Two NC State women’s basketball players hit the portal, including a top guard
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- Sophomore guard Zamareya Jones is entering the transfer portal with two seasons left.
- Jones averaged 14.9 PPG and 3.3 APG, doubling her scoring from a year ago.
- Center Mallory Collier will also the portal and is expected to have one season left.
N.C. State women’s basketball will lose a key backcourt player to the transfer portal.
Sophomore guard Zamareya Jones announced Wednesday that she intends to pursue other opportunities. She has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“After a lot of time, thought and reflection, I have decided to enter the transfer portal,” Jones wrote in a post on social media. “N.C. State will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will forever be grateful for the memories, relationships and experiences I’ve gained here. I’m stepping into this next chapter with gratitude, faith and determination.”
Jones, who played two seasons with the Wolfpack, thanked the coaching staff, her teammates and the fans .
“I want to thank the N.C. State women’s basketball program for the opportunity they have given me,” Jones said. “I am truly thankful and grateful for my time spent at N.C. State. It has helped shape me both on and off the court in ways I will always cherish.”
The sophomore was one of the most-improved players in the ACC this season. Jones doubled her production in scoring and rebounding, contributing 14.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. A year ago, she averaged 7.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per appearance. Jones also contributed 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals this season.
Jones’ decision comes after the Wolfpack’s season ended in the NCAA Tournament second round. No. 7 seed N.C. State lost to No. 2 seed Michigan, 92-63, in Ann Arbor. She had 16 points, five rebounds and nine assists.
In the game prior, the Pack picked up a 76-61 win over No. 10 seed Tennessee behind Jones’ career-high 30 points.
Jones reached double figures in four straight games and five of its last six.
The guard is originally from Greenville, North Carolina, and was a five-star recruit in high school. She earned McDonald’s All-America honors and was a member of the Naismith Girls High School All-America honorable mention team.
Additionally, Jones was the North Carolina Player of the Year in 2023.
The sophomore joins center Mallory Collier in the transfer portal. Collier, who announced her decision on Tuesday, came off the bench in three seasons with N.C. State, where she averaged 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 67 games played.
Collier, who played in 16 games this season, also thanked the staff, supporters and teammates. She said her time in Raleigh was special, but it has “come to a close.” She is expected to have one season of eligibility remaining.
“I am excited for this journey and all the new opportunities this journey will lead to,” Collier wrote in her announcement.
This story was originally published March 25, 2026 at 5:24 PM.
