After North Carolina’s tough Sweet 16 loss to archrival Duke, UNC now pivots to offseason mode.
With Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng, Lexi Donarski, and Grace Townsend out of eligibility, North Carolina loses a large portion of its scoring, rebounding, and experience. The Tar Heels need to reload in the transfer portal, bringing in several starter-quality pieces for next season.
An interesting development in UNC’s portal recruiting lies with Wisconsin center Carter McCray. Talia Goodman — national women’s college basketball and recruiting reporter at On3 — reported that North Carolina is among the 10 schools McCray is currently considering.
These are some of the programs Wisconsin transfer Carter McCray is considering, but she’s still open to new schools, she told @On3sports:
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) March 29, 2025
UNC, Louisville, Cal, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Utah, West Virginia, Arizonahttps://t.co/N61hXsQFpv pic.twitter.com/BfGrrZu1ie
The 6-foot-1 rising junior will be one of the most sought-after transfer targets this offseason. As a sophomore, McCray averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds, while shooting an efficient 57% from the field for the Badgers.
Clearly, McCray should be high on the Tar Heels’ list of offseason priorities. She fills a big need for North Carolina, providing the scoring, rebounding and low-post presence UNC is looking for. The standout center seems like a very natural replacement for Gakdeng at the 5 spot, and she would slot right into next season’s starting lineup.
Looking ahead to next season’s roster, in the backcourt, UNC projects to return starting point guard Reniya Kelly, starting shooting guard Indya Nivar, sixth-woman Lanie Grant, and role players Trayanna Crisp and Laila Hull. In the frontcourt, UNC projects to return 6-foot-4 forward Ciera Toomey and 6-foot-5 center Blanca Thomas.
As for their freshmen class, UNC brings in five-star forward Nyla Brooks, five-star forward Taliyah Henderson and four-star forward Taissa Queiroz, according to ESPN.
North Carolina has a solid core of players and talent to work around, but the Tar Heels will most likely make or break next season with their portal acquisitions. Wisconsin transfer McCray would be a potentially season-changing addition to UNC’s frontcourt. Hopefully, she’s Chapel Hill-bound. Stay tuned for any updates Tar Heel Nation.