College basketball’s addition of the transfer portal makes for vastly different rosters between seasons. That includes the UNC women’s basketball program, which saw a majority of its 2024-2025 production from portal additions.
North Carolina’s most impactful player last season – and largely over the previous four seasons – came into Chapel Hill as one of Courtney Banghart’s most underrated recruits.
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The player in question here is Alyssa Ustby, whose 1,269 career rebounds rank most in Tar Heels history. Ustby was a fringe prospect for this year’s WNBA Draft, even earning a Training Camp Invite with the Los Angeles Sparks, but not amongst the 38 Draft selections.
Ustby’s dreams of playing professional basketball finally came true on Monday afternoon, as she signed a deal with Italian club Panthers Roseto.
The Panthers, as a result of finishing Top 6 and making the Serie A2 postseason, earn a promotion to Serie A1 (top league in Italian women’s basketball.
Ustby nearly averaged a double-double for UNC last year, scoring 10.9 points and grabbing 9.5 rebounds per game. After five seasons at North Carolina, Ustby’s career averages amounted to 11.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
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The Tar Heels made their second Sweet 16 appearance in four seasons last year, beating Oregon State and West Virginia en route, before losing to archrival Duke. Ustby saved one of her best performances for UNC’s Round of 32 win against West Virginia, scoring 21 points (second-most in a game last year) and adding seven rebounds.
For Ustby, the hope is a few strong seasons overseas earn her WNBA looks. As the WNBA continues expanding – Cleveland, Philadelphia and Detroit will add teams between 2028-2030 – Ustby’s chances to play again in the United States increase.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC WBB star Alyssa Ustby inks first professional basketball contract
