Gianna Kneepkens, a transfer from Utah, has officially joined UCLA’s women’s basketball team, announced by the player on Instagram on Thursday. This move comes on the heels of the Bruins’ first appearance in the NCAA Final Four.

UCLA boasted a top-20 scoring offense last season and retains its three leading scorers: Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, and Gabriela Jaquez. Although they lost long-range shooter Londynn Jones to USC, Kneepkens’ arrival is a huge benefit.

Last season, Kneepkens averaged 19.3 points per game, ranking 29th nationally, shooting an impressive 50.4% from the field, 44.8% from beyond the arc, and 89% at the free-throw line. Additionally, she contributed five rebounds and three assists per game, leading the Utes to their fourth consecutive NCAA tournament.

Given that both teams are in the Pac-12, Kneepkens is quite familiar with UCLA. Her former Utah coach, Lynne Roberts, has a good relationship with UCLA’s coach, Cori Close, which reportedly led to preseason scrimmages between their teams before Roberts transitioned to coaching the Los Angeles Sparks last November.

Kneepkens was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2022 and has achieved first-team All-Conference selection three times out of the four years, missing out only during her injury-plagued season.

The addition of Kneepkens only enhances UCLA’s already potent roster, especially with the addition of Lauren Betts’ sister, Sienna Betts, a highly ranked player in the class of 2025. Another boost for the Bruins will be the return of Charlisse Leger-Walker, a transfer from Washington State, who sat out last season due to an ACL injury.