(This story has been updated to reflect new information)
The FGCU women’s basketball program may have lost its head coach earlier this week when Chelsea Lyles resigned after less than five month on the job, but that’s not all. A handful of players are set to graduate from the program, or have entered the transfer portal, which opened Tuesday morning.
Here’s an update of the makeup of FGCU’s roster following their historic 30-4 season. It includes those slated to graduate from the program, those who can still come back, those whose statuses are uncertain, and those who have entered the portal.
Six key FGCU women’s basketball contributors graduating
Two-time ASUN Player of the Year Emani Jefferson, Dolly Cairns, Lauryn Taylor, Alahna Paige, Skyler Gill, and Khamari Mitchell-Steen have all exhausted their eligibility.
More: Chelsea Lyles never officially signed a contract to be FGCU’s head women’s basketball coach
Jefferson had arguably her best season in an FGCU uniform, averaging 14.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on 56.4 percent shooting, leading the program to a 30-4 record.
Cairns at times went quiet with four 0-point efforts but came alive down the stretch with 15 points against Austin Peay on March 8, 10 versus Central Arkansas on March 15, and 15 against Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Cairns averaged 9 points and 2 rebounds on 44.8 percent shooting from deep, a massive uptick from the 35.4 percent she shot last season.
More: FGCU women’s basketball coach Chelsea Lyles resigns after just one season leading Eagles
Taylor was a sparkplug aplenty when FGCU needed one inside, averaging 9.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this season on 46.5 percent shooting. Paige was a contributor off the bench for the Eagles, averaging 5.7 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game on 36 percent shooting from the field.
Mitchell-Steen and Gill were solid defensively, logging 69 and 32 steals, respectively. Mitchell-Steen averaged 9.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, while Gill averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds this season.
Four FGCU Eagles in transfer portal
Fifth-year senior Casey Santoro, freshman Kaelyn Flowers, Maca Retamales, and redshirt sophomore Cerina Rolle entered the transfer portal, according to On3’s Transfer Tracker.
Santoro transferred to FGCU before the start of the 2023-24 season from Kent State, averaging 4.3 points per game on 31.1 percent shooting. Santoro played in just three games last season before a knee injury ended her year just three games in. She has since announced her transfer to Youngstown State, just two hours from her home in Bellevue.
Despite only averaging 2.9 points per game, Flowers showed promise as the program’s lone true freshman down the stretch, averaging 4.8 points per game over FGCU’s final five games of the season.
Rolle is the most valuable piece of the bunch, having averaged 7.3 points per game while starting all 34 games this season. The redshirt junior added 4.4 rebounds per game and an assist per contest.
Retamales played for FSW from 2020-23 before transferring across town in 2023. She saw action in 11 games this year as a senior, averaging 1.3 points per game after averaging 3.3 points per game last year with the Eagles.
Three FGCU Eagles still have eligibility — if they want to
Based on our analysis, the Eagles have three players who can return next season. Jordan Campbell, Emani Theodule, and Karina Gordon have eligibility remaining.
Gordon averaged 2.6 points per game over 30 games played as a sophomore, adding 1.1 rebounds. Campbell averaged 0.9 points and 1.6 rebounds as a junior, while Theodule played in nine games this season, averaging 1.1 points per game as a redshirt sophomore.
Status uncertain on Antenucci, Mortag
The status of three Eagles remains in question, as Maddie Antenucci, Anna Mortag, and Maca Retamales each have unique circumstances.
Antenucci has been with the Eagles since the fall of 2020, giving her an extra year of eligibility because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Over the years, Antenucci made an impact and had a hand in FGCU’s success, but a season-ending injury in November cut Antenucci’s redshirt senior season short. It’s unclear as to whether or not she’ll use a medical redshirt to return to the program for a sixth year.
Lyles did indicate in the postgame press conference that Mortag — who hasn’t played a game in two years dating back to her senior season at Butler — would be a key piece slated to return to the program. “We’ve got Anna coming back,” Lyles said in Norman following FGCU’s 81-58 loss.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Next FGCU women’s basketball coach facing massive roster turnover heading into 2025-26
Reporting by Alex Martin, Fort Myers News-Press / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
