49ers women's basketball turns over roster with transfers

CHARLOTTE ATHLETICS

Charlotte 49ers women’s basketball coach Tomekia Reed spent the offseason remaking the roster by adding 11 transfers.

Charlotte women’s basketball coach Tomekia Reed is all in on transfers.

Reed’s overhaul of the 49ers roster for 2025-26 includes 11 transfers joining returning players Imani Smith, Caroline Thiel and Daphane White.

“We have recruited a new roster of players fueled by talent with next level intelligence,” Reed said in a statement. “This new team embodies who I am as a head coach. They have my passion, toughness, resilience, energy, heart and talent. I can’t wait to get everyone on campus. This team understands the mission. All of them have had great success at their previous schools and are ready to compete at Charlotte. This roster collectively is bringing in scorers, rebounders, and efficient shooting on three-pointers. We have tripled these numbers in one year. I’m excited to see it all come together.”

The additions:

Princes Anderson, senior guard (Wichita State)

After spending the 2024-25 season at Wichita State, Anderson will stay in the American Athletic Conference. 

Anderson played in 27 games with the Shockers, including five starts. She finished in double figures 15 times, including three 20-point games, including against Charlotte on Feb. 12. 

Before Wichita State, Anderson played at Pratt Community College for two seasons where she led the NJCAA with 26.7 points per game as a sophomore.

Zoe Best, sophomore guard (Southeast Missouri)

Best earned the 2024-25 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year award after averaging 14.1 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. Best scored double figures in 21 of her 28 games played including six 20-point performances. Her career-high of 25 points was at Dayton. 

Taliah Cornish, sophomore guard (South Plains College)

Cornish led South Plains to a 26-5 record and a Western Junior College Athletic Conference title. Cornish earned WJCA Newcomer of the Year honors after averaging 10.3 points per game in her freshman season. She scored 20 points in two games and had three games with more than four made three-pointers.

Ja’Navia Gage, sophomore center (Gulf Coast State)

Gage earned honorable mention All-American in her lone season at Gulf Coast State. She averaged 12 points per game on 56% shooting. Gage’s 12.9 rebounds per game was fifth in the nation. 

McKenzie Graves, freshman guard (NC Good Better Best Academy)

Graves, whose mother Nikki Richardson played at Charlotte from 1996-90, averaged nearly 10 points per game as a senior.

Tanajah Hayes, graduate guard (Florida International)

Hayes, a Chambers High graduate, brings defensive intensity to Charlotte after earning 2023-24 Conference USA All-Defensive Team and All-Second Team recognition. 

Hayes recorded a career-high nine steals against Abilene Christian last season to go along with 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds. 

Ty’Lissa Henderson, sophomore guard/forward (Kilgore College)

Henderson averaged 8.0 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game in her lone season with the Kilgore College Rangers. Henderson had 13 games where she scored double figures including a career-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor.

Asianae Nicholson, senior forward (Bethune-Cookman)

Nicholson averaged a double-double with 12.8 points per game and 12.0 rebounds per game in her single season at Bethune-Cookman, which included a season-high 26 points against Fort Lauderdale and a 17-point, 19-rebound outburst against Grambling State. She ranked second in the nation for double-doubles with 22 and led the SWAC in rebounds (367).

Karen Nimo, sophomore guard (Eastern Florida State)

Nimo, who started 11 of 31 games played as a freshman at Eastern Florida State, averaged 10 points per game, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per outing. Nimo, a Butler High graduate, began playing varsity basketball as a senior, averaging 17.5 points per game during the Bulldogs’ six region and state tournament games, including a game-high 25 points in the 4AA semifinals. 

Alana Rouser, sophomore forward (Florida Atlantic) 

Rouser is familiar to the 49ers after coming over from AAC rival Florida Atlantic, where she started 25 of 28 games played as a freshman. 

She scored a career-best 14 points in a loss at Charlotte on February 22. In the other two games against the 49ers, she scored 10 points and hauled down eight rebounds on Jan. 22 and three points with eight rebounds on March 8. 

Caitlin Staley, junior forward (Western Kentucky)

Staley, who played two seasons at Western Kentucky and Odessa College, earned Conference USA Freshman of the Week twice and led WKU in field goal percentage and blocked shots. 
Her 42 blocks were third most in CUSA, with her career high of six in a game. 

At Odessa College, she played in 24 games and made seven starts while averaging 8.0 points per game. 

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