Becky Burke continued building a strong backcourt with the addition of Virginia transfer Kamryn Kitchen on Wednesday night. Kitchen signed with Virginia last year after reclassifying from the 2024 class but took a redshirt season.
Kitchen is a 5'9 guard who was the 57th-ranked prospect in the 2025 class per ESPN HoopGurlz before reclassifying to the 2024 class. In 2023 Kitchen was one of 14 players nationally to receive an invitation to Steph Curry's shooting camp, and she played for Team Curry on the travel circuit, per her UVA profile.
Kitchen provides Burke with a young player to begin building a roster for the future while bringing in experienced transfer guards Noelani Cornfield from Buffalo, Mickayla Perdue from Cleveland State and Tanyuel Welch from Memphis.
Kitchen initially chose Virginia over Illinois, Louisville Penn State, Marquette and Virginia Tech. Talia Goodman of On3 reported Kitchen entered the transfer portal with a do not contact tag. That likely meant that Arizona was Kitchen's chosen destination as soon as she decided to leave Virginia.
🐻⬇️ #runit pic.twitter.com/yd2b4nFGFG
— Kamryn Kitchen (@kamrynkitchen) April 17, 2025
Kitchen has four years of eligibility remaining, Welch has two and Cornfield and Perdue are in their last seasons of college basketball. Cornfield and Kitchen should give Arizona a good backcourt projecting to the 2026-27 season. Kitchen gives Arizona a sure power conference talent entering next season.
Earlier on Wednesday, reports emerged that Burke is hiring Lute Olson's granddaughter Julie Brase-Hairgrove as an assistant coach. Arizona is building a quality backcourt with depth and proven college production with Cornfield, Perdue and Welch. Adding frontcourt players will likely be the next step.
Forward Montaya Dew is the lone returnee on the Arizona roster. At 6'2, Dew provides Arizona with decent size on the front line if she can overcome the injuries that have plagued her throughout her collegiate career.