By Olivia Sayer
After entering last season as the only SEC school to not fall victim to the transfer portal, Georgia women’s basketball is getting a taste of college sports’ new normal.
The Bulldogs lost two players to the portal, as Zoesha Smith and Stefanie Ingram announced they will be taking their talents elsewhere. Smith will transfer to in-state rival Georgia Tech, while Ingram will return to her home state and play for Florida Atlantic.
Smith entering her name into the portal was a surprise. The graduate from Brunswick, Georgia, played in every game for the Bulldogs last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 9, 2024. Despite the setback, she finished as Georgia’s second-leading scorer behind Javyn Nicholson with an average of 9.9 points per game. Smith initially shared her intentions to transfer through an Instagram post.
“To the University of Georgia, thank you for allowing me to represent your university,” Smith said in a statement released on social media. “My experience here has been nothing short of incredible.”
Smith provided a steady presence at forward and was set to be a key returning piece for the Bulldogs. However, her positive energy is what will be missed the most throughout the Georgia locker room.
“She’s an amazing kid,” head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said after Georgia’s loss to Ole Miss Jan. 21. “She brings a different kind of energy to the team. She’s very fun loving, and she’s always a kid that was like ‘you got this, you got this, you got this.’”
Smith enrolled at Georgia prior to the 2020 season and saw her playing time increase as the years progressed. Her senior season, she tallied double digit points in eight of her 16 games played.
Ingram accumulated less statistics, but gained valuable experience during her second season in Athens. She was one of three redshirt-sophomores (Fatima Diakhate and Savannah Henderson) projected to have an increased role next season.
Last season, Ingram saw action in 28 of Georgia’s 30 games. As the year progressed, Ingram’s confidence began showing on the court. She recorded double-digit points in multiple games, including back-to-back wins in December. Ingram’s transfer now allows her to play closer to her home in Orlando, Florida.
While the Bulldogs are losing talented players in Smith and Ingram, they have no shortage of talent coming in. Georgia signed four of ESPN’s top 100 prospects, who will be making their way to Athens in the coming months.
Also Read: The state of Georgia women’s basketball’s roster after 2023 season