NC State women’s basketball adds first transfer. Meet the former UConn guard
N.C. State women’s basketball picked up its first signee out of the transfer portal on Friday.
The Wolfpack announced the addition of guard Qadence Samuels from Connecticut, who played two seasons for the Huskies.
Samuels appeared in 69 games, including five double-digit scoring games and seven games with five or more rebounds. She came off the bench during UConn’s trip to Raleigh in 2023, scoring 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting. She made four 3-pointers in the Huskies’ loss.
Samuels averaged five points and 2.6 rebounds per game in her freshman season.
During her sophomore year, Samuels came off the bench in 33 games, including the national championship against South Carolina. She averaged 1.3 points and 0.85 rebounds per game. She is expected to have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“We’re excited to add Qadence to the Pack,” head coach Wes Moore said in a statement. “She is someone we followed and recruited throughout her high school career. Offensively, she has the ability to score at all three levels. Her length and athleticism makes her a playmaker on the defensive end and a factor on the boards. I know our fans will enjoy her energy, as well.”
This is not the first time the Pack has signed a bench player from a national championship team. Former N.C. State and current Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers transferred after her freshman season at South Carolina, where she won a national title.
ESPN listed Samuels as the 41st best recruit in the Class of 2023 and a four-star prospect. She helped lead her high school to a first-place finish in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference as a senior. She averaged 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game as a junior.
Samuels, part of the same class as N.C. State guard Zoe Brooks, is from Forestville, Maryland.
This is the first transfer commitment for the Wolfpack after it missed out on several other targets, including former Georgia Tech guard Kara Dunn.
