In late March, Gianna Kneepkens announced she would transfer for the final year of her collegiate career, ending her time in a University of Utah uniform.
On Thursday, the women’s college basketball world found out where she’s headed next.
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Kneepkens — the three-time first-team all-conference guard — is headed to UCLA, as first reported by ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.
She later announced the commitment on social media.
Kneepkens played alongside Inês Vieira, Kennady McQueen and Jenna Johnson the past four years as part of a group that made the NCAA tournament four straight seasons.
With Vieira, McQueen and Johnson exhausting their eligibility and with Kneepkens holding one more year of eligibility thanks to a medical redshirt during the 2023-24 season, the star guard out of Minnesota made the difficult decision to transfer.
She joins a UCLA squad that is well-stocked to make a run at the national championship next season, and Kneepkens adds to that arsenal.
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During her junior year in the 2024-25 campaign, Kneepkens averaged a career-best 19.3 points per game, while also shooting 50.4% from the field, 44.8% from 3 (12th nationally) and 89.% from the free-throw line (16th nationally).
Kneepkens averaged 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game as well while earning All-Big 12 first-team honors.
UCLA advanced to the Final Four this past season for the first time in school history, where the Bruins lost in the national semifinals to eventual national champion UConn.
Kneepkens’ offensive efficiency is among the best in the nation, and she is expected to bring another weapon to the Bruins’ charge to try and make the Final Four for a second straight year.
UCLA and coach Cari Close can pair Kneepkens with All-American center Lauren Betts, standout guard Kiki Rice and incoming freshman Sienna Betts, the No. 2 prospect nationally in espnW’s recruiting rankings.
