Last Updated on March 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

The Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball program has had elite players from the early years of the sport at Kentucky through the modern SEC era, with dominant post stars, high-level guards, and national award winners all leaving their mark. Here are some of the most notable Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball legends. (UK Athletics)

1. Valerie Still

  • Years at Kentucky: 1979–1983
  • Position: Forward/Center
  • Notable Achievements:
    • Kentucky’s all-time leader in career scoring and rebounding
    • Held those marks across both the men’s and women’s programs
    • First female letterwinner in any Kentucky sport to have her jersey retired
    • Three-time All-American level standout and one of the foundational stars in program history
    • Remains one of the clearest no-debate legends the school has ever had (UK Athletics)

2. Rhyne Howard

  • Years at Kentucky: 2018–2022
  • Position: Guard
  • Notable Achievements:
    • Described by Kentucky as the most decorated player in program history
    • Three-time AP First-Team All-American
    • SEC Player of the Year multiple times
    • Helped lead Kentucky to the 2022 SEC Tournament title and earned tournament MVP honors
    • Became Kentucky’s first No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft (UK Athletics)

3. Victoria Dunlap

  • Years at Kentucky: 2008–2011
  • Position: Forward
  • Notable Achievements:
    • SEC Player of the Year
    • Kentucky’s first All-American since Valerie Still
    • Led the Wildcats to an Elite Eight run
    • Set single-season school records for steals and blocks
    • One of the most complete two-way forwards the program has produced (UK Athletics)

4. A’dia Mathies

  • Years at Kentucky: 2010–2013
  • Position: Guard
  • Notable Achievements:
    • Two-time SEC Player of the Year
    • AP All-American and one of the best guards in school history
    • Kentucky’s all-time leader in steals, games played, and games started
    • Finished second in program history in scoring
    • Central figure in one of the strongest stretches the program ever had (UK Athletics)

5. Makayla Epps

  • Years at Kentucky: 2013–2017
  • Position: Guard
  • Notable Achievements:
    • All-America senior season
    • Finished top five in program history in scoring and top eight in assists
    • Only player in school history to hit both of those marks at the time
    • One of the most explosive offensive guards Kentucky has had
    • Finished with six 30-point games, among the best totals in program history (UK Athletics)

6. Pam Browning

  • Years at Kentucky: 1974–1978
  • Position: Guard
  • Notable Achievements:
    • One of only two Kentucky women’s players to be named an All-American by Street & Smith’s
    • Ranks among the top career scorers in program history
    • Still holds the school record for highest scoring average in a season
    • Helped give the modern-era program one of its first true stars
    • Important early-era name in Kentucky women’s basketball history (UK Athletics)

7. Amber Smith

  • Years at Kentucky: 2007–2011
  • Position: Guard
  • Notable Achievements:
    • Member of the most successful senior class in Kentucky women’s basketball history
    • Helped lead Kentucky to multiple NCAA Tournament runs, including two Elite Eights
    • Ranked among the program’s career assists leaders
    • Long-time starter and steady backcourt piece during the program’s rise
    • One of the more important culture-setting players of the Matthew Mitchell era (UK Athletics)

8. Sarah Elliott

  • Years at Kentucky: 2004–2008
  • Position: Center
  • Notable Achievements:
    • SEC All-Freshman Team selection
    • Became one of the key interior players for Kentucky in the late 2000s
    • Earned SEC Player of the Week as a freshman, a first for a Kentucky freshman
    • Later made the preseason All-SEC team
    • Helped bridge the program into a more competitive era in conference play (UK Athletics)

Kentucky’s women’s basketball legends reflect how the program changed over time. Valerie Still and Pam Browning gave the school early star power, Dunlap and Mathies helped turn Kentucky into a serious modern contender, and players like Howard, Epps, Amber Smith, and Elliott carried that standard forward in different ways. Some were dominant scorers, some were tone-setting leaders, and some were all-around matchup problems, but together they represent the biggest names in Kentucky women’s basketball history. (UK Athletics)

Sources:

UK Athletics — “Where are they now: Still a fighter, school’s leading scorer.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Valerie Still To Be Honored With Jersey Retirement.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Rhyne Howard Becomes Kentucky’s First WNBA Draft No. 1 Pick.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “UK Athletics Title IX Top 50 to be Honored Throughout Weekend Events.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Howard SEC Player of the Year Again; Patterson on All-Defensive Team.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Historic 3-Peat: Rhyne Howard Named AP First-Team All-America.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Dunlap Named to Wooden Preseason List.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Dunlap Named to Wade Trophy Watch List.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “UK Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2019.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Makayla Epps.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Makayla Epps, Evelyn Akhator Named AP All-America Honorable Mention.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Makayla Epps, Evelyn Akhator Named WBCA All-Region.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “UK Adds Six in 2011 Hall of Fame Class.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Amber Smith.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Two Former UK Hoops Players Chosen for WBCA’s ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ Program.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Sarah Elliott Named SEC Player of the Week.” (UK Athletics)
UK Athletics — “Elliott, Mahoney Named Preseason All-SEC.” (UK Athletics)