Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
The Journey Continues, Four Tar Heels Headed To European Pro Circuit
August 7, 2025 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Following their time donning Carolina blue, four Tar Heels are set to begin their professional careers by hopping the pond and heading to multiple teams throughout Europe. Lexi Donarski, Maria Gakdeng, Grace Townsend and Alyssa Ustby have each inked pro contracts with various leagues throughout multiple countries.
"We are thrilled that all four of our departing seniors are continuing their basketball careers. To be a pro has been a lifelong dream for each, and with hard work, consistent development, and by trusting the process, they have achieved this special opportunity," said Courtney Banghart. "We recruit talented players and take pride in developing pros. The entire Carolina community look forward to cheering them on in their next step."Â
Donarski is headed to Hungary, where she will play for TFSE-MTK based out of Budapest. The team remains competitive throughout its league, finishing sixth this past season and reaching the Hungarian Cup semifinals. In her two seasons in Chapel Hill, Donarski made her mark including 86 made threes this past season to rank fifth in a year all-time at UNC. The sharpshooter also drained 39.8% of her shots from beyond the arc, to rank No. 10 in a single-season for the Tar Heels.
Gakdeng will be making her way to Hungary as well, signing a contract with KSC Szekszárd in the southern part of the country. This past year, KSC Szekszárd reached the quarterfinals of the Hungarian Cup and boasts two Eurocup appearances within the last four years. Earning second-team All-ACC accolades this past season, Gakdeng proved to be a problem in the paint in her two seasons for Carolina. She wrapped her collegiate career ranked No. 9 in ACC career field goal percentage, shooting 59.2% from the field. This past year, Gakdeng drained 58.7% of her shots to rank No. 3 in a single-season at Carolina.
Following her final year of collegiate action, spending this past season as a grad transfer with the Tar Heels, Townsend is headed to Sweden to pay with KFUM Ostersund. The guard appeared in all 37 games last year and ranked second on the team with an average of 2.4 assists per game. Competing in the Swedish League, KFUM Ostersund last reach the league's semifinals in 2023.
Capping off her five years in Chapel Hill as the program's all-time leading rebounder, Ustby is Italy-bound, as she's set to play with Panthers Roseto. Currently in the Italian Serie A2, the team was a league finalist this past year and claimed the Bracket 1 championship. Ustby wrapped her UNC legacy with a total of 1,269 career rebounds to top the program record and finish No. 3 in ACC history. In her final year as a Tar Heel, Ustby posted 10.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game en route to first-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive team honors.
Stay up to date with the latest North Carolina women's basketball news on X at @UNCWBB, Instagram @UNCWBB and Facebook at Carolina Women's Basketball.Â
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"We are thrilled that all four of our departing seniors are continuing their basketball careers. To be a pro has been a lifelong dream for each, and with hard work, consistent development, and by trusting the process, they have achieved this special opportunity," said Courtney Banghart. "We recruit talented players and take pride in developing pros. The entire Carolina community look forward to cheering them on in their next step."Â
Donarski is headed to Hungary, where she will play for TFSE-MTK based out of Budapest. The team remains competitive throughout its league, finishing sixth this past season and reaching the Hungarian Cup semifinals. In her two seasons in Chapel Hill, Donarski made her mark including 86 made threes this past season to rank fifth in a year all-time at UNC. The sharpshooter also drained 39.8% of her shots from beyond the arc, to rank No. 10 in a single-season for the Tar Heels.
Gakdeng will be making her way to Hungary as well, signing a contract with KSC Szekszárd in the southern part of the country. This past year, KSC Szekszárd reached the quarterfinals of the Hungarian Cup and boasts two Eurocup appearances within the last four years. Earning second-team All-ACC accolades this past season, Gakdeng proved to be a problem in the paint in her two seasons for Carolina. She wrapped her collegiate career ranked No. 9 in ACC career field goal percentage, shooting 59.2% from the field. This past year, Gakdeng drained 58.7% of her shots to rank No. 3 in a single-season at Carolina.
Following her final year of collegiate action, spending this past season as a grad transfer with the Tar Heels, Townsend is headed to Sweden to pay with KFUM Ostersund. The guard appeared in all 37 games last year and ranked second on the team with an average of 2.4 assists per game. Competing in the Swedish League, KFUM Ostersund last reach the league's semifinals in 2023.
Capping off her five years in Chapel Hill as the program's all-time leading rebounder, Ustby is Italy-bound, as she's set to play with Panthers Roseto. Currently in the Italian Serie A2, the team was a league finalist this past year and claimed the Bracket 1 championship. Ustby wrapped her UNC legacy with a total of 1,269 career rebounds to top the program record and finish No. 3 in ACC history. In her final year as a Tar Heel, Ustby posted 10.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game en route to first-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive team honors.
Stay up to date with the latest North Carolina women's basketball news on X at @UNCWBB, Instagram @UNCWBB and Facebook at Carolina Women's Basketball.Â
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