University of North Texas Athletics
Women’s Basketball Adds Seven Newcomers
5/22/2026 10:47:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DENTON, Texas – The UNT women's basketball program added seven newcomers this spring, head coach Jason Burton has announced.
The spring newcomer class features six transfers and one freshman. Of the six transfers, two arrive from the junior college ranks while the others all competed at the Division I level last year. They will be joined next season by incoming freshmen Kyndal Graham, Arianna Johnson and Bralyah Miller, as well as returners Chania Price, Cherie Spencer, Shelby Thornton and Allison Rickman.
"This class brings in a ton of length, athleticism and shooting," Coach Burton said. "With this team, we'll have the ability to play more five-out lineups and more up-tempo on both sides of the floor. This team can play small ball or bigger lineups without losing our ability to stretch the floor, while still being a team that can defend at a high level.
"This will be the youngest team we've had since being at UNT, but I love the versatility and competitiveness of this group and the chance to retain more players. We've been senior-heavy the last couple of years, so we could only retain so many players. This year's team gives us a chance to do that more next spring."
Lucia Alvarez Ruiz l 6-1 l Forward l Freshman l Terrassa, Spain
Arriving from Terrassa, Spain, Lucia Alvarez Ruiz joins the Mean Green with several years of international playing experience. Most recently, she played for CBF Manresa in the Spanish Liga Femenina 2 throughout the 2025-26 season, helping the team to a 13-13 overall record.
Alvarez Ruiz spent the year prior competing at the LF Challenge and LF2 levels, making 19 total appearances between Adareva, Adareva II and Viladecans. She tallied 31 points, 16 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists in that span while shooting 8-for-31 from beyond the arc.
Just a freshman, Alvarez Ruiz attended Institut Montserrat Roig and will have four years of eligibility remaining.
Coach Burton on Alvarez Ruiz:
"Lucia brings more versatility to our team with the ability to play multiple positions at 6-1. We love her ability to shoot the ball, attack from the high post and perimeter and be someone that can set or use ball screens within our offense. She's another player on our roster that is a coach's daughter with a high IQ, and we are excited to have her in a Mean Green jersey."
KaMyra Barber l 5-8 l Guard l Sophomore l Wichita, Kan. l Hutchinson CC
KaMyra Barber heads to Denton after a breakout freshman season at Hutchinson Community College in which she became one of the best junior college players in the country. Barber was Hutchinson's leading scorer (13.2 PPG) and rebounder (6.8 RPG) and earned NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America recognition in addition to being named Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Conference by the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. She posted 26 double-digit scoring outings, six double-doubles and six games with at least 20 points.
In three games at the NJCAA Championship, Barber averaged 17.0 points and 10.3 rebounds to make the All-Tournament Team. That run included a 21-point, 17-rebound effort in the first round against Williston State College and an upset over fourth-seeded Northwest Florida State College to reach the quarterfinals.
A graduate of Wichita Heights High School, Barber led her team to the 6A state tournament semifinals and was an All-Metro Team selection after averaging 13.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.3 steals per game as a senior.
Coach Burton on Barber:
"KB is an elite guard that brings size, physicality and three-level scoring to our backcourt. She's also an elite rebounder from that spot and can start the break for us when she does so on the defensive end. And coming from Hutch, she knows how to win."
Otaifo Esenabhalu l 6-2 l Forward l Senior l Valdosta, Ga. l Longwood
An experienced and impactful paint presence, Otaifo Esenabhalu played in 94 games and made 22 starts over the past three seasons at Longwood. During that span, Esenabhalu averaged 7.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while compiling 21 double-doubles, 34 games with at least 10 rebounds and 30 double-digit scoring outings. She corralled 765 total boards over her career to rank seventh in Longwood history and posted back-to-back rebounding seasons that cracked the program's top 10 list.
As a junior, Esenabhalu appeared in 30 games and nearly averaged a double-double with 8.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in just 22.0 minutes per game. She led the Big South in rebounding and her 4.2 offensive boards per game ranked sixth in the country, ultimately leading to All-Big South Honorable Mention recognition. Additionally, Esenabhalu sat atop the conference with 13 double-doubles and shot 53.6% from the field and 70.1% on free throws.
Esenabhalu helped lead Longwood to a 13-win improvement as a sophomore, going from nine victories the year prior to a 22-12 record and an appearance in the WNIT. She had six double-doubles on the year and once again led the Big South in total rebounds after averaging 7.8 points and 8.2 boards per game. Her presence was also felt on the defensive end, leading the team with 23 blocks alongside 34 steals.
Coach Burton on Esenabhalu:
"When you think of UNT over the last three seasons, there has always been an elite interior rebounder and finisher. That is what Otaifo brings to the table. She plays with an elite motor, leading the Big South in rebounding last season in just 22 minutes per game, and is an efficient scorer at almost 54% from the field. OT will be big inside for the Mean Green."
Kalysta Martin l 6-2 l Guard l Junior l San Antonio, Texas l Texas Tech
Kalysta Martin was a highly touted four-star recruit out of San Antonio before heading to Texas Tech for her first two collegiate seasons. A graduate of Providence Catholic School, Martin was tabbed the No. 63 player in the country and No. 7 player from the state of Texas back in the class of 2024. She was a four-time TAPPS All-State and All-District selection and finished her prep career with 1,646 points, 1,024 rebounds and 254 blocks in just 72 games played.
During her junior campaign, Martin averaged an impressive 24.7 points, 14.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 4.2 blocks per game. She eventually graduated a semester early and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2024.
Nicknamed "Bird," Martin played in 20 career games for the Red Raiders. She went 4-of-7 from behind the arc in limited action as a freshman and made seven appearances as a sophomore before missing the rest of the season due to injury.
Coach Burton on Martin:
"Bird is an incredible talent that was a top 65 player in the nation out of high school. She has the ability to impact the game in a multitude of ways with her length, athleticism, high-level shooting and competitive nature. Her skillset gives her the ability to play 1-4 in our system. We are excited to get her in a Mean Green jersey."
Kendall Mosley l 5-11 l Guard l Sophomore l Prosper, Texas l San Diego State
A native of Prosper, Texas, Kendall Mosley spent her first collegiate season at San Diego State where she was named Preseason Mountain West Freshman of the Year. She made 18 appearances and averaged 2.2 points per game, shooting 45.5% from the field and 10-for-20 on 3-point attempts. That 50% clip from deep was the highest on the team.
Mosley scored in double figures twice, including her second career game against Cal State San Marcos in which she recorded 11 points and a pair of steals. In December, she matched that point total in a win over Boise State after playing a season-high 17 minutes and going 4-for-4 from the field, including three from behind the arc.
Before her time at San Diego State, Mosley completed a successful career at Prosper High School as the 2025 6A MVP, a two-time District 5-6A Offensive MVP and Texas Association of Basketball Coaches 6A All-Region Team selection. She tallied more than 1,700 points and 650 rebounds throughout her high school career and led Prosper to its first district championship since 2018.
Coach Burton on Mosley:
"We couldn't be more excited to bring Kendall back home. Kendall brings elite shooting, high IQ and a passion for the game and for winning that makes her an elite competitor. She will fit great in what we do."
Reza Po l 5-2 l Guard l Junior l San Bruno, Calif. l East Texas A&M
Reza Po is coming off a successful season at East Texas A&M where she made 29 starts and was the team's second-leading scorer at 12.8 points per game. She shot 44.4% from the floor, including a 38.3% clip on 3-pointers, and added 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Effective as both a scorer and facilitator, Po reached double figures 20 times and totaled 80 assists against just 48 turnovers on the year.
The top performance of Po's season came against New Orleans on Jan. 29, scoring a career-high 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting and six 3-pointers. She immediately followed that up with 24 points versus Nicholls the very next game, which ultimately earned her Southland Player of the Week honors. Po continued her productivity when facing elite competition as well, averaging 17 points across a pair of ranked matchups against No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 22 Oklahoma State.
Originally out of San Bruno, Calif., Po spent her true freshman season at New Mexico and tallied 2.8 points per game, 24 rebounds and 22 assists across 18 appearances.
Coach Burton on Po:
"Reza is an experienced, tough guard that excels playing up-tempo and did it with nearly a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio while dishing 80 assists last season. She's an elite shooter and big-time playmaker who will be great in our backcourt."
Taylor Rietveld l 6-1 l Forward l Junior l Woodbine, Ga. l Chipola College
Taylor Rietveld was one of the nation's top junior college players this past season, averaging 16.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game at Chipola College. A Second Team All-American and Player of the Year for both the FCSAA and Panhandle Conference, Rietveld shot 47.8% from the field, 41.4% on 3-point attempts and 86.7% from the foul line, which ranked fourth in the country. She led Chipola to a No. 1 overall ranking during the season before reaching the second round of the NJCAA Championship.
Rietveld scored in double figures in 26 of her 30 games played, including six with at least 20 points. Her best performance of the year came on Dec. 6 against South Georgia Technical College when she scored a season-high 41 points, made 19 of 20 free throws and grabbed 13 rebounds. She also tallied 28 points and eight boards in a win over Tallahassee State College and made six 3-pointers as part of her 22-point outing against Meridian Community College.
A native of Woodbine, Ga., Rietveld played in 25 games during her freshman season at Louisiana Tech. There, she averaged 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game while adding five steals and three blocks defensively.
Coach Burton on Rietveld:
"Taylor will be the next elite Mean Green forward to come to the program. We are excited for everything she will bring, especially the winning mentality she will add to our culture."
