The Kentucky women’s basketball team had its 2025-26 season ended with a 76-54 loss to Texas in the Sweet 16.
Kentucky finished the season with a 25-11 record, 8-8 in conference, and a Sweet 16 exit. This was five more wins, and one tournament round further, than the Wildcats had in the 2024-25 season.
Kentucky is losing five seniors to exhausted eligibility, and will have more roster spots open up as players enter the transfer portal.
It will be a busy offseason for the Wildcats and head coach Kenny Brooks, this article will be updated as the offseason unfolds.
Who Remains?
Immediately following the Wildcats 76-54 season-ending loss to Texas in the Sweet 16, Brooks laid out his vision for the roster heading into the 2026-27 season. At the center of this vision is Clara Strack, who Brooks directly confirmed will be returning.
“We have an All-American center coming back next year,” Brooks said.
Strack followed Brooks from Virginia Tech when he was hired on as the Wildcats head coach ahead of the 2024-25 season. The 6-foot-5 center had just two starts under her belt when she arrived in Lexington, she has started in all 67 of Kentucky’s games since.
The Wildcats star center built an impressive resume of program records and awards. Strack set the Wildcats single-season blocks record in both seasons at Kentucky, and has received numerous awards and honors.
In the 2025-26 season, Strack averaged 16.9 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game and 2.5 blocks per game.
Asia Boone – Senior Shooting Guard
Kentucky’s tried and true shooting guard, Asia Boone, is the second returner to confirm that she will be returning to the Wildcats for her senior season.
Boone came to Kentucky for the 2025-26 season from Liberty, and averaged 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game on 36.5% shooting for the Cats. The guard’s most impressive skill is her abilities from deep, where she finished this past season at No. 11 in the nation for her 96 total 3-pointers.
Boone also became the first Kentucky player since at least the 2002-03 season to make five 3-pointers in a true road game against an AP top-five opponent, doing so in Kentucky’s win against then-ranked No. 5 LSU.
With her announcement, Kentucky now has two key pieces of its starting lineup to help guide a new roster.
Who’s Gone?
Amelia Hassett – Exhausted Eligibility
In the two years since Brooks was hired on as head coach, no Kentucky player has spent more time on the court than Amelia Hassett.
Hassett totaled 2,194 minutes across 67 starts, starting every game over the past two seasons. In this time, Hassett averaged 9.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 1.7 assists per game.
Hassett holds the Kentucky single-season 3-pointers made record with 99.
Teonni Key – Exhausted Eligibility
Teonni Key was the first player to commit to Brooks after he was appointed as the Kentucky head coach.
In her time at Kentucky, Key started in all 59 games for which she was healthy. In these games, Key averaged 11.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG and 1.5 BPG.
Jordan Obi – Exhausted Eligibility
Although Jordan Obi committed to Kentucky ahead of the 2024-25 season, but a ruptured achilles before the season caused her to miss the entire season.
Obi made her Kentucky debut with a 15-point, 15-rebound, outing against Morehead State to open the 2025-26 season.
In her one season playing for Kentucky, Obi averaged 9 PPG and 6 RPG in 36 games.
Josie Gilvin – Exhausted Eligibility
Josie Gilvin transferred to Kentucky after a successful three-year career at WKU, giving up an established role to take a chance at Kentucky.
Gilvin spent her time at Kentucky as a rotational piece. She appeared in 23 games in which she recorded 28 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists.
Tonie Morgan – Exhausted Eligibility
Tonie Morgan transferred to Kentucky before the 2025-26 season, the heir apparent to the large hole at the point guard position left by Georgia Amoore.
Brooks made it clear that Morgan was not expected to fill Amoore’s shoes, instead she would bring her own, and that’s just what she did.
Morgan started in all 36 games for Kentucky this season, in which she led the team with 1,242 minutes played. She averaged 13.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 7.9 APG.
Morgan set the single-season program assist record with 286 assists. As a result, she was named as a top five finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watchlist, an award honoring the top point guard in the sport.
Lexi Blue – Transfer Portal
Lexi Blue was the first Kentucky player to enter the transfer portal, with the 6-foot-2 guard announcing her entry on March 31.
Blue spent the first two years of her college career at Kentucky. She appeared in 51 games, averaging 10.1 minutes per game, 1.9 PPG and 1.2 RPG.
Elsa Vadfors – Transfer Portal
Elsa Vadfors announced her intention to enter the transfer portal on April 3. This decision came after she redshirted in her one season at Kentucky.
Vadfors is a 6-foot-5 center from Hudiksvall, Sweden.
Kaelyn “KK” Carroll – Transfer Portal
Kaelyn Carroll announced that she would enter the transfer portal on April 10.
The 6-foot-3 freshman had a consistent role of the bench in the 2025-26 season. She averaged 3.4 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 11.9 MPG.
Who’s New?
Maddyn Greenway – Freshman – four-star – ESPN Top-100 No. 13
Maddyn Greenway was the first member of Brooks’ 2026 recruiting class, the 5-foot-8 guard committed to Kentucky back on Nov. 16, 2024. Greenway chose Kentucky over UCLA, Iowa, Stanford, Clemson and Duke.
As a staple of Providence Academy’s lineup since her seventh-grade season, Greenway played a key role in five straight state championships. Greenway finished her high school career as Minnesota’s all-time leading scorer (boys or girls) with 5,621 points.
In her senior season, Greenway averaged 36.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 9.4 APG and 6.1 SPG. This performance earned Greenway a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team and a nod as Minnesota’s Gatorade Player of the Year.
Savvy Swords – Freshman – four-star – ESPN Top-100 No. 19
Savvy Swords is a 6-foot-1 wing, she excels from 3-point range and plays tough perimeter defense. Swords committed to Kentucky over Michigan, Notre Dame, South Carolina and UCLA.
Her older sister, Syla Swords, played a key role in Michigan’s 2025-26 Elite 8 run. Savvy Swords opted to head to Kentucky rather than re-uniting with her sister at Michigan.
Savvy Swords will make a great fit in the role previously filled by Amelia Hassett. Like Hassett, she plays tenacious perimeter defense while stretching the floor on offense with her 3-point shooting.
Savvy Swords has had a successful high school career, but her success exceeds just high school play. She was the team captain on Team Canada’s U16 and U17 teams, leading the U17 team to a silver finish in the 2024 World Cup.
Savvy Swords also participated in the Nike Girls’ EYBL circuit, finishing as a top-10 scorer and rebounder amongst top-level talent.
Savvy Swords earned herself a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team.
Emily McDonald – Freshman – four-star – ESPN Top-100 No. 23
Emily McDonald was the third and final piece of the Wildcats sixth-ranked 2026 recruiting class. The 6-foot guard joined the Wildcats alongside her Long Island Lutheran teammate, Savvy Swords.
McDonald is more of a combo guard than a traditional point guard. She has the ball-handling and playmaking abilities to facilitate an offense, while also possessing shot-creating abilities that make her a scoring threat both off the dribble and as a spot-up shooter.
She has the height of a traditional shooting guard, but her skill set is more similar to a dynamic scoring-first point guard.
McDonald chose Kentucky over North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana and Maryland.
In terms of Kentucky guards, she plays more like Amoore than Morgan. But, McDonald has height that we haven’t seen from a guard in the Brooks era.
McDonald was named as a McDonald’s All-American. She won the Sprite JamFest Girls 3-point Shootout with 23. McDonald then faced the winner of the boys’ contest, Jason Crowe Jr., and beat him with 18.
Ayanna Patterson – Junior – UConn Transfer
Ayanna Patterson, a 6-foot-2 forward, has announced her commitment to Kentucky after four seasons at UConn.
She was the No. 4 ranked player in the 2022 SportsCenter NEXT 100. She appeared in 30 games in her freshman season in 2022-23, before missing her second and third seasons with various injuries.
After 961 days, Patterson made her return to basketball early in the 2025-26 season. She ended up appearing in 30 games before announcing her entry into the transfer portal.
Patterson has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Diana Collins – Senior – Alabama Transfer
Diana Collins, a 5-foot-9 guard, is the second transfer to commit to Kentucky for the 2026-27 season.
Collins started her collegiate career with Ohio State before transferring to Alabama for two seasons. She finished this past season averaging 8.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game on 45.8% shooting.
The guard started in all 35 games for the Tide during the 2025-26 season, and will bring some needed experience to the Kentucky backcourt.
Collins has one season of eligibility remaining.
Me’Arah O’Neal – Junior – Florida Transfer
Me’Arah O’Neal, a 6-foot-4 forward, is the third player that head coach Kenny Brooks has landed out of the portal.
The forward spent her previous two seasons with Florida, and averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game over 33 starts last season.
The daughter of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal is going to be a key post player for Kentucky, where she will play in tandem with star center Clara Strack.
O’Neal has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Offseason Timeline
Monday, April 27 – Me’Arah O’Neal commits to Kentucky
O’Neal commits to Kentucky as the Wildcats’ third transfer portal grab. Coming from Florida, the forward averaged 13.6 PPG and 6.4 RPG.
Wednesday, April 22 – Asia Boone confirms return to Kentucky
One of two returning components to Kentucky’s previous starting lineup confirms that she will be at Kentucky for the 2026-27 season.
Monday, April 20 – Josie Gilvin announces transfer portal entry
The senior doesn’t currently have any remaining eligibility, but will be entering the portal awaiting a decision on the new NCAA “five five” eligibility model.
*On April 27, the NCAA announced that the new model would not apply to those graduating in the 2025-26 season
Friday, April 17 – Clara Strack officially confirms return
Despite early comments from Kenny Brooks about Strack returning, the superstar center herself confirms that she will be with Kentucky for her senior season.
Tuesday, April 14 – Diana Collins commits to Kentucky
Kentucky lands its second portal commitment in Collins. The junior guard comes from Alabama, and averaged 8.4 PPG and 1 SPG.
Sunday, April 12 – Ayanna Patterson commits to Kentucky
After losing five players seniors to exhausted eligibility, and three players to the transfer portal, Kentucky has finally began to fill the holes. Patterson is the first member of the 2026 transfer class.
Friday, April 10 – Kaelyn Carroll announces transfer portal entry
The third member of Kentucky’s 2025-26 roster to enter the transfer portal. Between portal losses and senior losses, Kentucky has now lost eight players.
*Carroll has now committed to Washington
Thursday, April 3 – Elsa Vadfors announces transfer portal entry
Elsa Vadfors was the second Kentucky player to enter the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5 Swedish center was redshirted in her one season at Kentucky.
Tuesday, March 31 – Lexi Blue announces transfer portal entry
Lexi Blue announced her plan to enter the transfer portal, becoming the first Wildcat to do so this offseason. Blue spent two seasons at Kentucky, averaging 10.1 MPG in 51 games played.
*Blue has now committed to Northwestern
Saturday, March 28 – Kenny Brooks confirms Clara Strack will return to Kentucky for her senior season
In the postgame press conference following the Cats season-ending loss to Texas, Brooks said that Strack would remain in Lexington for her senior season.
