The current Kentucky WBB team will only play two former Wildcats this season
Now that Kentucky Women’s Basketball has dropped its entire 2024-25 season schedule, its time to start analyzing. With that being said, the current Wildcats will only meet two former ‘Cats this season. Despite the fact that nine players from last year’s roster transferred out of Kentucky, only two of them will face off against their former school: Eniya Russell and Nyah Leveretter.
First, let’s break down where the rest of the transfers went.
- Jordy Griggs – Clemson
- Janae Walker – Rutgers
- Zennia Thomas (dismissed from Kentucky midseason) – Howard
- Brooklynn Miles – Pitt
- Amiya Jenkins – Pitt
- Maddie Scherr – Texas Christian University
- Ajae Petty – Ohio State
Only Russell and Leveretter stayed within the SEC, going to Mississippi State and Georgia, respectively. Plus, what are the odds that both former Wildcats became Bulldogs at two separate schools? Even still, none of the six other schools are featured on Kentucky’s non-conference schedule.
Eniya Russell – Mississippi State
At Kentucky, Russell became one of Kyra Elzy’s go-to players. The guard spent her first two seasons of collegiate ball at South Carolina, where she played in 49 career games for the Gamecocks. There, she averaged 2.5 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.
At Kentucky, however, Russell played in 53 games while averaging 10.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game during the 2023-24 season. As a senior, she averaged 20.7 minutes of playing time and compiled 47 assists and 23 steals. She had four games with 20 or more points and eight with 15 or more. A total of 16 of 32 games during her senior year resulted in double-digit performances.
This season, Russell is using her fifth year of eligibility to play for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Now at the third SEC school of her college career, it seems like Russell enjoys the Southeastern atmosphere. The rivalries are intense, the stakes are high, and Russell proved she has what it takes to compete. The Baltimore native was considered one of the 25 best players in the transfer portal. I, for one, can’t wait to see how Russell has improved this offseason.
Kentucky faces the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Lexington. The game marks the SEC kickoff for the ‘Cats.
Nyah Leveretter – Georgia
Despite spending four seasons at Kentucky, Leveretter only saw the court for three of them. Before being sidelined due to an ACL injury, the forward was quite successful as a Wildcat.
In her freshman year, she only played in 14 games, averaging 6.7 minutes per game. In her collegiate debut, the then-rookie recorded five rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes of playing time. In her sophomore season, she played in 25 total games with 11 starts. She averaged 2.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game and finished with 17 blocks. The low numbers were likely due to an illness causing her to miss the entire first month of the 2021-22 season.
As a junior, Leveretter played in 26 games with 21 starts. She averaged 2.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, the forward tore her ACL at Vanderbilt, leaving her out for the remainder of the season and the entirety of her senior 2023-24 season. Now, Leveretter is a redshirt senior at the University of Georgia. The 6-foot-2 forward should see some solid playing time after making a full recovery.
Kentucky faces the Georgia Bulldogs twice this season. First in Athens, on Sunday, Jan. 19, and then in Lexington on Sunday, February 16, 2025.
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