LOWELL, Mass. — UMass Lowell Women's Basketball Head Coach Jon Plefka has announced seven newcomers joining the River Hawks for the 2025–26 season. The group features a blend of international talent, collegiate experience, and homegrown talent set to strengthen the program's foundation for the year ahead.

"We are thrilled to welcome this incredible group of newcomers to Lowell," exclaimed Plefka. "Each of them brings unique strengths, energy, and a true passion for the game. Their dedication and drive have already elevated our program. We can't wait for everyone to see the impact they'll make on and off the court this season."
 
#2 Jaini Edmonds
Guard | 5'9" | Worcester, Mass. | LIU / UMass Lowell
Previous Experience:
Edmonds returns to UMass Lowell after spending the 2023–24 season with LIU. During her first three seasons with the River Hawks (2020–23), she started 62 of 71 career games, averaging 9.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game as a junior while leading the team in both three-point percentage (33%) and free throw percentage (83%). She scored a career-high 22 points against New Hampshire during the 2022–23 season.
Personal:
The daughter of Lynn Rocker and Nickey Brown, Jaini has four siblings: Darryus, Dymani, Jaidyn, and Naira. A Worcester, Mass. native and graduate of Holy Name Central Catholic High School, she was a three-time Central Mass Conference All-Star and 1,000-point scorer. Off the court, she enjoys watching Netflix and playing video games, and lists the Boston Celtics as her favorite professional team.
#4 Paris Gilmore
Guard | 5'7" | Youngstown, Ohio | Detroit Mercy
Previous Experience:
Gilmore transfers to UMass Lowell after one season at Detroit Mercy, where she was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. She appeared in all 33 games with 15 starts, averaging 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, while ranking fourth on the team in made three-pointers (21). A 1,000-point scorer at Warrensville Heights High School, Gilmore was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection and All-State Special Mention honoree.
Personal:
The daughter of Erin and Jason Gilmore, Paris has five siblings: Braijon, Jakhi, Joc, Jason, and Jayshaun. She is majoring in Public Health with a minor in Business. Off the court, she enjoys drawing and gaming, and lists Kyrie Irving among her biggest basketball influences.
 
#5 Sabrina Larsson
Guard | 5'8" | Uppsala, Sweden | Hofstra / Independence CC
Previous Experience:
Larsson comes to UMass Lowell after competing at Hofstra University and Independence Community College. At Independence, she earned All-KJCCC Honorable Mention honors, starting all 31 games and averaging 10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, including a season-high 24-point performance against Seward County. She also averaged 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game during her time at Hofstra. Before coming to the U.S., Larsson played in Sweden's top league with KFUM Uppsala.
Personal:
The daughter of Zaina Larsson, Sabrina has four siblings: Neema, Kassandra, Hawa, and Nils. She is majoring in Economics with a minor in Business. Larsson enjoys playing piano, drawing, and spending time with family. She speaks three languages—English, Swedish, and Swahili—and says hitting her first buzzer beater remains one of her favorite basketball memories.
 
#11 Tyanna Medina
Guard | 5'7" | Lawrence, Mass. | Lawrence High School
Previous Experience:
Medina joins the River Hawks after a standout career at Lawrence High School, where she was a two-time Merrimack Valley Conference First Team selection. She also competed for the Mass Rivals club program under Coach U.
Personal:
The daughter of Ylavanessa Cirino and Erick Medina, Tyanna has four siblings: Myalee, Jaylis, Yainaly, and Nayzell. She plans to major in Exercise Science. Medina enjoys dancing and making TikToks in her free time. She chose UMass Lowell for its strong mix of athletics and academics close to home.
 
#13 Klimentina Modeva
Center | 6'8" | Ohrid, Macedonia | Weatherford College
Previous Experience:
Modeva joins the River Hawks following one season at Weatherford College, where she appeared in 26 games and averaged 4.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game, shooting 42.1 percent from the field. Before coming to the U.S., she competed for ZKK Struga 2009 in Macedonia under Coach Vladimir Djorovic and attended OEMUC sv. Naum Ohritski in her hometown of Ohrid.
Personal:
The daughter of Valentina Karagule Modeva and Hristo Modev, Kiki has one sister, Gabriela. She is majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Cyber Security. Modeva enjoys reading and describes herself as a fan of the Indiana Fever and One Piece.
 
#18 Anabel Latorre
Center | 6'2" | Zaragoza, Spain | Middle Tennessee / Florida A&M
Previous Experience:
Latorre joins the River Hawks as a graduate transfer after stints at Middle Tennessee and Florida A&M. During the 2023–24 season at Florida A&M, she appeared in 22 games, averaging 1.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest. Prior to that, she saw action in multiple seasons with Middle Tennessee, collecting six rebounds in her career-best outing. Before college, she starred for John Madejski Academy in Reading, England, earning MVP honors at the U18 National Cup and helping lead her team to multiple national championships.
Personal:
The daughter of Feli Ciria and Santiago Latorre, Anabel is pursuing her MBA at UMass Lowell. She chose UMass Lowell for the opportunity to compete at a high level while earning a graduate degree. Outside of basketball, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends.
#24 Adna Halilbasic
Forward | 6'2" | Recklinghausen, Germany | Louisiana Tech
Previous Experience:
Halilbasic transfers to UMass Lowell after appearing in six games at Louisiana Tech, where she scored seven points during the 2024–25 season. Before her time in the U.S., she played for Citybasket Recklinghausen in Germany, where she helped capture multiple West German and national championships, including a third-place finish at the 2024 WNBL German Championship. A member of both the U16 and U18 Bosnia National Teams, she represented her country in the European Championships from 2022–2024, earning a fourth-place finish with the U18 squad in 2023.
Personal:
The daughter of Elvisa and Samir Halilbasic, Adna has one brother, Adel. She is majoring in Architecture. In her spare time, she enjoys drawing and spending time with family and friends. Halilbasic speaks three languages—German, Bosnian, and English—and cites winning the German Championship as her favorite basketball memory.