ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington head women's basketball coach Shereka Wright has officially announced the Lady Mavericks recruiting class for the 2026-27 season. The new-look roster will feature 11 talented additions.
 
Ahniyah Bennett, a 5-foot-6 prep guard from Connersville, Ind., averaged 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a senior to lead Connersville High School to sectional and regional championships and the Class 3A state semifinals for the first time in 25 years.

Bennett, a combo guard, was an All-Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference selection each of her last three years and earned all-state honorable mention honors as a senior. Additionally, she was named to the All-Senior Team by 765 Sports and was voted the most athletic player in Class 3A by Prep Girls Hoops Indiana.

Previously, Bennett was committed to run Division I-A track at St. John's University before reopening her recruitment for basketball. Connersville's 2024 Female Athlete of the Year holds school records in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump and was a state championship meet qualifier in the 100m and 200m.
 
"Ahniyah brings elite speed, quickness and a versatile two-way impact to our lineup," Wright said. "Her ability to break presses, create in transition and defend at a high level fits the direction of our program. Her fearless mindset and willingness to learn will be a great addition to our Lady Mav Family."
 
Chelsea Bishop, a transfer from Florida SouthWestern State College, was the Bucs' top scorer last season at 15.3 points per game. She and shot 49 percent from the field and 38 percent from the 3-point line.
 
The product of Flint, Mich., earned First-Team All-Citrus Conference and First-Team All-Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) honors. Bishop posted double-figure point totals in 21 of 27 games in 2025-26, including seven games with at least 20.
 
Previously, the 5-foot-9 guard spent her freshman season at Eastern Michigan, where she averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. She recorded a season-best 11 points against Central Michigan.
 
Bishop prepped at Grand Blanc High School where she averaged 17 points and four assists per game as a senior to earn Saginaw Valley MVP honors and lead her team to a state championship game appearance and a 23-5 record. She was a first-team all-conference and first-team all-state pick and was selected as the MVP of the Final Four. Bishop finished her high school career with more than 1,000 career points. 
 
"Chelsea is an aggressive downhill attacker who thrives in the open floor and finishes through contact," Wright said. "Her pace, decisiveness and relentless motor will push our transition game and intensity on the defensive end."
 
Katelyn Brinkley, a 6-foot-1 forward, played two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Region 23 team and was an All-Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) First Team selection in 2025-26.
 
She averaged 13.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore and had five 20-point performances. As a freshman, she averaged 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per contest while collecting five double-doubles.
 
A native of Ridgeland, Miss., she originally signed with Jackson State following her graduation from Ridgeland High School but redshirted the 2023-24 season.
 
As a high school senior, Brinkley averaged 12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 assists and was named to the Capital Sports All-State Third Team. She also was selected for the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game and nominated for the McDonald's All-American Game.
 
As a prep junior, she tallied 15.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game after averaging 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds her sophomore year.
 
"Katelyn is a 6-foot-1 athletic forward whose motor and versatility will help us on both ends of the floor," Wright said. "She can guard multiple positions, push the pace in transition, and present mismatches with her ability to shoot the ball from the outside."
 
Faith Carson, a 6-foot-4 junior-to-be, will join the UTA program after one season at Grand Canyon, where she appeared in 18 games, making three starts. She averaged 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds and had a season-high seven points at San Jose State.
 
Previously, the native of Buchanan, Mich., spent two years at Ohio State. She played in seven games as a true freshman before redshirting the 2024-25 season.
 
As a prep, Carson earned 2023 Associated Press Division III Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors, claimed Prep Girls Hoops Michigan Player of the Year accolades, was a finalist for Michigan Ms. Basketball and was nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year.
 
As a senior, she averaged 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.8 blocks per game. Carson was a first-team all-conference performer all four years and earned conference MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year honors during her time. She accumulated more than 1,000 career points (1,030) and 700 rebounds (708), while blocking 270 shots.
 
In volleyball, Carson was a three-time all-conference player who also earned league MVP and all-region plaudits.
 
"Faith is veteran post with a complete toolbox – board work, post moves and finishes at the rim," Wright said. "She has a high ceiling and we look forward to working with her."
 
Another addition to the roster is Morane Dossou, a 5-foot-11 senior forward from Charleville-Mézières, France, who played last season at New Mexico State.
 
Dossou saw action in 29 games with the Aggies, making 21 starts, and averaged 5.0 points and a team-best 7.7 rebounds per contest. She was named the Conference USA Player of the Week on Dec. 22 after finishing with 15 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and two blocks against Saint Mary's (Calif.).
 
As a sophomore at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College, she appeared in 39 games, earning 12 starting assignments. Dossou averaged 4.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game and had one double-double.

As a freshman, Dossou attended Independence (Kan.) Community College. For the Pirates, she totaled 4.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game. She played in 31 games, making 20 starts.
 
"Mo is an aggressive forward with a non-stop motor who runs the floor in transition and attacks the glass on every possession," Wright said. "Her energy and competitiveness will elevate our pace and our rebounding, and I'm confident she'll be a cornerstone for our program from day one."
 
Keshanti Gordon, a 5-foot-10 transfer from Murray State College, was an NJCAA Region 2 First Team selection as well as an Academic All-American. As a sophomore, Gordon started all 33 games and averaged 10.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She posted 16 double-figure scoring games on the year, including a 25-point contest.
 
As a freshman, the native of Paris, Texas, averaged 9.0 points and 2.7 rebounds. In all, she helped lead the Aggies to two conference championships, including a 15-1 league mark and 27-6 overall record in 2025-26.
 
As a prep at Paris High School, she was named District MVP and first-team all-district. In addition, she was the Red River Valley Athlete of the Week. She played club basketball for Next Step Athletes.
 
"Keshanti is a versatile wing with multi-level scoring ability that gives us a new dimension on offense and defense," Wright said. "Her work ethic, competitive spirit, and basketball IQ align perfectly with our culture and expectations."
 
Journee Hampton, a local star who helped lead Lancaster High School to its first-ever state championship in March, also will join the Lady Mavs.
 
The 5-foot-7 Hampton averaged 16.5 points, 3.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game while leading Lancaster to the 2026 Class 6A, Division II state title and a 33-5 overall record. She was named all-state and all-region by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC).
 
In District 11-6A action, she led the circuit in points (20.0), assists (6.7), steals (6.1) and blocks (2.4) per game and was named first-team all-district and co-MVP. Hampton also was tabbed to the academic all-district team. She topped the 1,000-point mark for her high school career.
 
Prior to Lancaster, she was a two-year varsity starter at Colleyville Heritage, where she averaged 16.6 points, 3.4 assists and 3.1 steals per game as a sophomore after posting 10.6 points, 1.7 assists and 3.0 steals as a freshman.
 
"We're thrilled to welcome hometown product Journee Hampton to our program," Wright said. "A point guard with elite basketball IQ, explosive quickness and a talent for turning speed into smart decisions, she embodies our city's grit and our team's vision."
 
Nisaa Muhammad, a transfer from Old Dominion, is returning to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex after playing two seasons in the Sun Belt Conference for the Monarchs. The rising junior appeared in 49 games at ODU, starting three times. She scored a career-high eight points against North Carolina Central in November.
 
As a prep, the 5-foot-10 point guard from DeSoto, Texas, helped the DeSoto Lady Eagles capture back-to-back Texas 6A state championships (2021, 2022) as well as a runner-up finish in the 2023. Muhammad was named the District 11-6A Freshman of the Year in 2020-21 and earned all-district honors in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
 
As a senior in 2023-24, she claimed Class 6A First Team All-State honors and was selected to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) All Star Game. She ranked 50th on the 2024 Premier Basketball Report Texas Player Top 100 list.
 
Muhammad comes from a basketball family. Her father, Reginald, played at SMU from 1985-90, while her older sister, Amina, finished her college career in 2026. She played her final two years at Oregon following two seasons at Texas.
 
"Nisaa brings a blend of size, guard skills, and a winning mindset," Wright said. "Her ability to create, defend multiple spots and impact games in crunch time aligns with our plan to play versatile lineups and contend for championships."
 
Liz Murphy, a 5-foot-9 guard from Yackandandah, Australia, played two seasons for Akron in the Mid-American Conference. Last year, the rising junior played in 27 games, making five starts, and averaged 6.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. Murphy shot 37.6 percent from 3-point range and nearly 90 percent from the free throw line. Her 35 made threes ranked second on the squad.
 
She appeared in 15 games for the Zips in the 2024-25 season after joining the squad in January and averaged 2.0 points while playing nearly 10 minutes per contest.
 
Murphy prepped at Albury-Wodonga in Yackandandah. She averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per contest as a senior en route to leading her squad to an undefeated 20-0 record.
 
"We're thrilled to add Liz Murphy, an experienced shooter to our roster," Wright said. "Her track record of delivering in big moments, plus her leadership and toughness will elevate our offense and stretch the floor. Liz has a high basketball IQ and that will translate quickly to us having success on the floor."
 
Ava Raymond, a two-time Louisiana state championship game MVP, helped Zachary High School to Louisiana state titles in 2024-25 and 2025-26. In the 2026 LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Championship, Raymond finished with a game-high 27 points, including the game-winning bucket with eight seconds left in a 53–52 victory. She added nine rebounds and five steals to earn the game's Most Outstanding Player honors for the second straight season.
 
As a senior, the 5-foot-10 combo guard averaged 18.8 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game and was a nominee for Louisiana's Gatorade Player of the Year. She was named to the LSWA Class 5A All-State First Team and was tabbed as the Most Outstanding Player. Raymond also was a two-time Metro Player of the Year.
 
Raymond scored more than 2,000 career points, was the only Louisiana senior on the McDonald's All-American list and played in the LHSCA All-Star Game. She was ranked one of the top five players in the state by Louisiana Girls Basketball Rankings.
 
"Ava brings a proven winning pedigree and a versatile scoring punch to our team," Wright said. "Her state title experience and ability to impact the game from the wing align with our plans for depth, pace and competitiveness. We're excited to develop Ava and chase more championships together."

Amaya Williams, a 5-foot-7 guard from El Paso, Texas, joins the Lady Mavs following two standout seasons at Lamar Community College, where she developed into one of the team's primary offensive weapons and a consistent all-around contributor.

During the 2025-26 season, Williams started all 25 games and averaged 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while adding 2.6 assists per contest. She shot 42.4 percent from the field, totaling 410 points on the year, and connected on 131 free throws at a 68.2 percent clip. Her ability to score at all three levels and impact the glass from the guard position made her a constant match-up challenge.

In the 2024-25 campaign, Williams averaged 15.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, further showcasing her versatility and growth over her two-year junior college career.

A graduate of Eastwood High School in El Paso, Texas, Williams starred for the Troopers before continuing her career at Lamar CC.

"Amaya embodies our culture, competitive, selfless and commitment to personal growth," Wright said. "She is an excellent fit for our playing style and our identity as a team. She will provide an immediate spark to our guard position."