Kentucky women’s basketball ended its 2024-25 season with a heartbreaking overtime loss to Kansas State in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

The result ended the first year of the Kenny Brooks’ era in Lexington, an era that saw the program get far closer to the top of the sport than it had been in years, hosting an NCAA Tournament site and racking up accolades and awards.

As Brooks looks to transition into his second year of Wildcat coaching, the offseason, especially in the modern day, is a tumultuous time with the transfer portal and recruiting.

Because of this, the Kentucky Kernel sought to put everything together in one spot to help paint a far more cohesive picture.

Who is back?

Jordan Obi: Graduate Student

Jordan Obi committed to Kentucky on May 2, 2024, and was an expected starter for Brooks during his first season. However, Obi suffered a lower leg injury during a summer workout and was sidelined indefinitely for the 2024–25 season. Obi has been granted eligibility for her final season with the NCAA’s updated injury insurance rules. 

Obi was a four-year standout at Penn, and, in 83 games, she averaged 13.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 BPG and 0.9 SPG, surpassing 1,000 career points in just 74 games, becoming the seventh fastest to do so in program history.

Her senior season in 2023–24 was her best yet, earning First Team All-Ivy honors with 14.7 PPG and 7.7 RPG per game, shooting 43.3% from the field and 38.6% from three. Obi brings experience, leadership and a proven skill set to Kentucky’s frontcourt.

Dominika Paurová: Redshirt Sophomore

Dominika Paurová transferred to Kentucky from Oregon State with expectations of becoming a key starter. However, she was sidelined indefinitely after tearing her ACL during international play with the Czech Republic U20 team. She will return fully healthy for the 2025-26 season. 

As a freshman at Oregon State, Paurová played in every game and helped lead the Beavers to the Elite Eight, earning PAC-12 All-Freshman honorable mention. The 6-foot-1 guard has been a member of the Czech national program since 2018, her most notable season on the U18 team in 2022, where she was considered an MVP candidate at the FIBA European Championship.

Teonni Key: Senior

Starting all 31 games of the season, Teonni Key became, well, the “key” to Kentucky’s success. A former top-10 recruit in the ESPNW Class of 2021 and a McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American, found her game in the 2024–25 season, overcoming early career injuries while playing at North Carolina. 

The 6-foot-4 forward broke out with 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in a win over No. 18 Louisville, then scored double figures in nine of the next 10 games. She posted a career-high 20 points versus Texas A&M and 13 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the season-ending loss to Kansas State.

This season, she averaged 11.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.5 APG and shot 50.4% from the field. She recorded 11 double-doubles, including two straight stretches of three, and reset her career-highs across nearly every major statistical category. Her breakout performance came against Wofford on Nov. 12, where she posted her first-ever double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Clara Strack: Junior

Clara Strack emerged as one of the most dominant and versatile players in college basketball during the 2024–25 season. The sophomore center was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, earned spots on the All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Defensive Team, and was a Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Top 10 Finalist. She averaged 15.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.6 APG and 2.4 BPG while shooting 48.8% from the field and hitting 17 3-pointers.

Strack recorded 15 double-doubles, scored in double figures in 25 of 30 games, and had eight 20+ point performances. She set Kentucky’s single-season (73) and single-game (8) block records and is the only NCAA Division-I player this season to record  25 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, eight blocks, five steals and three made threes in separate games. 

Among her standout performances was a flawless outing against No. 11 Tennessee, where she tallied 23 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and two assists on 11-of-11 shooting.

Strack earned Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honors after her performance in the Music City Classic, averaging 24.5 PPG, 12.5 RPG and 3 APG across wins over Arizona State and No. 19 Illinois.

Amelia Hassett: Senior

Amelia Hassett, a 6-foot-3 guard from Australia, brings size, experience and versatility to Kentucky. Hassett started in all 31 games, and averaged 8.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.9 APG and shot 40.3% from the field, recording three double-doubles. Hassett surpassed 1,000 career points in a game against Queens on Dec. 9.

She finished her JUCO career at Eastern Florida as its all-time leading rebounder and second in scoring. A 2023-24 NJCAA Division-I All-America Third Team selection, she also set single-season school records for points (609), rebounds (407), blocks (87) and double-doubles (21), helping lead her team to a 27-5 record and an undefeated conference season.

Lexi Blue: Sophomore

During her freshman season at Kentucky, Lexi Blue appeared in 23 games, averaging 1.6 PPG, 1.4 RPG and 0.3 APG while shooting 31.7% from the field. Though her role was limited, she gained valuable experience and remains a promising piece for the program’s future.

The 6-foot-2 guard from Orlando, Florida, entered Kentucky as the program’s highest-ranked freshman since 2020. She came off a stellar high school career at Lake Highland Prep, where she led her team to five straight state championships.

Gabby Brooks: Junior

After a redshirt season at Virginia Tech, Gabby Brooks followed her dad to Lexington and played for his Kentucky team, playing four games this season.

Who’s gone?

Georgia Amoore: Exhausted eligibility

After five record-breaking seasons, Georgia Amoore’s college career has come to an end.

During her four years at Virginia Tech, she became the program’s all-time assists leader (656), recorded the first triple-double in school history, led the Hokies to their first ACC Tournament title and Final Four appearance and was named First-Team All-ACC twice.

The former Hokie star transferred to Kentucky for her final season to reunite with Coach Kenny Brooks. In Lexington, she averaged 19.6 points and 6.9 assists per game, earned multiple All-America honors and led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022. She tied Kentucky’s single-game scoring record with 43 points, brought new energy to the fan base, and helped reestablish the program on the national stage.

Amoore was named to the WBCA Coaches’ and John R. Wooden All-America Teams, earned AP All-America Second Team honors, and was recognized as ESPN’s Transfer of the Year. She was also a Naismith Trophy Semifinalist, SEC Newcomer of the Year, First Team All-SEC selection, and a top-five finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award.

Now a projected top-10 pick in the WNBA draft, the Australian native leaves behind a legacy defined by leadership, resilience, and record-breaking excellence.

Dazia Lawrence: Exhausted eligibility

Clara Silva: outgoing trasnfer, Committed to TCU

Kenny Brooks has officially lost his first player in the ever-growing NCAA transfer portal as international sensation Clara Silva entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag as first reported by On3’s Talia Goodman.

The freshman from Portugal became only the second player in program history to reach the height of 6-feet, 7-inches, and one of only 15 players in the NCAA to stand at that height or above.

Silva, like many, was initially committed to Virginia Tech but chose to follow Kenny Brooks to Kentucky after being announced as the program’s new head coach.

In her lone season at Kentucky, Silva started her first two games with 11 blocks, which tied the second-most BPG in the nation. Following this performance, she was quickly named SEC Freshman of the Week (Nov. 12, 2024).

Silva played in 30 games this season and averaged 4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.1 BPG and 1 TO. She shot 56.5% from the field and averaged 1.6 offensive and defensive rebounds per game.

Silva committed to TCU, following former Cat Maddie Scherr.

Saniah Tyler: Outgoing transfer, Committed to Missouri

Of the Wildcats who played for Kentucky before Brooks’ arrival, only Saniah Tyler and Cassidy Rowe remained following a disastrous 2023-24 season under Kyra Elzy. While Rowe is expected to continue with the team, Tyler entered her name into the transfer portal.

The 5-foot-6 guard from Missouri was an ESPN four-star prospect and ranked the 22nd-best point guard in the 2022 class. She chose Kentucky over Arizona State and Tennessee.

In her first season with the Cats, she played only nine games for only six points, but the following season, she would take a more significant role for the team. In year two, she played 32 games and took 13 starts, averaging 10.2 ppg (second most on the team) and 1.8 rpg, with 19 assists and 21 steals.

This season, she sat behind future first-round draft pick Georgia Amoore on the court and only played in 26 games. Her average dropped to 2.3 ppg and 1.3 rpg, with ten assists and nine steals.

Tanah Becker: Outgoing transfer,

Phoenix Stevens of KSR first reported that Tanah Becker would be the third Cat to enter the transfer portal on the first day of its opening.

While Becker did not play a significant role in the team this season, she showed great potential coming to Kentucky with her experience at the international level.

She made Canada’s U16 national team and competed in highly touted events such as the WNBA Basketball Without Borders Camp, Nike TOC and the BioSteel All-Canadian Game (2023, 2024).

Becker verbally committed to UK under the previous head coach, Kyra Elzy, and remained committed to the program when Kentucky hired Kenny Brooks.

She only saw the court four times this season, playing 16 minutes and scoring seven points, one rebound and one steal.

Cassidy Rowe: Dismissed from team

In an emotional Instagram post, the junior guard announced that she would not return for her final year of eligibility and instead would pursue her other dream of becoming a physical therapist through the University of Kentucky’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

The Virgie native committed to Kentucky at 14 years old, and was one of only two Wildcats who remained on the roster following the departure of former Head Coach Kyra Elzy. 

Rowe overcame two ACL tears and multiple setbacks to fulfill her dream of playing in blue and white, and when she found herself on the court, she led by example with the pure determination and motivation she had. She became a part of the revival of Kentucky women’s basketball. 

In a time where transfers dominate the sport, Rowe’s story stands out as one of unwavering devotion to her team, her state, and her dream.

It was later reported that Rowe was told she would no longer have a spot on the roster for her senior season.

Who’s new?

Kaelyn Carroll: Freshman commit

As a five-star, the 6-foot-2 forward from Massachusetts and the No. 15 player in ESPN’s Top 100 became the Wildcats’ first recruit from the 2025 class, choosing the Wildcats over top programs like Ohio State and North Carolina. Carroll is the highest-ranked UK commit since Treasure Hunt in 2020 and was recently named to the McDonald’s All-American Game East team.

She was named to ESPNW’s “Top 12 Prospects Regardless of Class” list and the Naismith High School Player of the Year Watchlist. 

Known for her versatility, Carroll averaged 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds this season and brings elite size and shooting ability, drawing comparisons to Teonni Key and South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts.

Josie Gilvin, Incoming transfer, Western Kentucky

Junior guard Josie Gilvin has announced her commitment to Kentucky, securing Kenny Brooks’ first transfer of the 2025 cycle.

The 6-foot Louisville native spent the first three years of her career at WKU. Gilvin averaged 13.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.4 APG and 2.6 SPG for the Hilltoppers last season. She shot 53.2% from the field on 9.7 attempts per game, and 41.3% from three on 3.8 attempts per game.

Gilvin’s junior campaign earned her a spot on the 2024-25 All-CUSA Second Team and CUSA All-Defensive Team,

Gilvin really turned it up in the back half of the season. In the last nine games, she averaged 18.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.4 APG and 2.7 SPG while shooting 57.4% from the field on 12.8 attempts per game and 46.5% from three on 4.8 attempts, including a double-double in both of WKU’s games in the Conference-USA Tournament.

Gilvin had a season-high 31 points with seven steals in the last regular-season game against the eventual Kentucky NCAA Tournament opponent, Liberty. She shot 13-19 (68.4%) from the field and 5-9(55.6%) from three in this game.

Asia Boone: Incoming transfer, Liberty

Kenny Brooks earned his second commitment of the transfer portal in the form of a star the Cats beat in the NCAA Tournament: Liberty’s Asia Boone.

As a sophomore, she averaged 10.2 PPG and 3.1 RPG, shooting 36.9% from the three, starting all 33 games during the 2024-25 season. 

Boone had a standout freshman season in 2023-24, earning C-USA Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-CUSA and CUSA All-Tournament Team honors. She also made the CUSA All-Freshman Team and was a nine-time Freshman of the Week, the most in Liberty history.

Boone averaged 29.9 minutes per game, made 63 3-pointers (No. 2 all-time among Liberty freshmen) and had multiple clutch performances, including a career-high 25 points versus UTEP and a 20-point showing in the C-USA semifinals. Academically, she was named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Boone started for the Lady Flames in the First Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but unfortunately suffered an early injury against Kentucky and only played five minutes. Boone could be a strong rotational piece with room to grow under Brooks’ system.

Who’s being targeted?

Tonie Morgan: Georgia Tech

Who chose elsewhere?

Cotie McMahon: Ohio State, committed to Ole Miss

Averaging 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 1.2 SPG this season, the 6-foot junior forward is ranked No. 3 in On3’s top prospect transfer portal rankings.

A two-time AP All-American Honorable Mention, McMahon enters as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining. As a freshman, she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.

She also tied the program record by being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week six times. In addition to her All-American recognition, this season McMahon was a top-10 finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award and made the Wooden Award’s midseason top 25 list.

McMahon committed to Ole Miss.