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Year 2 of the Kenny Brooks era with Kentucky basketball met its end Saturday. UK, the No. 5 seed in Region 3 of the NCAA Tournament, couldn't topple top-seeded Texas in the Sweet 16, as the Longhorns earned a 76-54 victory at Dickies Arena.
The Wildcats now turn their attention to the 2026-27 campaign.
Here's a look at Kentucky's upcoming offseason, as well as what its 2026-27 roster might look like:
UK has five players who have exhausted their college eligibility: Josie Gilvin, Amelia Hassett, Teonni Key, Tonie Morgan and Jordan Obi.
Hassett, Key and Morgan constituted three-fifths of the starting lineup. Obi was a primary member of the rotation (appearing in all 36 games, with 25 starts). Gilvin, who transferred in from Western Kentucky, played in 24 games as a reserve but averaged less than 7 minutes per outing.
The other four were major contributors.
Morgan, the team's PG1, set a single-season program record for assists (286), which doubled as the third-most by any SEC player in one campaign. Her 8 assists per game entering Saturday ranked second nationally to Northwestern's Caroline Lau at 8.4. Morgan was also averaging 13.9 points per outing, which was the second-best figure on the team.
Key, a 6-foot-5 forward, entered the Sweet 16 averaging 11.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Her blocks average was just outside the top 10 in the conference.
Hailing from Australia, the 6-foot-4 Hassett was the top 10 in that category, rejecting nearly 1.4 shots per game. She provided more than 10 points and 5 rebounds every time she took the floor. And she set a single-season program record for 3-point field goals (99).
Obi was supposed to be a key component of the 2024-25 roster after transferring from Penn, where she scored more than 1,000 points during her three-year career at the Ivy League institution. But after the 6-1 Connecticut native arrived in Lexington, she tore her Achilles in July 2024 and was sidelined the entire season. Finally taking the floor for the Cats in 2025-26, she made her debut count, scoring 15 points and adding 15 rebounds in the opener against Morehead State. Obi recorded three more double-doubles over the course of the season. She entered Saturday averaging 9.2 points, 6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while making more than half of her field-goal attempts.
What more needs be said about Clara Strack?
She'll be a senior next season. The 6-5 superstar center led Kentucky in points, rebounds and blocks per game in 2025-26. She's set UK's single-season blocks record in back-to-back campaigns. She'll be up for every major award next season, as one of the country's best players.
Asia Boone would give the Cats a solid 1-2 punch. Boone also would be a senior. And she's one of the best shooters around. She knocked down 96 3-pointers in 2025-26. With all the attention Strack demands on the interior, Boone would have chances aplenty to sink more triples next season.
Another guard, she of the perfect-Kentucky-Wildcat name Lexi Blue, will be a junior next year. In 51 appearances, all off the bench, the past two seasons, she's scored more than 10 points only one time, pouring in 18 against Monmouth in November. Barring a remarkable rise in her level of play between now and next season, Blue likely will reprise her role as a reserve should she choose to return.
The most interesting potential returnee is Kaelyn Carroll. A freshman in 2025-26, Carroll was a McDonald's All-American selection coming out of high school. Though she didn't log major minutes this past season, her talent should give her ample opportunity to carve out a spot in the starting lineup in 2026-27.
A major unknown is Dominika Paurová. She signed with UK shortly after Brooks' hire in March 2024. But she's suffered season-ending injuries each of the past two years. Paurová has yet to play a single second in two seasons as a Wildcat.
Elsa Vadfors, a 6-foot-5 freshman center from Sweden, didn't take the court in 2025-26 while redshirting. Provided she sticks around, she will have a chance to work into the rotation and spell Strack at specific points in games.
Possible departures: If Blue doesn't want to entertain the possibility of being a backup for the third straight season, she might elect to transfer. Despite her lack of production at the college level, she should have her share of suitors. She was a consensus four-star recruit in the 2024 class. She's a Florida native, and the Sunshine State doesn't lack for Division I schools.
Another transfer option could be Carroll, though her departing, especially given the wide-open path to playing time next season in Lexington, would qualify as a surprise. After Paurová's awful injury luck the past two years, she might decide to leave simply for a change of scenery.
Coming in: First and foremost, Brooks and his staff will need to identify who they want as their new point guard, filling the (admittedly large) shoes of Georgia Amoore and Morgan the past two seasons. Beyond that, Kentucky needs to fortify its front line. Aside from the shot-blocking and rebounding prowess Hassett and Key brought to the table, they also were among UK's tallest players, both standing 6-3.
This is one area the Wildcats aren't sweating. That's because they can tout arguably the best recruiting haul in program history. They have three signees, and all three are McDonald's All-Americans. The class consists of two guards (Maddyn Greenway and Emily McDonald) and a forward (Savvy Swords). Freshmen rarely have had large roles during Brooks' coaching career. Still, considering all the Wildcats are losing from the 2025-26 group, perhaps Greenway, McDonald or Swords could be the exception instead of the rule next season.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky women's basketball roster 2026-27 under UK coach Kenny Brooks
Continue reading...
The Wildcats now turn their attention to the 2026-27 campaign.
Here's a look at Kentucky's upcoming offseason, as well as what its 2026-27 roster might look like:
Which Kentucky women's basketball players could leave?
UK has five players who have exhausted their college eligibility: Josie Gilvin, Amelia Hassett, Teonni Key, Tonie Morgan and Jordan Obi.
Hassett, Key and Morgan constituted three-fifths of the starting lineup. Obi was a primary member of the rotation (appearing in all 36 games, with 25 starts). Gilvin, who transferred in from Western Kentucky, played in 24 games as a reserve but averaged less than 7 minutes per outing.
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The other four were major contributors.
Morgan, the team's PG1, set a single-season program record for assists (286), which doubled as the third-most by any SEC player in one campaign. Her 8 assists per game entering Saturday ranked second nationally to Northwestern's Caroline Lau at 8.4. Morgan was also averaging 13.9 points per outing, which was the second-best figure on the team.
Key, a 6-foot-5 forward, entered the Sweet 16 averaging 11.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Her blocks average was just outside the top 10 in the conference.
Hailing from Australia, the 6-foot-4 Hassett was the top 10 in that category, rejecting nearly 1.4 shots per game. She provided more than 10 points and 5 rebounds every time she took the floor. And she set a single-season program record for 3-point field goals (99).
Obi was supposed to be a key component of the 2024-25 roster after transferring from Penn, where she scored more than 1,000 points during her three-year career at the Ivy League institution. But after the 6-1 Connecticut native arrived in Lexington, she tore her Achilles in July 2024 and was sidelined the entire season. Finally taking the floor for the Cats in 2025-26, she made her debut count, scoring 15 points and adding 15 rebounds in the opener against Morehead State. Obi recorded three more double-doubles over the course of the season. She entered Saturday averaging 9.2 points, 6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while making more than half of her field-goal attempts.
Which UK women's basketball players could return for 2026-27 season?
What more needs be said about Clara Strack?
She'll be a senior next season. The 6-5 superstar center led Kentucky in points, rebounds and blocks per game in 2025-26. She's set UK's single-season blocks record in back-to-back campaigns. She'll be up for every major award next season, as one of the country's best players.
You must be registered for see images
Asia Boone would give the Cats a solid 1-2 punch. Boone also would be a senior. And she's one of the best shooters around. She knocked down 96 3-pointers in 2025-26. With all the attention Strack demands on the interior, Boone would have chances aplenty to sink more triples next season.
Another guard, she of the perfect-Kentucky-Wildcat name Lexi Blue, will be a junior next year. In 51 appearances, all off the bench, the past two seasons, she's scored more than 10 points only one time, pouring in 18 against Monmouth in November. Barring a remarkable rise in her level of play between now and next season, Blue likely will reprise her role as a reserve should she choose to return.
The most interesting potential returnee is Kaelyn Carroll. A freshman in 2025-26, Carroll was a McDonald's All-American selection coming out of high school. Though she didn't log major minutes this past season, her talent should give her ample opportunity to carve out a spot in the starting lineup in 2026-27.
A major unknown is Dominika Paurová. She signed with UK shortly after Brooks' hire in March 2024. But she's suffered season-ending injuries each of the past two years. Paurová has yet to play a single second in two seasons as a Wildcat.
Elsa Vadfors, a 6-foot-5 freshman center from Sweden, didn't take the court in 2025-26 while redshirting. Provided she sticks around, she will have a chance to work into the rotation and spell Strack at specific points in games.
Kentucky women's basketball transfer portal watch
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Possible departures: If Blue doesn't want to entertain the possibility of being a backup for the third straight season, she might elect to transfer. Despite her lack of production at the college level, she should have her share of suitors. She was a consensus four-star recruit in the 2024 class. She's a Florida native, and the Sunshine State doesn't lack for Division I schools.
Another transfer option could be Carroll, though her departing, especially given the wide-open path to playing time next season in Lexington, would qualify as a surprise. After Paurová's awful injury luck the past two years, she might decide to leave simply for a change of scenery.
Coming in: First and foremost, Brooks and his staff will need to identify who they want as their new point guard, filling the (admittedly large) shoes of Georgia Amoore and Morgan the past two seasons. Beyond that, Kentucky needs to fortify its front line. Aside from the shot-blocking and rebounding prowess Hassett and Key brought to the table, they also were among UK's tallest players, both standing 6-3.
Kentucky women's basketball recruiting class 2026
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This is one area the Wildcats aren't sweating. That's because they can tout arguably the best recruiting haul in program history. They have three signees, and all three are McDonald's All-Americans. The class consists of two guards (Maddyn Greenway and Emily McDonald) and a forward (Savvy Swords). Freshmen rarely have had large roles during Brooks' coaching career. Still, considering all the Wildcats are losing from the 2025-26 group, perhaps Greenway, McDonald or Swords could be the exception instead of the rule next season.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky women's basketball roster 2026-27 under UK coach Kenny Brooks
Continue reading...
