After last season’s loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the UK women’s basketball team will look to make the Final Four for the first time in program history. The team has some new faces this year. Here’s the group who will look to make history:

Ogechi Anyagaligbo is a junior from Miami, Florida. She is a 6’1 dominating forward. She began her freshman year at Stony Brook University in New York, before eventually traveling down to the Bluegrass. At Stony Brook she was America East Conference Rookie of the Year. Last season, Anyagaligbo sat out due to NCAA transfer rules, however she is a talented athlete with strong rebounding skills. She shoots left handed and is also majoring in Biology.

Makenzie Cann is a senior from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. She is a 6’1 guard with amazing shooting skills. She transferred to UK, but could not participate in the 2015-16 season due to NCAA transfer rules. As a junior, Cann played in 32 of the 33 games, with four starts. She finished second on the team with the most 3-pointers at 45. She is majoring in Integrated Strategic Communications with a minor in Animal Science.

LaShae Halsel is a 6-foot junior from Bowling Green, Kentucky. In high school, she was a five-year starter for Warren Central High School where she played 24 games as senior and averaged 9.1 points and 11 rebounds per game. She joined the team as a walk-on in the fall of 2016. Halsel played in seven games last season and recorded four rebounds with one block. She was also on the SEC Academic Honor Roll for 2017 and is majoring in Business.

Jessica Hardin is a redshirt senior guard from Monticello, Kentucky. She is 5’8 and walked on the team during the summer of 2016. As a freshman, she played at Bellarmine where she started 16 of 26 games and was third on the team in scoring. During the 2016-17 season at UK she played in 16 games and led the team in 3-point field-goal percentage going 12-of-33. She is majoring in Communication.

Dorie Harrison is a freshman from Nashville, Tennessee. She is a 6’3 center and was a four-year starter at Hillsboro High School. She led her team to a district championship her senior year and averaged 14 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Harrison was named a 2017 McDonald’s All-American nominee and ranked as 14th best post in the class according to ESPN. She will be a strong and physical presence in the post for the Cats. She is majoring in Pre-Marketing.

Keke McKinney is a 6’1 freshman forward from Knoxville, Tennessee. She led Fulton High School to a state tournament berth and averaged a double-double her senior year with over 16 points and 11 rebounds per game. McKinney was ranked as the 62nd best player in the nation and the 11th best wing according to ProspectsNation.com. She will use her athletic ability to add defense around the post or perimeter for the cats this season. She is majoring in Exploratory Studies in Arts and Sciences.

Maci Morris is a junior from Pineville, Kentucky. She is 6’0 with incredible mid-range game. As a freshman, she was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches and was second on the team in 3-pointers made. Her sophomore year, she started all 33 games and finished fourth on the team in scoring with 11.8 points per game. Morris ended her sophomore season as only the second UK player to hit 100 or more 3-pointers in their first two seasons on campus. She is majoring in Kinesiology.

Taylor Murray is a junior from Odenton, Maryland. She is 5’6 and an explosive guard. During her freshman year, she averaged 6.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. She led the team in steals with 56, which is the fourth-most in a UK freshman season. She also had 73 assists which was third most on the team. As a sophomore, Murray averaged 12.2 points per game and ranked second on the team in rebounding. She also tied for most assists with 118 and was the second best free throw shooter, making 101-of-120. She is majoring in Pre-Public Health.

Amanda Paschal is a junior from Brooklyn, New York. She played at Gulf Coast State College, where she helped her team to the 2016 National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship. The left handed shooter averaged 11.2 points per game as a freshman, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. She scored in the double-digits 20 times during the season including a season-best 19 points in three games. Paschal is a 5’7 guard that will be able to score for the team, as well as help her teammates do the same. She is majoring in Psychology.

Paige Poffenberger is a sophomore from Morgantown, West Virginia. She is a 5’8 guard who helped her high school to three straight AAA state titles and was named all-state third team and All- Ohio Valley Athletic Conference second team as a senior. As a freshman at UK, she played in 21 games, scoring a total of 19 points on the season with 15 rebounds and six steals. Poffenberger has defensive intensity and is a player who is willing to learn and get better every practice. She is majoring in Biology.

Alyssa Rice is a 6’3 senior from Reynoldsburg, Ohio. She has been a dominating center for the Cats since her freshman year. As a freshman, she played in all 34 games, starting 10 of those. Her sophomore year, she went 22-of-50 from the field and 18-for-32 from the free-throw line, and she led the team in blocks six times during the season. As a junior, she played in all 33 games and started 30 of those. Rice finished second on the team with 22 blocks and averaged 4.2 points per game. She is majoring in Finance with a minor in Communication.

Kameron Roach is a freshman from Hopkins, South Carolina. She helped the Lower Richland High School team to a 26-0 season in 2012-13 and regional and state championships. The 5’6 guard was named a 2017 McDonald’s All-American nominee and ranked as the 23rd best guard by ESPN. She is a force on both ends of court and will add depth to the court this season. She is a Kinesiology major. 

Jaida Roper is a 5’6 sophomore from Memphis, Tennessee. The guard played in 32 of the 33 games last season and started two of those games. She averaged 12.0 minutes per game, 2.6 points per game, and 1.2 assists per game with 12 steals. She led the team in assists three times during the season. Roper brings her quickness and athleticism to the Wildcat roster. She is majoring in Undergraduate Studies.

Tatyana Wyatt is a freshman from Columbus, Georgia. The 6’2 forward was a four-year starter at the Columbus High School where she led them to four straight 20-win seasons. She averaged 22.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. She hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift her team to the Class AAAA State Championship her senior year. Wyatt was named a 2017 McDonald’s All-America nominee and 12th best forward by ProspectNation.com. She is a Biology major.