LEXINGTON, Ky. -- University of Kentucky women’s basketball junior guard Linnae Harper (pictured) has elected to transfer from the team, head coach Matthew Mitchell announced Monday, Oct. 26.

“Linnae has decided to leave our program and seek a transfer elsewhere,” Mitchell said. “We appreciate everything Linnae gave our program in her two years here and we wish her nothing but the best on and off the court moving forward.”

Last season, Harper started 17 games, averaging team-leading 7.1 rebounds and 11.4 points.

Kentucky will begin its 2015-16 season on Sunday, Nov. 8 with an exhibition game vs. Union University at 5 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum. Admission to the game is free. The Wildcats kick off regular-season play on Friday, Nov. 13 vs. Rice at 7 p.m. ET at home.

The Wildcats return two starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament team – the school-record sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance for Kentucky – in guards Janee Thompson and Makayla Epps. Mitchell and Co. also return forwards Alexis Jennings and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers and centers Alyssa Rice and Ivana Jakubcova.

Six newcomers complete the roster for Kentucky, including last year’s Junior College Player of the Year, Evelyn Akhator. True freshman guards Maci Morris, Taylor Murray and Morgan Rich join forward Batouly Camara and look to make an immediate impact in their first season with Kentucky. Cincinnati transfer Makenzie Cann will sit out the entire 2015-16 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

“I am very excited about the team that we have and the work we are putting in as the season nears,” Mitchell said. “We have another challenging schedule this season, especially in the nonconference, and it’s important we don’t waste any opportunity to improve this preseason as we head into our season opener vs. Rice.”

UK Athletics Photo