TUCSON, Ariz. – Head women's basketball coach Adia Barnes has added Amari Carter and Shaina Pellington to the program as transfers for the 2019-20 season. Carter, who is a graduate transfer, will be eligible to play immediately while Pellington will have to sit out this upcoming season. Carter will have one year of eligibility and Pellington will have two after sitting out the 2019-20 season.
 
Carter, who is transferring from Penn State, played three full seasons for the Nittany Lions as she missed nearly her entire freshman season due to injury. In her last three seasons in State College, she played in 92 games while starting 90 of them, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and about two steals per game while playing 32.3 minutes per game. She has scored 966 points in her career and has made 113 three-pointers.
 
"Amari is a total package kid who will make an immediate impact for us," said Barnes. "She has great athleticism, can create her own shot and has a deadly three-point shot. She has played at an elite level and know what it takes to win. Amari is someone that will not only add value on the court, but she will add a tremendous amount off the court. She wants to win and her vision is directly aligned with our championship culture."
 
The Washington, D.C. native was a 2017-18 All-Big Ten Second Team honoree after averaging 14.2 points per game while leading all of the Big Ten with 2.6 steals per game. Her assist to turnover ratio of 2.1 was sixth in the Big Ten as well. Last season, Carter averaged 9.6 points per game while making 41 three-pointers, the second-most on the team.
 
"Coach Barnes and the staff were very open honest during the process," said Carter. "I loved the atmosphere and I also believe the Master's Program at the University of Arizona will help me after basketball. Lastly, I believe we can really build off of the momentum from last season and do something special, and I can't wait to be a part of that."
 
Coming into college, Carter was rated among the nation's premier guards in the country as she was ranked as a top-35 recruit by Prospect Nation (No. 16), Blue Star Basketball (No. 19), Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (No. 31), ESPN/HoopGurlz (No. 32) and All Star Girls Report (No. 35).
 
Pellington, who is coming to Tucson from Oklahoma, played two seasons in Norman and was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2018. In her two years, the Pickering, Ontario, Canada native averaged 13.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on 46% shooting in 25.5 minutes per game.
 
"Shaina is going to be an integral part of this program in the future and I am thrilled she decided to continue her career with us," said Barnes. "She is hands down one of the best athletes in the country with an unlimited amount of potential. I'm excited to work with Shaina and continue to develop her on and off the court. Her aspirations are to be a professional player and having her around, challenging and pushing our team, will make us better. Shaina's experience with the Canadian national team this summer will be incredibly valuable and I believe it will make her a better leader and will make her hungrier for success."
 
During her outstanding freshman season, Pellington was named 2018 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and was a unanimous pick for the All-Freshman Team. She was second on the team at 13.1 points per game to lead all Big 12 freshmen while being named Big 12 Freshman of the Week four times with seven 20-point scoring outings. Last year, she had five games with at least 20 points, including a career-high 33 against Western Kentucky. Pellington finished third on the team in scoring at 13 points per game and was also third on the team in assists.
 
"Coach Barnes and the rest of the staff really went out of their way to show me everything there was to know about the school, the team, and what it would be like attending the University of Arizona," Pellington said. "The one thing I really appreciate is how authentic everyone and everything was. I feel like I'm not just a part of a team, but a community of people who love me. I'm really looking forward to being able to play here and I want to be a part of putting Arizona on the map nationally and play in one of the most competitive conferences in the nation."

This summer, Pellington was named to the Senior Women's Canadian National Team roster that participated in a five-game European exhibition tour in Belgium (June 14-16) and Great Britain (June 18-19). She was one of two collegiate players on the team, which is ranked No. 5 in the world by FIBA.
 
Prior to her time at Oklahoma, Pellington was ranked as the No. 5 international prospect and the top international guard by ProspectsNation.com. She competed for Canada at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships and also led the Canadian U16 Team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Tournament in 2015.
 
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