UNC women's basketball 2025-26 Season Preview: Projected starting lineup, impact players and rotation explored

Changes are coming for the UNC Tar Heels heading into the 2025-26 season. North Carolina's three leading scorers from the previous campaign are all gone, leaving coach Courtney Banghart with a young lineup for the upcoming season.

There's reason for optimism, though, for the North Carolina faithful, as the Tar Heels have assembled a talented freshman class. Reniya Kelly also returns for her junior year to provide much-needed experience to UNC's lineup. Let's get into the Tar Heels' outlook for the 2025-26 NCAA campaign.

UNC 2025-26 season preview

Several players from the North Carolina team that reached the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament have left the squad. Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng and Lexi Donarski, who all averaged in double figures for UNC last season, have used up their eligibility and are no longer available.

The Tar Heels invested in youth to strengthen their lineup, bolstering their freshman class by signing top high school prospects Nyla Brooks, Taliyah Henderson and Taissa Queiroz.

Blanca Thomas, Lanie Grant and Ciera Toomey will also be returning this coming season after gaining valuable ACC experience in the previous campaign.

Starters

Guard: Reniya Kelly

North Carolina Tar Heels guard Reniya Kelly (#10) talks with the media before an NCAA Tournament practice session at Legacy Arena. Photo: Imagn

Reniya Kelly is one of the few starters from the 2024-25 roster who will return to the Tar Heels for the upcoming season. She posted career-best numbers in scoring, rebounding and assists last season, averaging 9.6 points, 2.7 boards and 2.1 assists through 33 games in her sophomore year.

Kelly also showed her defensive prowess, averaging 1.1 steals per contest. She made 33 starts last season, three of which came in this year's March Madness. She averaged 7.0 points in the games against Oregon State, West Virginia and Duke.

Guard: Indya Nivar

Indya Nivar, who started 34 games for UNC last season, will use her final year of eligibility to play for the Tar Heels in the 2025-26 campaign. She averaged 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 dimes and 2.0 steals in her junior year, all of which are career-best numbers for her.

Nivar, who played for Stanford in her freshman year before transferring to North Carolina, scored eight points in the Tar Heels' Sweet 16 loss to the Duke Blue Devils in this year's March Madness.

Forward: Nyla Brooks

McDonald’s All American East wing Nyla Brooks (#7) shoots the ball during the Sprite Jam Fest at Barclays Center. Photo: Imagn

Expect Nyla Brooks to be named a starter by coach Courtney Banghart in her first season at UNC. The five-star prospect dazzled in her final prep campaign for Bishop Ireton High School, averaging 18.3 points, 7.6 boards and 2.6 assists per game. She was also a menace on the defensive end, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest.

Brooks' outstanding season was recognized as she was named the Gatorade Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year as well as the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Player of the Year. The Tar Heels will need her offensive brilliance this coming season.

Forward: Nyla Harris

Nyla Harris joined North Carolina after spending three seasons with the Louisville Cardinals. She averaged 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.9 steals through 33 games in her junior year.

Harris made 32 starts for Louisville in the 2024-25 season. The 6-foot-2 forward is expected to occupy that same role for Banghart at UNC once the 2025-26 season starts.

Center: Ciera Toomey

Ciera Toomey played 32 games in the 2024-25 season, averaging 3.2 points and 2.2 boards in her freshman year. Toomey, who made just one start last season, should expect more starting opportunities this coming campaign, with Maria Gakdeng no longer in UNC's squad.

Rotation Players

Courtney Banghart will rely on several returning players to provide much-needed depth to UNC's lineup, including incoming sophomores Lanie Grant, Jordan Zubich, Laila Hull, Elina Aarnisalo and Blanca Thomas.

Junior guard Sydney Barker and senior guard Kayla McPherson also will be relied upon to provide quality minutes off the bench. Incoming freshmen Taliyah Henderson and Taissa Queiroz also made the roster and will get chances to contribute next season.

Impact Players

Reniya Kelly showed what she is capable of in her sophomore year, finishing the 2024-25 season as UNC's fourth-leading scorer. With the departures of key players Alyssa Ustby, Lexi Donarski and Maria Gakdeng, the onus is on Kelly to carry the offensive load for North Carolina this coming season.