Kelly Graves Loses First Oregon Ducks Player to Transfer Portal

EUGENE – The Oregon Ducks’ season came to an end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22. Just two days later, the Ducks lost their first player to the transfer portal.

Guard Elisa Mevius entered the transfer portal, per Talia Goodman of On3. The news comes after her season was cut short following an ACL injury two games into the 2025-26 season. The Ducks lose a key two-way player and a former starter in Mevius.

Oregon Ducks Lose Key Guard

oregon ducks transfer portal elisa mevius kelly graves recruiting katie fiso ehis etute ari long sofia bell ncaa tournament — Oregon head coach Kelly Graves watches his team in the fourth quarter as the Oregon Ducks host the Illinois Fighting Illini on Feb. 4, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mevius entered the season as Oregon’s only returning starter from the 2024-25 season. The guard transferred from Siena to Oregon ahead of her junior year. She started in 19 of her 28 appearances for the Ducks as a junior, but missed the program’s 2025 NCAA Tournament run due to a broken hand. Mevius led the team in steals during her first season in Eugene and shot over 30 percent from beyond the arc.

The Ducks had an impressive 2025-26 season, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament despite having an entirely different starting lineup from a year ago. Fans will be left wondering “what if” Mevius was able to play alongside sophomore stars Katie Fiso and Ehis Etute last season.

Mevius was averaging 12.5 points per game, 3.0 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals before going down with injury in the late stages of Oregon’s game against Montana on Nov. 8, 2025. The Ducks lose a 3x3 Olympic gold medalist in Mevius and one of their best defenders.

What’s Next for the Oregon Ducks

The bad news for the Ducks is that they lose a potential starter and a talented guard who could’ve alleviated some of the pressure on Fiso. The good news is Oregon already showed it could find ways to win with the group it has.

Barring additional transfers, Oregon coach Kelly Graves is expected to return starting guards Ari Long and Fiso. Long stepped into the starting lineup in the third game of the season after Mevius’ injury. She led the team with 1.9 steals per game and finished in the top three in rebounding and assists.

Other guards who could see larger roles next season, especially with Mevius’ exit, include Avary Cain, Sara Barhoum and Janiyah Williams. Barhoum and Williams come off their freshman seasons, where they both saw limited playing time. If the two guards have second-year leaps like Fiso and Etute did, Oregon’s guard group should be in a good spot.

Graves also brings in four-star guard Brooklynn Haywood, who’s a consensus top-30 player in the recruiting class. It’s to be seen if any other players hit the portal this offseason. If Graves keeps the guard group he has, the level of competition within the roster will be high, and minutes will be hard to come by.

Last offseason, Graves didn’t lose anyone to the transfer portal. Oregon had just three graduating players this offseason: forward Amina Muhammad, guard Astera Tuhina and forward Mia Jacobs. The program is set to add former Minnesota forward Mallory Heyer to the roster. Heyer transferred midseason and came to Eugene ahead of the university’s winter term but was ineligible to play in 2025-26.

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