Editor’s Note: This article was first published April 6 and will be updated throughout the women’s basketball offseason.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this tracker described Kymora Johnson and Olivia McGhee's decisions to return to Virginia as "recommitments," and stated that Johnson "declared her intent to transfer" when she entered the transfer portal April 6. An earlier version also used the term "departure" to describe players entering the transfer portal. Entering the transfer portal does not necessarily constitute a decommitment, a declaration of intent to transfer or a departure from a program. Players who enter the portal are made available to be contacted by other schools but are not automatically removed from their original team's roster. Whether they return depends on decisions by both the player and the program. The tracker has been updated to reflect these changes.
Since Virginia women’s basketball decided to part ways with Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, the program finds itself in a state of flux ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Cavaliers’ recent Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament is now giving way to a program reboot. Under new head coach Aaron Roussell, the program is looking to secure top talent and establish a shared vision, even as his staff remains incomplete.
This tracker will follow all portal pickups, departures and other offseason moves under new program leadership.
May 17: Eris Lester — commitment
Rising sophomore guard Eris Lester announced on her personal Instagram account that she has committed to Virginia.
The 5-foot-11 guard transfer from Jacksonville, Fla., spent two seasons at Alabama, medically redshirting the 2025-26 season due to injury. Lester played in five games her sophomore year. In her freshman season, the four-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American nominee appeared in 30 games, recording 9.9 minutes and 2.8 points per game including four double-digit games.
In Lester’s junior season at Orange Park High School, she averaged 20.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game and was named FABC Class 5A Player of the Year. Lester played her senior season at Montverde Academy.
Known for her pesky on-ball defense and athletic shotmaking promise, Lester has tremendous upside for a Virginia culture emphasizing player development and multidimensionality. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
May 11: Janaé Walker — commitment
Coach Roussell has announced the signing of Rutgers junior forward Janaé Walker to the 2026-27 lineup.
The 6-foot-3 transfer spent two years at Rutgers and her freshman year at Kentucky. Walker has appeared in 84 games over the course of her collegiate career. In the 2025-26 season, Walker averaged 17 minutes on 2.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The transfer out of Tyrone, Ga., steered Sandy Creek High School to a GHSA Region 5 Championship with strong production on both ends of the floor in her senior season. She averaged 20.3 points, 14.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks, finishing second in the state in scoring and recording 17 consecutive double-doubles.
“Janaé is an incredibly important addition to our team,” Roussell said in a press release. “She brings great size as a fierce defender and rebounder.” — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
May 5: Raiane Dias Dos Santos — departure
Stony Brook women’s basketball has signed junior guard Raiane Dias Dos Santos. Dos Santos played one season with the Cavaliers, where she appeared in 13 games and averaged 2.3 points per game.
Prior to Virginia, the 5-foot-9 guard spent a season with Florida State and represented Brazil in the 2021 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
In her final season of collegiate basketball, expect Dos Santos to bear extended minutes, providing the Seawolves with a spark on the perimeter as they contend in the CAA. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
May 2: Sa’Myah Smith — departure
After entering the portal April 4, redshirt junior forward Sa’Myah Smith announced via her personal Instagram account that she will make her return to the SEC, committing to Oklahoma.
Smith averaged eight points and seven rebounds in 2025-26 — her first and only season with the Cavaliers.
The 6-foot-2 forward spent her three previous seasons with LSU. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 29: Emilie Brzonova — commitment
Incoming freshman guard Emilie Brzonova marks the fifth newcomer joining Aaron Roussell’s 2026-27 roster.
The freshman guard out of the Czech Republic will compete with the Cavaliers after two seasons in the Italian Serie A2, playing for the Faenza Basket Project in 2025-26.
Brzonova also competed in the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket, averaging 13.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. She shot 48 percent from beyond the arc in the tournament. Most recently for FIBA, Brzonova played in the 2025 U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
In a press release, Roussell cited Brzonova’s “immediate scoring impact” and “competitive fire” as an X-factor for the program’s toughness and high-level competition. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 28: Lyla Coogen — commitment
Class of 2026 prospect forward Lyla Coogen has signed with the Cavaliers. Initially committed to Richmond, Coogen chose to follow Roussell to Virginia.
Prior to her senior season at St. James Performance Academy in Springfield, Va., Coogen earned second-team All-State and WCAC honorable mention honors at St. John’s College High School in Arlington, Va.
Coogen also represented Team Durant in the Nike EYBL in AAU play. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 27: Adeang Ring — returner
After On3 announced her portal entry April 16, sophomore forward Adeang Ring disclosed that she will withdraw from the portal and return to Virginia, according to a personal Instagram post.
A defining piece of Virginia’s frontcourt at 6-foot-5, Ring averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in the 2025-26 season. The sophomore transferred from UCF after one season.
Roussell’s program retains yet another player from last year’s roster as the 2026-27 lineup continues to take shape. Ring is a highly capable shotmaker from beyond the arc with a strong skillset in the post. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 26: Caterina Piatti — commitment
Roussell announced that Virginia women’s basketball has signed Florida transfer and freshman forward Caterina Piatti.
In the 6-foot-4 forward’s single season in the SEC, Piatti averaged nearly 20 minutes per game on 4.5 points and 2.9 rebounds and started all 33 games. Piatti scored double figures in four games and recorded one double-double against Florida Atlantic Nov. 24.
Piatti also has a significant background abroad, as a native of Scandiano, Italy. She has competed in the last three FIBA Women’s EuroBasket U18 and U20 youth national teams, contributing to Italy's bronze medal in 2025. Providing depth, size and precision around the rim, Piatti is following new associate head coach Kelly Rae Finley to the Cavaliers.
“Cat is a fantastic fit for us,” Roussell said. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 20: Mary-Anna Asare — commitment
VCU’s leading scorer, Mary-Anna Asare, announced via her personal Instagram account that she has committed to Virginia. The senior guard, originally from Pickering, Ontario, is widely regarded for her elite shotmaking and sharpshooting.
The 5-foot-8 guard has already recorded over 1,000 points in her collegiate career, despite only appearing in seven games last season after suffering a knee injury. In those seven matchups, she averaged 17.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Asare also earned All-Atlantic 10 Preseason First Team honors ahead of the 2025-26 season and scored a career high of 37 points Jan. 2, 2025, against Duquesne — the second most points in a game in VCU women’s basketball history.
Asare’s experience extends beyond the collegiate level, representing Team Canada in the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2023 and the FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championship in 2022.
Now, Asare will take her breadth of experience to Virginia for her final collegiate season. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 19: Breona Hurd — returner
Sophomore forward Breona Hurd announced on her personal Instagram account that she will return to Virginia for the 2026-27 season.
The versatile 6-foot-2 forward averaged 3.6 points per game as a sophomore and 9.4 points per game in her freshman season with the Cavaliers. Hurd appeared in 23 games while facing a midseason injury in the 2025-26 season.
Hurd has two years of eligibility remaining. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 17: Kymora Johnson — returner
Superstar junior guard Kymora Johnson announced via her personal X account that she will return to Virginia for her final collegiate season. Johnson will withdraw her name from the portal after declaring her intent to transfer April 6, per On3.
In the 2025-26 season, Johnson recorded a career year with 19.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game, leading the Cavaliers to the Sweet 16 — among numerous other accolades.
Johnson’s decision to stay home in Charlottesville, under new head coach Aaron Roussell, is nothing short of monumental for Virginia’s upcoming season and the program’s direction. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 16: Adeang Ring — portal entry
Sources informed On3 that sophomore forward Adeang Ring has entered the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-5 sophomore appeared in 29 games in the 2025-26 season, averaging 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game at Virginia. Ring played her freshman season at UCF before transferring to the Cavaliers.
For a team searching for tremendous height and a shooting weapon on the wing, Ring can be a superb fit. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 15: Olivia McGhee — returner
Junior guard Olivia McGhee announced via her personal Instagram that she is staying at Virginia after a short-lived stop in the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-2 guard played in only four games in the 2025-26 season before ultimately being sidelined due to an ankle injury. In the announcement, McGhee expressed a desire to “finish what [she] started.” She credited the relationships formed and the program's direction as reasons for staying put. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 14: Erica Gribble — commitment
According to her personal X account, 5-foot-11 guard Erica Gribble has committed to Virginia.
Coming from Greensburg Central Catholic High School in Greensburg, Pa., the four-star recruit is a first-team all-state athlete in Pennsylvania and is ranked No. 82 on SportsCenter’s Next 100 list among the class of 2026. She originally committed to Richmond before decommitting and joining Virginia women’s basketball following a wave of transfer portal departures.
In her announcement, Gribble expressed that she was “filled with gratitude,” signaling both humility and excitement as she begins her collegiate career with the Cavaliers. The commitment occurred after the hiring of Virginia’s new head coach, Aaron Roussell — Gribble will follow the coach she had originally committed to at Richmond after his arrival in Charlottesville. — Jordan Zimm, Staff Writer
April 13: Gabby White — departure
The lone freshman in the Cavaliers’ 2025-26 squad announced her commitment to North Carolina via her personal Instagram account.
The 5-foot-10 guard returns home to Chapel Hill, N.C., to reunite with her mother, Joanne Aluka-White, who is an associate head coach for the Tar Heels.
A four-star class of 2025 recruit out of Seaforth High School, White averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game in her first collegiate season at Virginia. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 6: Breona Hurd — portal entry
Per On3, 6-foot-2 sophomore forward Breona Hurd is entering the portal.
The four-star prospect averaged 3.6 points per game in her second season at Virginia, appearing in 23 games. Hurd was sidelined for over a month with a midseason injury.
In her freshman season, she averaged 9.4 points and five rebounds per game, notable for her scoring versatility and high-volume rebounding. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 6: Gabby White — portal entry
Virginia’s top freshman from 2025-26 is entering the portal, per On3.
In her first collegiate season, White saw action in 33 of a possible 34 games. She averaged 6.2 points per game, but contributed in all facets of play. White tied for third among Virginia’s total assist leaders and also ranked fourth in offensive rebounds. She accomplished these feats by playing an average of just 15 minutes per game.
With a diverse skill set and a 2025 McDonald's All-American nomination out of high school, White could become a valued portal target for several high-major programs. — Xander Tilock, Senior Writer
April 6: Kymora Johnson — portal entry
The Charlottesville native and superstar All-American honorable mention junior guard Kymora Johnson is entering the transfer portal, per On3.
The two-time First Team All-ACC guard led the Cavaliers in scoring and assists in the 2025-26 season with 19.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game, playing all 34 games.
The five-star recruit has proven the ultimate X-factor for Virginia women’s basketball — both in talent and stardom. Johnson spearheaded the program back to the limelight in the Cavaliers’ historic postseason run this March. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 4: Sa’Myah Smith — portal entry
Junior forward Sa’Myah Smith is entering the portal, as announced April 4.
A versatile 6-foot-2 forward, Smith appeared in 22 games while averaging eight points and seven rebounds in 2025-26. She faced a year of notable adversity, beginning her journey as a Cavalier in recovery from knee surgery and bearing the loss of two family members throughout the season.
Smith spent the first three years of her collegiate career at LSU before transferring to Virginia in 2025-26.
Smith cited the coaching change and uncertainty behind her decision in an Instagram post on her personal account. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
April 3: Olivia McGhee — portal entry
Junior guard Olivia McGhee shared plans to enter the transfer portal April 3 via a post on her personal Instagram account.
McGhee, a 6-foot-2 guard, appeared in four games in the 2025-26 season, missing most of the season due to an ankle injury.
The four-star recruit and McDonald’s All-America nominee averaged 7.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and appeared in 31 games in her sophomore season. She is the first player to hit the portal. — Sofie Keppler, Senior Associate
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