The five freshmen and three incoming transfers on the UNC women’s basketball team have picked their jersey numbers for the 2023-24 season.
Guard Laila Hull from Zionsville, IN will wear No. 4, which was last worn by Kennady Tucker during the 2019-20 season — Courtney Banghart’s first as Carolina head coach. Joining Hull in the backcourt will be Reniya Kelly (Hoover, AL) wearing No. 10 and Sydney Barker (Jordan High School in Durham, N.C.) wearing No. 15. Kelly will take over the No. 10 jersey from Eva Hodgson, who graduated last spring after two seasons with the Tar Heels. Barker’s No. 15 jersey was last worn by Olivia Smith in 2019-20.
A pair of freshmen will add to the Tar Heels’ frontcourt presence: RyLee Grays (Pearland, TX) and five-star Ciera Toomey (Dunmore, PA), the highest-rated UNC signee in the class. Toomey will don No. 21 for the Tar Heels, which was last worn by senior Malu Tshitenge last season. Grays will wear No. 22, last worn by Shayla Bennett in 2019-20.
Incoming transfers Maria Gakdeng (Boston College), Indya Nivar (Stanford) and Lexi Donarski (Iowa State) also chose their jersey numbers. Gakdeng will wear No. 5, last worn by Stephanie Watts during the 2020-21 season. Nivar chose No. 24, last worn by Morasha Wiggins during the 2021-22 season. Donarski will don No. 20, which was previously worn by Destiny Adams last season. Adams has since transferred to Rutgers.
As for returning players, everyone will keep the same jersey number from last season, with the exception of redshirt sophomore guard Kayla McPherson. McPherson will switch from No. 14 to No. 11.
Check out the entire roster for the 2023-24 season here.
Featured image via UNC Women’s Basketball on Twitter
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