UNC Sophomore Guard Lanie Grant to Enter Transfer Portal

Sophomore guard Lanie Grant, who helped lead UNC to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2025 and 2026, will enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens Monday, April 6. Grant made the announcement on social media Wednesday evening.

Originally from Midlothian, VA, Grant joined the Tar Heels ahead of the 2024-25 season after reclassifying up a year in her recruitment, essentially skipping a year of high school. She appeared in all 37 of UNC’s games that year, starting two and averaging 7.3 points per game. She was named to the ACC’s All-Freshman team.

Grant assumed a much more prominent role as a sophomore, appearing in 34 of the Tar Heels’ 36 games and starting 29. Her minutes jumped from 21.7 per game as a freshman to 29.1 per game as a sophomore. Grant also saw noticeable leaps in both scoring and shooting: she averaged 10.8 points per game and upped her three-point percentage from 34.6 to 41.9. That efficiency helped UNC lead the ACC in three-point percentage.

Grant took on a larger scoring load in the Tar Heels’ hot streak to end the 2025-26 season. Between a Jan. 18 win at Florida State and UNC’s win against Maryland in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32 in Chapel Hill, Grant averaged 13.6 points per game. Her three-point percentage rose to a scorching 47.2, and Carolina went 14-2 in that 16-game span. She reached double figures 13 times in those 16 games, including a 20-point outing against the Terrapins. Grant was held in check in UNC’s season-ending loss to No. 1 UConn in the Sweet 16, scoring just three points in 28 minutes.

Grant is the first member of the 2025-26 Tar Heels to announce her intention to enter the portal. Her decision comes as UNC prepares to welcome five-star guard and Girls’ High School Player of the Year Kate Harpring to campus as part of its 2026 recruiting class. Guards Elina Aarnisalo and Reniya Kelly also have eligibility remaining, though Kelly missed much of the 2025-26 season with an injury.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications

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