Texas exodus as women's Final Four team sees key players hit transfer portal
From Final Four to roster rebuild. Schaefer still has three-time All-American Madison Booker to build around, but the departures were jarring. A program coming off consecutive Final Four appearances was expecting to refresh and reload behind Booker, a group of seasoned veterans and one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — From Final Four to roster rebuild. That's what Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer is facing after a group of key players hit the transfer portal this week. Schaefer still has three-time All-American Madison Booker to build around, but the departures were jarring.
A program coming off consecutive Final Four appearances was expecting to refresh and reload behind Booker, a group of seasoned veterans and one of the top recruiting classes in the country. Texas was already losing starting point guard Rori Harmon and center Kyla Oldacre, as well as key reserve forward Teya Sidberry as all three had expired their college eligibility. But soon after the transfer portal opened, a trio of players who were expected to be major contributors next year bolted.
Sophomore Jordan Lee, the team’s second-leading scorer who started 38 games and averaged 13. 2 points and was the team's top 3-point shooter, was among them. So was Aaliyah Crump, who was one of the top recruits in the country in 2025.
She missed 15 games last season with a foot injury but played in 24, averaging 7. 9 points. And sophomore Justice Carlton, who flashed moments of brilliance but also struggled with consistency, started 28 games and averaged 8.