UNC WBB Notebook: Keeping Track Of Who's Gone, Who's Left, Who's New

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Almost six weeks after North Carolina's season ended, the Tar Heels' roster kept its share of holdovers while losing some mainstays.

A year severely impacted by injuries resulted in a 20-13 finish for North Carolina, a two-game regression from the season prior. UNC played its last game in Columbia, S.C., where it lost to South Carolina in the Round of 32. 

North Carolina struggled offensively, ranking 11th in the ACC in points per game and 12th in field goal percentage. The team was stout defensively, though, ranking sixth in points allowed and fifth in opposing field goal percentage.

As Courtney Banghart enters year six, the team will keep most of its key rotation players from last season while also having new assets to work with — and a few losses to account for.

Six players left for the transfer portal, which is the most in the Banghart era and a byproduct of the portal's rise in popularity in recent years. The team brought in one player from the portal, and three true freshmen will join the team this upcoming season. 

UNC will hope to benefit from recovery time as well, with four players returning after either taking a redshirt year or suffering a season-ending injury.

Here's a look at where UNC's roster stands as of now:

Who's Gone?

For the first time since the 2019-20 season, North Carolina will be without one of the faces of its program next season.

Deja Kelly, the program's eighth all-time leading scorer, entered the transfer portal last month. She posted a farewell letter to UNC on social media Friday evening.

Kelly led UNC in scoring in each of the last three seasons. She was the No. 10 player in ESPN's 2020 recruiting rankings. Kelly holds career averages of 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.2 steals across 121 games.

Also gone from the backcourt is Paulina Paris, who spent two years with the Tar Heels before ultimately departing for Arizona through the transfer portal. A mid-season injury derailed Paris' season, and she was limited to 15 games with eight starts. She averaged 5.9 points in those outings.

North Carolina has also lost four reserves from its frontcourt — Anya Poole (Clemson), Alexandra Zelaya (UNCW), Teonni Key (Kentucky) and RyLee Grays (Virginia).

Poole and Zelaya were members of Banghart's first recruiting class in 2020. Poole was a full-time starter as a sophomore and junior before mostly coming off the bench last season as a senior. Zelaya played mostly a reserve role during her career, but she did see more playing time late in the 2023-24 season with UNC's injury issues.

Key dealt with injuries for the majority of her North Carolina tenure. She missed the 2021-22 season, which would have been her true freshman season, due to a knee injury. In the last two seasons, Key played in 51 of UNC's 66 games. She had stretches of productivity off the bench last season, though they mostly came in spurts.

Grays was used sparingly last season, only appearing in five games. She ranked 90th in ESPN's class of 2023

Who's Back?

North Carolina will have a pair of returning fifth-year seniors on the squad next season, with Alyssa Ustby and Lexi Donarski officially announcing their returns via social media.

Ustby now holds exclusive status as the team's longest-tenured player. She's played 117 games for the Tar Heels over the last four years, averaging 12.2 points and 8.2 rebounds. Last season against Syracuse, she recorded the first triple-double in program history with 16 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. 

Last season, Ustby had nine games with at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. She also secured 16 double-doubles. Ustby led the team in rebounds, assists and steals last season. Her rebounding (9.5) and assist averages (3.6) were both career highs.