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BYU women’s basketball team adds a pair of transfers

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars head coach Jeff Judkins reacts to a call by the official's, in Basketball action, Brigham Young Cougars vs. the Utah Utes, Saturday, December 10, 2016.

  | April 15, 2020, 8:19 p.m.
| Updated: 8:20 p.m.

The BYU women’s basketball lost three players, including two starters, to graduation this year, but they’re replenishing their roster with two transfers and a returned missionary.

On Wednesday, coach Jeff Judkins announced that Tegan Graham and Kayla Belles will join the Cougar program for the 2020-21 season.

Graham, a New Zealand native, is a 6-foot guard who played the last four years at Colgate University and has one more year of eligibility left.

Graham ranks sixth all-time in 3-point field percentage, 12th in blocked shots and 14th in field goal percentage at Colgate. She played in a total of 98 games while starting 47, and tallied 700 points for a 7.1 average, grabbed 272 rebounds for a 2.8 average, dished out 197 assists and recorded 53 blocks and 71 steals.

The Colgate transfer shot 42.6% from the field, 33.8% from behind the arc and 75.7% from the free-throw line.

“Tegan is a good, solid player that can play either the 3 or 4 positions,” Judkins said. “She's really good at moving the ball. She'll bring a lot of experience with her. She's a versatile player that will give us depth.”

Belles is a 6-foot-3 forward from Ithaca, Mich., who played at Michigan State for the last two years.

Belles played in 49 games starting in 17 in her two seasons with Michigan State and averaged 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds while tallying a total of 267 points, 170 rebounds, 12 assists, 29 steals and 39 blocks. She shot 45.4% from the field and 56.7% from the free-throw line.

“We’re excited to have Kayla,” Judkins said. “We recruited her when she was in high school so we’re happy to get her here. She’s physical and her size and inside presence will be a great help for us. She got to play in a big conference for two years and that experience will be an added plus for us.”

Tahlia White, an Orem native and Mountain View High School product, is currently serving a church mission in Spokane, Wash., and also will be back in time for 2020-21 season. Prior to leaving for her mission, White’s freshman season at BYU was cut short due to a meniscus injury.