Wisconsin women's basketball adds standout transfer forward, second addition of offseason
Wisconsin women's basketball adds standout transfer forward, second addition of offseason
Wisconsin women's basketball made its second splash of the 2025 offseason on Tuesday.
Roughly one week after Wisconsin added its first transfer addition in former NC State guard Laci Steele, the team has bolstered its frontcourt with a much-needed addition. Recently hired head coach Robin Pingeton landed a commitment from former Southern Illinois forward Gift Uchenna, the first signature splash of her tenure in Madison.
While Steele boasts an impressive high school resume -- 2023 Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year and Edmond-North High School's all-time scoring record -- she averaged just 1.7 points and 0.9 rebounds in limited minutes as a sophomore at NC State.
Uchenna, meanwhile, dominated at Southern Illinois in her first season of collegiate action. The Ebonyi State, Nigeria, native averaged 14.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 28.7 minutes per game. Her 12.8 rebounds were the second-most by any player in NCAA Division I, trailing only LSU star forward Aneesah Morrow.
Uchenna's rebounding talent is undeniable. She snared at least 15 boards in nine games last season, including a 21-rebound performance against Valparaiso on Dec. 29. She also collected 21 double-doubles during her tenure with the Salukis, highlighted by a 34-point, 17-rebound performance against IU Indianapolis in mid-November.
While Wisconsin will have a tough time replacing star forward Serah Williams, Uchenna could partially fill the void created by her departure.
Wisconsin now rosters eight players as of April 15. Four of those eight were true freshmen a season ago and saw limited playing time in the rotation. While Pingeton's task in transforming Wisconsin's program will take time, her first frontcourt transfer addition was key with both Williams and standout center Carter McCray gone to the portal.
The Badgers went 13-17 a season ago, a regression from their 15-17 output and WNIT appearance during the 2023-24 season. The team also went 4-14 in Big Ten play, barely securing a bid to the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. Pingeton's pedigree at Missouri immediately provides UW with an experienced presence on the sidelines. However, the Badgers' new staff has considerable work left as the program faces a top-down rebuild.
Uchenna's addition is a strong starting point. Her ability to translate her level of play to a challenging Big Ten Conference remains to be seen, but the potential is clear.
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