Rutgers Women's Basketball lands Howard transfer Zennia Thomas
Rutgers Women’s Basketball is continuing to shore up its frontcourt in the transfer portal.
The Scarlet Knights have landed a commitment from former Howard forward Zennia Thomas, she announced on social media. The 6-foot-2 forward averaged a team-high 15.2 points and 7.9 rebounds for the MEAC champions.
Thomas spent two years with the Bison, helping lead the team to back-to-back 20-win seasons, and was previously at Kentucky for her first two seasons, redshirting in 2023-24. She will head to Piscataway for her final season.
Thomas’ background
Originally a native of Cleveland, Ohio, Thomas had a breakout senior season at Warrensville Heights (OH), with a gaudy 30.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. She earned Lake Erie League and District Player of the Year honors as a senior, after spending her first three years at Brush (OH).
As a true freshman with the Wildcats, Thomas averaged 4.4 minutes in ten games, including a season-high six points against Vanderbilt.
She then played in the first seven games of the 2023-24 season — the same year former Scarlet Knight Janae Walker played her freshman season at Kentucky — before being suspended indefinitely for “a disciplinary matter that is being handled internally,” in November. She was eventually dismissed from the team in January.
“We hold our players to a high standard at Kentucky,” former head coach Kyra Elzy said. “Unfortunately, when someone does not consistently meet those standards, I have to make the tough decision to dismiss them from the program.”
Thomas landed at Howard after entering the transfer portal that March. In her first season in the MEAC, she earned All-MEAC Third Team honors and made the All-MEAC Tournament team, as the Bison made it to the final before falling to Norfolk State. She averaged 12 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, leading the team on the boards and ranking second in blocks.
She took a step up — as did the team — in the 2025-26 season, leading the Bison to a 26-8 record and a 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to Ohio State. Thomas led the team in points, rebounds, minutes, and blocks, and scored 15 points while grabbing six rebounds against the Buckeyes in the 75-54 loss.
Thomas becomes the second forward addition in the transfer portal, joining Barton CC (KS) transfer forward Mary Akinde.
Rutgers Women’s Basketball Roster Breakdown
Guards: Deja Young (one year), Kennedy Brandt (one year), Lauryn Swann (two years), Mia Pauldo (three years), Mya Pauldo (three years), Chikae Desdunes (four years)
Wings: Zachara Perkins (two years), Jaylah Lampley (three years)
Forwards: Imani Lester (one year), Zennia Thomas (one year), PreciousGem Wheeler (three years), Mary Akinde (three years)
Years of eligibility remaining in parentheses.
Transfer Portal Tracker
| TRANSFERS OUT | DESTINATION | TRANSFERS IN | FORMER SCHOOL |
| Antonia Bates | N/A | Mia Pauldo | Tennessee |
| Nene Ndiaye | Oklahoma State | Mya Pauldo | Tennessee |
| Makylah Moore | N/A | Jaylah Lampley | Mississippi State |
| Yacine Ndiaye | N/A | Mary Akinde | Barton CC (KS) |
| Janae Walker | N/A | Zennia Thomas | Howard |
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