WBB: General Summer Discussion

This is pretty much the crux of it, though: The rotation lost three guards, and in exchange we are getting a guard, a wing, and a big. None of Toby, Delaney, or Jadyn can really shoot, so we're not really moving a big into a wing spot to make way for Ari. Riley is 6'2" and not known as a great defender. I think Emily is probably a great replacement for Reigan (trading defense for hopefully a lot more on offense), but it still seems like we'll be a bit short-handed on the perimeter, particularly defensively.

I have no doubt that Coach Kara can make great adjustments. I have full confidence in her ability to make the pieces fit. I'm just surprised she didn't look for another 3-and-D type, and that makes me wonder what she has in mind. I'm looking forward to seeing what she does to make it work.
I think Toby and/or Delaney will develop an outside shot. Both have shown some inclination for it, although Delaney basically dropped trying threes and mid-range twos when she was switched to center. I can't see Jadyn ever shooting past five feet comfortably.

I'll admit that I know next to nothing about Riley's game, so don't know how she'll fit in. Most players don't leave high school with a defensive reputation (good or bad) as they're usually the stars of their team, and the emphasis is on offense. She has the height, hopefully that translates to being helpful on defense. Emma Koepel didn't arrive with a good defensive rep, but has developed well on that front (still too slow at times, but may know the sets better than anybody on the team.)
 
I don't think SMU's new coach (hired away from Arizona) has a single player coming back. Twelve in from the portal. Crazy times (but they also were turrible last year).
 
That'd be ok if we could make layups. ;)
FWIW, Duke was 6th in the ACC in "close two" shooting pct this season (per Torvik). Also, our shooting percentage on close twos (58.9%) was exactly the same as South Carolina's.

So, while it may not have been our biggest strength, it's not at all like we can't make layups.
 
FWIW, Duke was 6th in the ACC in "close two" shooting pct this season (per Torvik). Also, our shooting percentage on close twos (58.9%) was exactly the same as South Carolina's.

So, while it may not have been our biggest strength, it's not at all like we can't make layups.
That's not exactly a shining achievement. Top three would be worth touting, but I've never celebrated being out of the top 5.
Another way of saying that in my book is that we made only 58.9% of our shots in the lane. Bleah.
 
That's not exactly a shining achievement. Top three would be worth touting, but I've never celebrated being out of the top 5.
Another way of saying that in my book is that we made only 58.9% of our shots in the lane. Bleah.
You have to remember that the tallest member of Duke's women's team this season was 6'4", and the team had exactly zero dunks.

I know it's not exactly apples-to-apples (because defenders are taller too), but below are the aggregate percentage on close twos shot by Duke men's players who are 6'5" or under for the past four seasons (I'm counting Tyrese Proctor as 6'5 because he was listed at 6'5 for two seasons before being listed as 6'6 this past season). I'm even including dunks in these totals, though obviously if the players didn't dunk it, they would have missed even more than they did.

2025: 50.0% (152 attempts)
2024: 58.2% (330 attempts)
2023: 51.8% (222 attempts)
2022: 59.0% (366 attempts)

Looking at the above, maybe 58.9% isn't so "bleah," after all.



(also, being top 6 in an 18-team league is kind of the same as being top 5 in the 15-team league we had before)
 
FWIW, Duke was 6th in the ACC in "close two" shooting pct this season (per Torvik). Also, our shooting percentage on close twos (58.9%) was exactly the same as South Carolina's.

So, while it may not have been our biggest strength, it's not at all like we can't make layups.
Of course, a big difference between SC and us was SC got to the line more often and shot 76 percent while we shot 68 percent on less FTs…which is another part of being in close to the rim.
 
NC State WBB

OUT

Laci Steele (to Wisconsin)
Caitlin Weimar (to Virginia)
Lizzy Williamson (to Oregon State)

IN

(none)

NC State was one of three ACC teams that had brought in no players from the transfer portal this offseason. (Duke and Stanford are the others.)

That just changed in a big way, as the Wolfpack just announced the addition of 6-0 guard Qadence Samuels, the only player who transferred out of Connecticut.

 
Here is a list of all ACC activity in the 2025 transfer portal for women's basketball, both departures and arrivals. I've compiled this list with the help of On3, WBB Blog, team websites, and social media announcements from players and third-party sources. If you're going to "borrow" this list for another website, you can, but please link and credit this page on DBR.

April 7, 2025:
1,225 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

April 14, 2025:
1,373 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

April 21, 2025:
1,464 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

April 28, 2025:
1,522 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 5, 2025:
1,525 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 12, 2025:
1,527 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 19, 2025:
1,529 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 26, 2025:
1,529 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

June 2, 2025:
1,530 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

We're down to 4 eligible ACC players who are in the portal but have yet to decide upon their destinations.

Déborah Mukeba Kasanda, Boston College to ??
Natalia Ackerman, California to ??
Jordy Griggs, Clemson to ??
Dominique Camp, Syracuse to ??

Players with an asterisk (*) do not appear to have any remaining eligibility.



Boston College WBB

OUT

Andrea Daley*
Tatum Greene (to Florida State)
Kaylah Ivey (to Rutgers)
Déborah Mukeba Kasanda
Lili Krasovec (to Purdue Fort Wayne)
Kayla Lezama (to Hampton)
Nene Ndiaye (to Rutgers)
Savannah Samuel (to Georgia Tech)
Teya Sidberry (to Texas)
Jakayla Thompson (to Liberty)
T’yana Todd (to Ohio State)

IN

Kiera Edmonds (from Houston)
Erin Houpt (from San Diego State)
Kayla Rolph (from William & Mary)



California WBB

OUT

Natalia Ackerman
Zahra King (to SMU)
Claudia Langarita (withdrawn; back to California)
Kamryn Mafua (to Utah)
Marta Suárez (to TCU)

IN

Naya Ojukwu (from Morgan State)
Mjracle Sheppard (from LSU)
Sakima Walker (from South Carolina)



Clemson WBB

OUT

Jordy Griggs
Bella Ranallo (to Ohio)

IN

Rusne Augustinaite (from Georgia Tech)
Demeara Hinds (from Wake Forest)
Taylor Johnson-Matthews (from DePaul)
Morgan Lee (from Marist)
Hadley Periman (from Tulsa)
Rachael Rose (from Wofford)



Duke WBB

OUT

Louann Battiston (to Rice -- link)
Jenessa Cotton (to Kansas State -- link)
Vanessa de Jesus (to Notre Dame -- link)
Oluchi Okananwa (to Maryland -- link)

IN

(none)



Florida State WBB

OUT

Morelia Chavez (to Fresno State)
Raiane Dias Dos Santos (to Virginia)
Ta'Niya Latson (to South Carolina)
Brianna Turnage (to Georgia Tech)
Mariana Valenzuela (to Seton Hall)
Carla Viegas (to Pittsburgh)

IN

Tatum Greene (from Boston College)
Allie Kubek (from Maryland)
Emma Risch (from Notre Dame)
Jasmine Shavers (from Texas Tech)
Solè Williams (from Texas A&M)



Georgia Tech WBB

OUT

Rusne Augustinaite (to Clemson)
Dani Carnegie (to Georgia)
Kara Dunn (to USC)
Gabbie Grooms (to Georgia State)
Tonie Morgan (to Kentucky)
Ariadna Termis (withdrawn; back to Georgia Tech)
Tianna Thompson (to Ole Miss)
Chazadi Wright (to Iowa)

IN

Catherine Alben (from Charleston Southern)
Jada Crawshaw (from Long Beach State)
La'Nya Foster (from Austin Peay)
Erica Moon (from Texas A&M)
Savannah Samuel (from Boston College)
Brianna Turnage (from Florida State)
Talaya Walker (from Penn State)



Louisville WBB

OUT

Izela Arenas (to Kansas State)
Nyla Harris (to North Carolina/UNC)
Eseosa Imafidon (to Providence)

IN

Skylar Jones (from Arizona)
Reyna Scott (from Oklahoma)
Laura Ziegler (from Saint Joseph's)



Miami WBB

OUT

Daniela Abies (to St. John's)
Aurora Almón (to Syracuse)
Leah Harmon (to UCF)
Lemyah Hylton (to Texas A&M)

IN

Vittoria Blasigh (from South Florida)
Amarachi Kimpson (from UNLV)
Mya Kone (from Florida International)
Candace Kpetikou (from Washington State)
Ra Shaya Kyle (from Florida)
Jessica Peterson (from SMU)
Gal Raviv (from Quinnipiac)



NC State WBB

OUT

Laci Steele (to Wisconsin)
Caitlin Weimar (to Virginia)
Lizzy Williamson (to Oregon State)

IN

Qadence Samuels (from Connecticut)



North Carolina/UNC WBB

OUT

Trayanna Crisp (to Mississippi State)

IN

Elina Aarnisalo (from UCLA)
Nyla Harris (from Louisville)



Notre Dame WBB

OUT

Kate Koval (to LSU)
Olivia Miles (to TCU)
Emma Risch (to Florida State)
Kylee Watson (to Villanova)

IN

Malaya Cowles (from Wake Forest)
Vanessa de Jesus (from Duke)
Iyana Moore (from Vanderbilt)
Kelly Ratigan (from Loyola Maryland)
Gisela Sanchez (from Kansas State)



Pittsburgh WBB

OUT

Aaryn Battle (to Hampton)
Aislin Malcolm (to Robert Morris)
Marley Washenitz (to Arizona State)
Kiara Williams (to La Salle)

IN

Fatima Diakhaté (from Georgia)
Angel Jones (from Coppin State)
Carla Viegas (from Florida State)



SMU WBB

OUT

Ella Brow (to Baylor)
Kayanna Cox (to JUCO/McLennan CC)
Chantae Embry*
Sandra Magolico (to Hofstra)
Kylie Marshall (to James Madison)
Brianna McLeod (to James Madison)
Jessica Peterson (to Miami)
TK Pitts (to Houston)
Nya Robertson (to Tennessee)
Nicole Rodriguez (to Portland)

IN

Anaya Brown (from UT Martin)
Kyla Deck (from North Texas)
Grace Hall (from Penn State)
Elise Hill (from Tulsa)
Jzaniya Harriel (from Stanford)
Miriam Ibezim (from Oakland)
Sahnya Jah (from Arizona)
Zahra King (from California)
Paulina Paris (from Arizona)
Mailien Rolf (from Arizona)
Tyi Skinner (from Arizona State)
Ayanna Thompson (from Ole Miss)



Stanford WBB

OUT

Jzaniya Harriel (to SMU)
Tess Heal (to Kansas State)

IN

(none)



Syracuse WBB

OUT

Dominique Camp
Saniaa Wilson*
Georgia Woolley*

IN

Oyindamola Akinbolawa (from Auburn)
Aurora Almón (from Miami)
Dominique Darius (from USC)
Laila Phelia (from Texas)



Virginia WBB

OUT

Hawa Doumbouya (to VCU)
Payton Dunbar (to Providence)
RyLee Grays (to Tulsa)
Kamryn Kitchen (to Arizona)
Latasha Lattimore (to Ole Miss)
Edessa Noyan (to Indiana)
Casey Valenti-Paea (to Grand Canyon)

IN

Tabitha Amanze (from Princeton)
Danelle Arigbabu (from West Virginia)
Raiane Dias Dos Santos (from Florida State)
Romi Levy (from South Florida)
Adeang Ring (from UCF)
Sa’Myah Smith (from LSU)
Caitlin Weimar (from NC State)



Virginia Tech WBB

OUT

Myah Hazelton (to Rice)
Lani White (to Utah)
Ramiya White (to Kansas State)

IN

Melannie Daley (from Northwestern)
Kilah Freelon (from Texas Tech)
Sophie Swanson (from Purdue)



Wake Forest WBB

OUT

Alyssa Andrews*
Malaya Cowles (to Notre Dame)
Demeara Hinds (to Clemson)
Makaela Quimby (withdrawn; back to Wake Forest)
Rylie Theuerkauf (to Georgia)

IN

Mary Carter (from Cal Poly)
Grace Oliver (from Colorado)
Raven Preston (from Elon)


 
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Not really about Duke WBB or the WNBA -- despite the people involved -- so I'm putting this in the general WBB thread.

Grand Canyon WBB has hired former Duke player Celeste Taylor as an assistant coach for next season. She'll be working for head coach Winston Gandy, who was hired in March. Coach Gandy was a former Duke assistant before getting hired by South Carolina.

Grand Canyon went 32-3 last season, and their head coach was hired by Arizona State. The Antelopes play in the WAC but are moving to the Mountain West in 2026.


One of the best defenders in collegiate basketball of the 2020s and a WNBA No. 15 overall draft pick is joining the Grand Canyon staff.

Lopes head coach Winston Gandy announced Celeste Taylor as assistant coach for the 2025-26 season.

This hiring will reunite Gandy and Taylor in Phoenix after two seasons in Durham, where Gandy served head coach Kara Lawson's staff at Duke from 2020-21 to 2022-23. Taylor starred for the Blue Devils and earned multiple accolades, including ACC Defensive Player of the Year, All-ACC Defensive Team and All-ACC first team in 2023.


ESPN explains how this all fits with Taylor's WNBA career:


Taylor has been nursing a foot injury that she suffered while playing for the Sydney Flames in the WNBL, cutting short her season in Australia. She tried to work her way back to full health while with the Mercury for training camp, but she wasn't a full participant until the final preseason game and was ultimately waived in the final roster cuts before the regular season.

Taylor told ESPN she will spend the summer recovering from the injury and hopes to return to the WNBA in 2026.


Mitchell Northam added:

 
Not really about Duke WBB or the WNBA -- despite the people involved -- so I'm putting this in the general WBB thread.
I dunno. Reading all of that, including how her time at Duke ended unexpectedly in literal hours after his announcement raises a few red flags.
Might be nothing more than a healthy coach/player relationship, but let's just say that I feel more comfortable knowing that now as well as knowing that neither is still associated with Duke.
 
I dunno. Reading all of that, including how her time at Duke ended unexpectedly in literal hours after his announcement raises a few red flags.
Might be nothing more than a healthy coach/player relationship, but let's just say that I feel more comfortable knowing that now as well as knowing that neither is still associated with Duke.
Substitute the names "Jai Lukas" and "Shelton Henderson" and see if you also say "more comfortable knowing...that neither is still associated with Duke." Close to the same situation. Gandy left for a better position (not head coach, but assistant at national champion South Carolina) and Taylor, clearly close to Gandy, left just after he did. Ultimately, she didn't transfer to South Carolina, but tOSU.
 
Substitute the names "Jai Lukas" and "Shelton Henderson" and see if you also say "more comfortable knowing...that neither is still associated with Duke." Close to the same situation. Gandy left for a better position (not head coach, but assistant at national champion South Carolina) and Taylor, clearly close to Gandy, left just after he did. Ultimately, she didn't transfer to South Carolina, but tOSU.
Who? Did he play for Coach Lucas two years at Duke before saying he was staying and then immediately change his mind when Jai left?
 
Who? Did he play for Coach Lucas two years at Duke before saying he was staying and then immediately change his mind when Jai left?
I did say "close" to the same thing, which implies that is wasn't exact. (Sory for the tipo in Coach Lucas's name.)

I'm not sure why you are "more comfortable" with both Gandy and Taylor no longer associated with Duke. Both performed with distinction at Duke, and left on what I thought was good terms. Celeste's transfer could have been handled smoother (the "I'm graduating, no I'm coming back, nope, transferring), but given she wasn't expected back, it wasn't a unexpected loss to the roster. And I don't think there's lingering bad blood between Celeste and Kara.
 
Here is a list of all ACC activity in the 2025 transfer portal for women's basketball, both departures and arrivals. I've compiled this list with the help of On3, WBB Blog, team websites, and social media announcements from players and third-party sources. If you're going to "borrow" this list for another website, you can, but please link and credit this page on DBR.

April 7, 2025:
1,225 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

April 14, 2025:
1,373 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

April 21, 2025:
1,464 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

April 28, 2025:
1,522 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 5, 2025:
1,525 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 12, 2025:
1,527 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 19, 2025:
1,529 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

May 26, 2025:
1,529 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

June 2, 2025:
1,530 names in the On3 Portal Tracker.

June 9, 2025:
Still 1,530 names in the On3 Portal Tracker, which hasn't been updated in almost 2 weeks.

We're down to 4 eligible ACC players who are in the portal but have yet to decide upon their destinations.

Déborah Mukeba Kasanda, Boston College to ??
Natalia Ackerman, California to ??
Jordy Griggs, Clemson to ??
Dominique Camp, Syracuse to ??

Players with an asterisk (*) do not appear to have any remaining eligibility.



Boston College WBB

OUT

Andrea Daley*
Tatum Greene (to Florida State)
Kaylah Ivey (to Rutgers)
Déborah Mukeba Kasanda
Lili Krasovec (to Purdue Fort Wayne)
Kayla Lezama (to Hampton)
Nene Ndiaye (to Rutgers)
Savannah Samuel (to Georgia Tech)
Teya Sidberry (to Texas)
Jakayla Thompson (to Liberty)
T’yana Todd (to Ohio State)

IN

Lily Carmody (from Butler)
Kiera Edmonds (from Houston)
Kaia Henderson (from Ohio State)
Erin Houpt (from San Diego State)
Kayla Rolph (from William & Mary)



California WBB

OUT

Natalia Ackerman
Zahra King (to SMU)
Claudia Langarita (withdrawn; back to California)
Kamryn Mafua (to Utah)
Marta Suárez (to TCU)

IN

Naya Ojukwu (from Morgan State)
Mjracle Sheppard (from LSU)
Sakima Walker (from South Carolina)



Clemson WBB

OUT

Jordy Griggs
Bella Ranallo (to Ohio)

IN

Rusne Augustinaite (from Georgia Tech)
Demeara Hinds (from Wake Forest)
Taylor Johnson-Matthews (from DePaul)
Morgan Lee (from Marist)
Hadley Periman (from Tulsa)
Rachael Rose (from Wofford)



Duke WBB

OUT

Louann Battiston (to Rice -- link)
Jenessa Cotton (to Kansas State -- link)
Vanessa de Jesus (to Notre Dame -- link)
Oluchi Okananwa (to Maryland -- link)

IN

Hailey Johnson (from Pepperdine -- link)



Florida State WBB

OUT

Morelia Chavez (to Fresno State)
Raiane Dias Dos Santos (to Virginia)
Ta'Niya Latson (to South Carolina)
Brianna Turnage (to Georgia Tech)
Mariana Valenzuela (to Seton Hall)
Carla Viegas (to Pittsburgh)

IN

Tatum Greene (from Boston College)
Allie Kubek (from Maryland)
Emma Risch (from Notre Dame)
Jasmine Shavers (from Texas Tech)
Solè Williams (from Texas A&M)



Georgia Tech WBB

OUT

Rusne Augustinaite (to Clemson)
Dani Carnegie (to Georgia)
Kara Dunn (to USC)
Gabbie Grooms (to Georgia State)
Tonie Morgan (to Kentucky)
Ariadna Termis (withdrawn; back to Georgia Tech)
Tianna Thompson (to Ole Miss)
Chazadi Wright (to Iowa)

IN

Catherine Alben (from Charleston Southern)
Jada Crawshaw (from Long Beach State)
La'Nya Foster (from Austin Peay)
Erica Moon (from Texas A&M)
Savannah Samuel (from Boston College)
Brianna Turnage (from Florida State)
Talaya Walker (from Penn State)



Louisville WBB

OUT

Izela Arenas (to Kansas State)
Nyla Harris (to North Carolina/UNC)
Eseosa Imafidon (to Providence)

IN

Skylar Jones (from Arizona)
Reyna Scott (from Oklahoma)
Laura Ziegler (from Saint Joseph's)



Miami WBB

OUT

Daniela Abies (to St. John's)
Aurora Almón (to Syracuse)
Leah Harmon (to UCF)
Lemyah Hylton (to Texas A&M)

IN

Vittoria Blasigh (from South Florida)
Amarachi Kimpson (from UNLV)
Mya Kone (from Florida International)
Candace Kpetikou (from Washington State)
Ra Shaya Kyle (from Florida)
Jessica Peterson (from SMU)
Gal Raviv (from Quinnipiac)



NC State WBB

OUT

Laci Steele (to Wisconsin)
Caitlin Weimar (to Virginia)
Lizzy Williamson (to Oregon State)

IN

Qadence Samuels (from Connecticut)



North Carolina/UNC WBB

OUT

Trayanna Crisp (to Mississippi State)

IN

Elina Aarnisalo (from UCLA)
Nyla Harris (from Louisville)



Notre Dame WBB

OUT

Kate Koval (to LSU)
Olivia Miles (to TCU)
Emma Risch (to Florida State)
Kylee Watson (to Villanova)

IN

Malaya Cowles (from Wake Forest)
Vanessa de Jesus (from Duke)
Iyana Moore (from Vanderbilt)
Kelly Ratigan (from Loyola Maryland)
Gisela Sanchez (from Kansas State)



Pittsburgh WBB

OUT

Aaryn Battle (to Hampton)
Aislin Malcolm (to Robert Morris)
Marley Washenitz (to Arizona State)
Kiara Williams (to La Salle)

IN

Fatima Diakhaté (from Georgia)
Angel Jones (from Coppin State)
Carla Viegas (from Florida State)



SMU WBB

OUT

Ella Brow (to Baylor)
Kayanna Cox (to JUCO/McLennan CC)
Chantae Embry*
Sandra Magolico (to Hofstra)
Kylie Marshall (to James Madison)
Brianna McLeod (to James Madison)
Jessica Peterson (to Miami)
TK Pitts (to Houston)
Nya Robertson (to Tennessee)
Nicole Rodriguez (to Portland)

IN

Anaya Brown (from UT Martin)
Kyla Deck (from North Texas)
Grace Hall (from Penn State)
Elise Hill (from Tulsa)
Jzaniya Harriel (from Stanford)
Miriam Ibezim (from Oakland)
Sahnya Jah (from Arizona)
Zahra King (from California)
Paulina Paris (from Arizona)
Mailien Rolf (from Arizona)
Tyi Skinner (from Arizona State)
Ayanna Thompson (from Ole Miss)



Stanford WBB

OUT

Jzaniya Harriel (to SMU)
Tess Heal (to Kansas State)

IN

(none)



Syracuse WBB

OUT

Dominique Camp
Saniaa Wilson*
Georgia Woolley*

IN

Oyindamola Akinbolawa (from Auburn)
Aurora Almón (from Miami)
Dominique Darius (from USC)
Laila Phelia (from Texas)



Virginia WBB

OUT

Hawa Doumbouya (to VCU)
Payton Dunbar (to Providence)
RyLee Grays (to Tulsa)
Kamryn Kitchen (to Arizona)
Latasha Lattimore (to Ole Miss)
Edessa Noyan (to Indiana)
Casey Valenti-Paea (to Grand Canyon)

IN

Tabitha Amanze (from Princeton)
Danelle Arigbabu (from West Virginia)
Raiane Dias Dos Santos (from Florida State)
Romi Levy (from South Florida)
Adeang Ring (from UCF)
Sa’Myah Smith (from LSU)
Caitlin Weimar (from NC State)



Virginia Tech WBB

OUT

Myah Hazelton (to Rice)
Lani White (to Utah)
Ramiya White (to Kansas State)

IN

Melannie Daley (from Northwestern)
Kilah Freelon (from Texas Tech)
Sophie Swanson (from Purdue)



Wake Forest WBB

OUT

Alyssa Andrews*
Malaya Cowles (to Notre Dame)
Demeara Hinds (to Clemson)
Makaela Quimby (withdrawn; back to Wake Forest)
Rylie Theuerkauf (to Georgia)

IN

Mary Carter (from Cal Poly)
Grace Oliver (from Colorado)
Raven Preston (from Elon)


 
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