Kim Barnes Arico and the Michigan women's basketball team suffered a major hit on Tuesday morning when leading scorer and star player Laila Phelia entered the transfer portal.

The Next Hoops' Talia Goodman first reported the news.

Phelia has been the face of the program ever since Naz Hillmon's departure, and she will now find a new home after three seasons with the Wolverines.

As a freshman in 2021-22, Phelia helped Michigan to the Elite Eight by scoring 8.8 points per game in 22.9 minutes per contest. She played in 29 games and started in 14 as she emerged and helped the team to the regional final, where it lost to Louisville.

Her freshman season was highlighted by a 24-point performance in Michigan's 98-90 win over Iowa at Crisler Center.

As a sophomore, Phelia dealt with injuries, but she still managed to nearly double her scoring average, increasing it from 8.8 to 16.7. She increased her field goal percentage by more than six percentage points, and her 3-point shooting percentage increased by nearly 14 percent.

In 2023-24, Phelia's junior season, she was left having to carry the team at certain points. Michigan lost Leigha Brown and Emily Kiser from the 2022-23 team, and Phelia was clearly the team's best player.

She averaged 16.8 points as a junior, but nearly every other statistical category saw a decrease from her sophomore year.

Barnes Arico brings in a promising recruiting class with Syla Swords, Olivia Olson, both of whom rank in the top 15 in ESPN's recruiting rankings, but the loss of a senior leader in Phelia will be incredibly tough for the Wolverines to replace.

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