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Virginia’s Sa’Myah Smith Set To Enter Transfer Portal Amid Coaching Change

The Virginia Cavaliers just lost a key player to the transfer portal.
Maria Aldrich|
Georgia guard Dani Carnegie and Virginia forward Sa’Myah Smith
Georgia guard Dani Carnegie and Virginia forward Sa’Myah Smith | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Virginia Cavaliers

The Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball program is in the midst of shocking upheaval with the abrupt departure of head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton. This shakeup comes just days before the transfer portal officially opens, and the Cavaliers are already starting to take a hit.

Not only is Virginia without a head coach right now, but the Hoos are also preparing to lose a handful of seniors who are graduating, including Paris Clark, Romi Levy, Caitlin Wiemar, Jillian Brown and Danelle Arigbabu. But with the portal opening soon, UVA's numbers are bound to dwindle even more, starting with their key forward.

Sa'Myah Smith Enters Portal

Louisville Cardinals Elif Istanbulluoglu being guarded by Virginia Cavaliers Sa'Myah Smith.
Louisville Cardinals forward Elif Istanbulluoglu and Virginia Cavaliers forward Sa'Myah Smith | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Losing Smith means the Hoos are losing a major piece to their puzzle. During her 2025-26 campaign, she averaged 7.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, while shooting 44.8% from the floor. This marked her first season with the Cavaliers, having spent her first three years of college basketball with the LSU Tigers. She quickly became one of Virginia's more critical players and served as one of the starting five.

Now, the 6'2" junior is searching for her third landing spot, and according to her statement, her reasoning is simple:

"... Due to the coaching change and uncertainty, my family and I have decided it is best for me to enter the transfer portal."

Is This the Start of Roster Turnover?

Virginia Cavaliers Kymora Johnson yelling during a game
Virginia guard Kymora Johnson | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Smith on her way out, there are still a handful of notable names that remain. Kymora Johnson and Tabitha Amanze are the most productive, but again, their status could also change. Agugua-Hamilton's departure could have been just enough to spark concern among the Hoos, which might make entering the portal more tempting.

Virginia has its hands full with the approaching portal and the last-minute pressure to hire a new head coach, but to be candid, they don't have much time. A careful decision must be made, but it must also be timely.

It would be fair to be concerned about roster turnover at this point, which would leave a new hire, whomever it may be, to act fast and rebuild the program. Uncertainty looms overhead, and all the Cavaliers can do is wait for a new head coach or opt to transfer.

Virginia has plenty of knots to untangle right now, and time is of the essence. How will the Hoos end up navigating the portal amid such extreme changes in the coaching staff?

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Maria Aldrich
MARIA ALDRICH

Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through writing. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and focuses her time on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and adventure sports for On SI. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.

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