Which transfers will give Virginia Women’s Basketball the biggest boost?

They haven’t gotten nearly as much hype as their male counterparts, but the members of Virginia’s 2026-27 class of women’s basketball transfers are also looking to build on last season’s success.

It’s easy to forget that the Cavalier women actually extended their season a week longer than the men did, reaching the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000. Although coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton did not return, two starters did: all-ACC point guard Kymora Johnson and center Tabitha Amanze.

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The rest of the starting spots will be up for grabs in preseason practice, and new coach Aaron Russell brought in four college transfers, along with four freshmen.

Expectations will be higher this season, so Roussell may be looking for immediate help from his experienced transfers. Here’s a quick rundown of the veteran newcomers by their chances of contributing:

Mary-Anna Asare

After facing Asare for four years as Richmond’s head coach, Roussell convinced her to leave VCU and follow him up I-64 for her graduate season. Assuming she recovers from the knee injury that ended her junior campaign after just seven games, she figures to slide into the shooting guard spot seamlessly.

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A smooth shooter who averaged 16 points per game as a junior and 17.4 as a senior before her injury, she should prevent opposing defenses from swarming Johnson. She shot 40 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore at VCU and 37 percent as a junior.

Johnson led the Cavaliers in both scoring (19.5) and assists (201) last season, so she has shown a willingness to share the ball. Asare could become the complementary scorer that Paris Clark was at times in 2025-26, and the two could form one of the ACC’s best backcourts.

Caterina Piatti

Given Virginia’s backcourt strength, Roussell’s bigs likely will be asked to focus on defense, rebounding and screening before they look to score. That’s a role that Piatti should be able to fill.

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The 6-foot-4 forward started all 33 games for…

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Publish date : 2026-07-11 17:00:00

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