West Virginia University women’s basketball head coach Mark Kellogg announced on Apr. 23 the addition of Khyala Ngodu to the program for the 2026-27 academic year.
Ngodu, a center from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will join the Mountaineers after playing three seasons of collegiate basketball and starting her career at the University of Central Florida. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
“We’re thrilled to add Khyala to our Mountaineer Women’s Basketball program. She’s a proven Big 12 post with great size, toughness and versatility, and her ability to score, rebound and defend at a high level makes her a perfect fit for us,” Kellogg said. “She plays with relentless effort and physicality every time she steps on the floor, and her experience will bring immediate value to our team. Khyala is a great addition to WVU both on and off the court.”
Ngodu’s career statistics include 661 points (7.9 per game), 522 rebounds (6.2 per game), along with contributions in assists (82), steals (83), and blocks (65). In her most recent season as a junior at UCF, she played in 27 games—starting in 24—and was named an All-Big 12 Conference honorable mention.
Last season, Ngodu ranked second on her team with an average of 10.8 points per game while leading in made field goals (113), rebounds per game (7.0), steals per game (1.5), and blocks per game (1.3)—all marking career highs for her collegiate tenure. Within Big 12 conference rankings, she placed sixth in defensive rebounds per game (5.4), eighth in blocks per game (1.3) and tenth in total rebounds per game (7.0).
She recorded three games with at least twenty points and ten rebounds—a feat achieved by only four players within the conference last year—and was among fifteen players who posted five or more double-doubles during the season.
Her standout performance came against Houston when she became the only player nationwide that season to record at least twenty points, ten rebounds, four steals, and four blocks in one contest.
During high school at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Ngodu averaged fourteen point four points and twelve point one rebounds as a senior while also competing successfully on Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League circuit.
Ngodu plans to major in psychology while attending West Virginia University.
