Texas Women's Basketball Faces Roster Overhaul After Final Four Run

Four former McDonald's All-Americans, including a top-5 recruit, enter transfer portal after Longhorns' season ends

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:24am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the chaotic action of a women's basketball game, with overlapping geometric shapes in shades of orange and blue representing the players and court.The departure of four key players leaves Texas women's basketball with major roster holes to fill as it aims to build on its Final Four appearance.Austin Today

In the aftermath of its Final Four appearance, the Texas women's basketball team is experiencing significant roster turnover, with four players - including freshman guard Aaliyah Crump, sophomore forward Justice Carlton, sophomore guard Jordan Lee, and forward Aaliyah Moore - all entering the transfer portal. The departures represent a major loss of scoring, rebounding, and minutes played from last season's squad.

Why it matters

Texas was one of the top women's basketball programs in the country this past season, reaching the Final Four. The loss of these key players, including several highly-touted recruits, will force head coach Vic Schaefer to rebuild his roster and replace a significant portion of the team's production from the 2025-26 campaign.

The details

Crump, a former top-5 recruit, averaged 7.9 points per game as a freshman but missed time due to injury. Carlton started 28 games and averaged 8.5 points and 4.0 rebounds, while Lee made a big leap as a sophomore, improving her scoring average to 13.2 points per game. Moore, who missed this past season with a knee injury, will also transfer as a graduate player.

  • The transfer portal opened on April 6, 2026.
  • The four players entered the portal in the days following Texas' Final Four loss.

The players

Aaliyah Crump

A freshman guard who was the No. 5 overall recruit in the class of 2025, Crump averaged 7.9 points per game before entering the transfer portal.

Justice Carlton

A sophomore forward who started 28 games for Texas, averaging 8.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest.

Jordan Lee

A sophomore guard who made a big leap this season, improving her scoring average to 13.2 points per game while starting all but one game.

Aaliyah Moore

A forward who missed the 2025-26 season with a knee injury and will transfer as a graduate player.

Vic Schaefer

The head coach of the Texas women's basketball team, who will need to rebuild his roster after these key departures.

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What they’re saying

“Between the current expected departures in the transfer portal and those who have exhausted their eligibility, Texas is set to lose 63.1% of its scoring, 55.9% of its rebounding, 67.6% of its assists and 67.8% of its minutes from this past season.”

— Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman reporter

What’s next

Texas has five incoming high school commits arriving next season, but Schaefer will likely also look to the transfer portal to replenish the roster and maintain the team's national championship aspirations.

The takeaway

The mass exodus of talent from the Texas women's basketball program following its Final Four run highlights the challenges of roster stability in the modern era of college sports. Schaefer and the Longhorns will need to quickly reload through recruiting and the transfer portal to remain among the nation's elite teams.