UNLV Women’s Basketball Brings in Six Transfers After Three Key Players Leave

The UNLV Lady Rebels program is undergoing a complete overhaul this offseason with new head coach Lindy La Rocque and the decision to deal with the influx into the NCAA transfer portal. The 2024-25 Lady Rebels season was disappointing, with no conference title and no NCAA Tournament appearance. Due to this adversity, the Lady Rebels underwent a major roster reshuffling.

After a season-ending loss to Florida on March 16 in the opening round of the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament, key players Amarachi Kimpson, McKinna Brackens, and Macy Spencer entered the transfer portal. Kimpson has since committed to Miami, Brackens to Arizona State, and Spencer to High Point, creating an urgent need to rebuild the roster.

"It's changed the landscape of just, kind of everything," La Rocque told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Anything can happen, and that's what we felt this year." In response, La Rocque and her staff acted quickly, contacting players within the first hour of their portal entry. Their proactive approach has resulted in the addition of six new transfers: Sydni Summers (Nevada), Ongolea Afu (Hawaii), Destiny Brown (Portland State), Shelbee Brown (North Dakota State), Mariah Elohim (Loyola Marymount), and Destiny Leo (Cleveland State). UNLV welcomes incoming freshmen Trystan James, Hodaya Kabada, and Alexis Swillis.

Returning players Aaliyah Alexander and Meadow Roland were instrumental in helping attract new talent, reinforcing the program's core values and recent history of success, including three straight Mountain West regular-season titles before this season.

While La Rocque acknowledges that NIL opportunities play a role in recruitment, she emphasizes that UNLV appeals to athletes seeking a championship-caliber environment. La Rocque has maintained a culture-first mindset through even these barriers to player turnover. She wants the new players to fit into supporting cast roles in their own way for the 2025–26 season, and she feels confident that the Lady Rebels will bounce back just like Desi-Rae Young did.