WVU Women's Basketball Loses Starter to Transfer Portal

Another Mountaineer is headed for the portal.

WVU Athletics

WVU women’s basketball is already in full preparation for the 2026-27 campaign, in which they will try to recreate some magic from one of the best seasons in program history. The Mountaineers have been hitting the transfer portal hard, as they always have under Mark Kellogg. However, WVU will be without a key contributor in 2026.

According to Talia Goodman of On3, West Virginia junior forward Carter McCray is entering the NCAA transfer portal. McCray will have one year of eligibility remaining. She averaged 6.5 points per game on a 59% field goal percentage and five rebounds per game.”

NEWS: West Virginia’s Carter McCray plans to enter the transfer portal, she told @On3.

The 6-1 junior averaged 6.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg this season.

TRACKER: https://t.co/wYv1Ze6704 pic.twitter.com/Y2GgkeiaDn

— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 15, 2026

McCray transferred to the Mountaineers after one season with the Wisconsin Badgers. She averaged over 13 points per game and nearly double-digit rebounds during her first two years of collegiate basketball. Kellogg spoke glowingly of her transfer to the Mountaineers last April.

"Carter is an elite finisher at the rim and a big-time rebounder. Defensively, she will shine in our pressure system and guard multiple positions.”

Now, exactly one year later, McCray will be looking to join her fourth different program in four years. McCray was a solid player for the Mountaineers, but is clearly seeking a larger role with a team after her offensive averages were cut in half with WVU. She started 29 games for the Mountaineers this past season and played an average of 21.5 minutes per game.

WVU is already rounding out its roster for 2026

While the Mountaineers will certainly miss having a consistent option in McCray, they are already putting together a roster capable of repeating their magic from last season. Once again, Kellogg is targeting players who can guard any position on the floor and can score at will.

Zaza Walton is transferring to the Mountaineers from the George Mason Patriots, after averaging over 18 points per game last season. Walton is listed as a guard/forward and played all five positions in the Atlantic 10 last season.

The Mountaineers have also earned commitments from Pitt transfer Divine Tshibuabua and UCF’s Khayla Ngodu over the last few days. Ngodu is listed as a center, and Tshubuabua is a six-foot-three forward. The Mountaineers are clearly prioritizing size and scoring down low. With all of the added competition down low and a drop in production in 2025, it’s easy to see why McCray is moving on.

Kellogg has always been very active in the transfer portal, and we should expect no different after the team hosted first and second-round NCAA Tournament games for the first time since 1992.