SAN ANTONIO – On Wednesday, UTSA head women’s basketball coach Karen Aston officially announced a trio of transfer portal signees in guard Kierra Merchant, forward/center Praise Egharevba, and guard Bhret Clay.
Kierra Merchant | 5-9 | G | Houston, Texas | Houston | Westfield HS
A 5-9 guard out of Houston, Texas, Merchant joins UTSA after a junior season saw her average 8.7 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game across 29 appearances and 14 starts. Standout performances include a season-high 21 points against UTSA on Nov. 8, 2025, and she logged 12 points and 14 rebounds against Rice on Nov. 11, 2025, for her first collegiate double-double.
As a sophomore, she made 22 starts and was one of two Cougars to appear in all 20 games, averaging 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game. She posted a career-best 30 points against Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 17, 2024.
In her freshman season, she saw action in 29 games, making five starts and scoring double figures in four contests.
Prior to her collegiate tenure, Merchant graduated from Westfield High School after attending Spring High School as a freshman and sophomore. As a senior, she charted 26.5 points per game and 11.2 rebounds per game, finishing 14-0 in district play. She was named District MVP twice, once at Spring and once at Westfield, and was crowned District Newcomer of the Year as a senior. She was a District Champion in her freshman, sophomore, and senior seasons. Additionally, Merchant clubbed with Cy Fair Premier.
She is the daughter of Keith and Fallon Redic-Merchant and has one brother, Keyshawn. At UTSA, Merchant will study psychology.
Head Coach Karen Aston on Merchant:
"We are thrilled to welcome Kiki to the Roadrunner family. When we started the process this spring, we identified her very quickly in being the player and person we wanted to infuse into our culture and our program. After meeting her and her family, it became even clearer that she belonged here. Kiki brings a versatile skill set and a unique scoring ability. She also is a menace on the defensive end and fits our style and needs perfectly. Roadrunner fans will love getting to know Kiki on and off the court".
Praise Egharevba | 6-3 | F/C | Bremen, Germany | Nottingham Academy | Oklahoma State
Egharevba makes her way to San Antonio as a redshirt senior after appearing in 91 games for Oklahoma State, making six starts. As a redshirt junior, she saw action in 34 games, averaging 2.0 points and 3.1 rebounds, with 18 blocks and 14 steals, after appearing in 31 contests as a redshirt sophomore, averaging 2.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. In her redshirt freshman campaign, she made six starts and 26 total appearances, averaging 3.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, with 12 total blocks.
Prior to her time in Stillwater, she prepped at Nottingham Academy in England, where she posted 11.3 points per game and 11. 6 rebounds per game, earning WBBL Young Player of the Year honors.
Egharevba is the daughter of Orue Egharevba and has a brother, Jethrol Shawn Iguare, and a sister, Janae Orue. At UTSA, she will major in multidisciplinary studies with the goal of becoming a dietitian following her basketball career.
Head Coach Karen Aston on Egharevba:
"So happy to welcome Praise to UTSA. In the time we have had to get to know her, it was obvious she is a perfect student-athlete to fit into the culture of our women’s basketball program here in San Antonio. Praise is a tireless worker that has played and contributed at a high level and will play a huge role in helping our program stay at a competitive level. She also is a young lady that our fans will love and migrate to with her infectious personality. Praise brings maturity and experience to our depth chart in the front court and a true sense of leadership. Again, her energy and competitive spirit will be a perfect fit for our style of play, and I can’t wait to get her on the court with our returning group".
Bhret Clay | 5-9 | G | Hobbs, N.M. | Hobbs HS | Air Force
Joining UTSA after her inaugural season at Air Force, Clay was recently named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team. She appeared in 34 games for the Falcons, starting 17, averaging 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds, with 22 assists, 34 steals, and 7 blocks.
Prior to her time in Colorado Springs, she helped Hobbs High School go 106-17 across her five seasons, earning a state title as a sophomore, with runner-up finishes as a freshman, sophomore and senior. The squad won five district championships and five district tournament championships. She broke the school record for career rebounds with 710, also scoring over 1,200 career points and swiping over 250 steals. Clay was a two-time All-State selection, also earning a pair of District MVP nods. She clubbed for Fam elite and Team Mo Jeff.
Clay also was a track and field state champion in both the distance medley and 4x800m relays, while breaking the school record in the 5k and earning a pair of First Team All-State nods in cross country. She got the job done in the classroom as well, posting a 4.0 GPA and ranking seventh in her class. She received an academic letter for four years and is a member of the National Honor Society.
She is the daughter of Tasha and Brett Clay and has two brothers, Cason and Jaron. Her father played college football at Ranger Junior College, and both brothers followed in his footsteps, with Cason playing at North Texas and Ventura College, while Jaron saw action at Washington State.
At UTSA, Clay will study premed, with the goal of becoming a doctor and opening a private dermatology practice.
Head Coach Karen Aston on Clay:
“Bhret is another player who is a perfect fit for our culture here at UTSA. Our staff had a prior relationship with her and her family when she was in high school, so we identified her very quickly when she entered the portal. Bhret’s versatility on offense and defense fits a need we have on the perimeter to boast our depth, and I am thrilled that she is joining our team. Along with her on-court skills, she also is a high achiever in the classroom and someone we are proud to bring on board”.
Keep up with UTSA Women's Basketball on goutsa.com and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSAWBB, X (Twitter) @UTSAWBB, and on Instagram @UTSA_WBB.
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