For Vic Schaefer, the sting of a Final Four exit was just the opening act. Now, a mass exodus via the transfer portal threatens to derail his Texas program entirely.
Apparently, three of Texas’ top four returning scorers have entered the transfer portal -Jordan Lee (13.2 PPG), Justice Carlton (8.5 PPG), and Aaliyah Crump (7.9 PPG). Moreover, this also comes at a time when the program was ready to lose Kyla Oldacre (10.5 PPG) and Rori Harmon (8.4 PPG, 6.3 APG) due to exhausted eligibility, which would definitely add some creases on Schaefer’s forehead.
Three of Texas’ top four returning scorers have entered the transfer portal:
Jordan Lee (13.2 PPG)
Justice Carlton (8.5 PPG)
Aaliyah Crump (7.9 PPG)This comes as the program was already set to lose Kyla Oldacre (10.5 PPG) and Rori Harmon (8.4 PPG, 6.3 APG) due to exhausted… pic.twitter.com/YHevwm8uzu
— I talk hoops
(@trendyhoopstars) April 8, 2026
This exodus is a worrying factor indeed, leaving Schaefer scrambling to rebuild after back-to-back Final Four appearances. Interestingly, Jordan Lee (13.2 PPG), Justice Carlton (8.5 PPG), and Aaliyah Crump (7.9 PPG) all entered the transfer portal within days of each other. They were the backbone of the team.
Jordan Lee, in fact, was the second-highest scorer right after Madison Booker with her points, and you can well imagine what it would do for Schaefer losing out on her, along with Carlton and Crump. The departures create a massive scoring and leadership void, stripping away much of Texas’s offensive core.
Schaefer’s Longhorns Look To Rebuild Amidst Player Loss
Vic Schaefer has had quite a dream run, advancing to back-to-back Final Fours in 2026, cementing itself as one of the nation’s elite programs. Surging to the semi-finals on a 35-4 win-loss record, the team looked unstoppable.
Mind you, they were the only team this entire season who were able to beat UCLA (76-65), and the only blemish on Cori Close’s statistics is courtesy of that dent they took against Texas. For Texas, it wasn’t just individuals but the joint efforts of individuals who laid their hearts out for the team.
The team’s strength was its balance, from second-leading scorer Jordan Lee, who started 38 of 39 games, to the reliable freshman presence of Justice Carlton and the veteran playmaking of floor general Rori Harmon.’
This was a team that had no weaknesses and deservedly lost out to the eventual champions, UCLA. But now those stars are gone, and we usher in a new era.
Texas will look to welcome newcomers who will now be the future of the Longhorns. Brihanna Crittendon, a four-star recruit from Thornton, Colorado, who is a dynamic guard with scoring ability, along with Addison Bjorn (No. 10 nationally), a versatile forward, will now come on to be the mainstay for Texas.
Then there’s Aaliah Spaight and Amalia Holguin, both four-star recruits who have already been given the letters of intent to bolster the ranks. Don’t forget the highly touted Isime Etute, too, who is again going to be another player Schaefer will get to work with this upcoming season, so we will have to wait and see how it goes.
Schaefer has proven he can build elite teams, but replacing this much production at once will be his toughest challenge yet in Austin.
