA […]
Iowa State Transfer Lexi Donarski Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Lexi Donarski, who was named the 2021-2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while playing for Iowa State, has committed to the UNC women’s basketball program out of the transfer portal. Donarski’s hometown newspaper, the La Crosse (WI) Tribune, first reported the story before Donarski shared her decision on social media Monday night. View […]
UNC's Kennedy Todd-Williams Enters Transfer Portal; 2nd Tar Heel to Enter in 24 Hours
Kennedy Todd-Williams, a starting junior wing on the UNC women’s basketball team and cornerstone of the 2020 recruiting class, has entered the transfer portal. Todd-Williams announced the decision on her Instagram page. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kennedy Todd-Williams (@kentoddy) Todd-Williams is the second Tar Heel to enter the portal in […]
UNC Women's Basketball's Destiny Adams Entering Transfer Portal
Sophomore wing Destiny Adams, who averaged 17 minutes per game for the UNC women’s basketball team this season, is entering the transfer portal. Adams made the announcement on her Instagram page. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Destiny Adams (@destinyy_adamss) Adams played in all 33 games for the Tar Heels and made […]
UNC Women's Basketball's Morasha Wiggins Enters Transfer Portal
Freshman Morasha Wiggins of the UNC women’s basketball team is entering her name into the transfer portal, she announced on Twitter late Wednesday night. 💙. pic.twitter.com/MOqaVcqXfM — mo (@morashawiggins) May 1, 2022 “I’d like to thank the [UNC] coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to be a Tar Heel,” Wiggins said in her announcement. […]
UNC Women's Basketball Announces 2025-26 ACC Schedule
The ACC announced the full 2025-26 conference schedule for all women’s basketball programs Tuesday afternoon. As was the case during the 2024-25 season, UNC will play 18 conference games, facing 16 teams once and rival Duke twice. Been waiting on this one… The ACC schedule is 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀! pic.twitter.com/EKw7G5eVCY — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) September 2, […]
›