CHICAGO – UIC women's basketball head coach Ashleen Bracey announced the program's first transfer ahead of the 2026-27 season. Lyla Kahrimanovic will be joining the Flames after stops at McNeese State (2024-25) and Salt Lake Community College (2025-26) with two years of eligibility remaining.

"Lyla is a such an exciting addition to our Flames Family," Bracey said. "She comes to us with both Division I and junior college experience.  She is a committed two-way player, with great size and length on the perimeter.  Lyla is a stat stuffer, and a match-up nightmare that impacts winning on both sides of the ball.  She possesses the leadership skills necessary to help to elevate our program on the court in the classroom and in the community."

Last season in Salt Lake City, Kahrimanovic appeared in 32 games for the Bruins, making 22 starts. The versatile wing averaged 11.5 points, a team-high 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.  

A focal point in the Bruins' offense, Kahrimanovic hit double figures in 19 games this past season, including four games where she had scored 20-plus points. She hit her career-high 22 points twice in the season, against Arizona Western College (Dec. 6) and North Idaho College (Jan. 22). Also, a strong free throw shooter, Kahrimanovic shot 77.9 percent from the charity stripe, ranking her seventh in the Scenic West Athletic Conference.

A consistent defensive presence, Kahrimanovic collected 74 steals (2.3 spg.) this past season.  Across the 32 games, the Bothell, Wash., native collects four-plus steals in eight games in the season, including a career-high seven steals in the Bruins' 61-34 win against North Idaho College on Jan. 22. Kahrimanovic also tallied 29 total blocks (1.1 bpg.) last season, collecting at least one block in 19 games.

Kahrimanovic was an integral part of leading Salt Lake Community College to a 22-10 record overall, going 10-5 against Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponents. The Bruins managed to place third in conference play, making it to the Region 18 Championship game before falling short to the College of Southern Idaho. Kahrimanovic closed out her time with the Bruins earning Region 18 All-SWAC First Team honors.

In her lone season at McNeese, Kahrimanovic played in 11 games, making three starts. She averaged 8.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game. The wing showcased her athleticism in the first few games of her collegiate career, scoring in double figures in her first three games, including her season-high 17 points in the Cowgirls' 99-19 win over Southeastern Baptist on Nov. 4, 2024. Focused in the classroom as much as she is on the court, Kahrimanovic earned a spot on the 2025 Southland Conference Honor Roll.

A four-year varsity starter splitting time between North Creek (Bothell, Wash.) and Woodinville (Woodinville, Wash.), Kahrimanovic was a two-time all-league player who earned team Most Valuable Player honors in her final season at North Creek (2021-22), averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore. She also had a presence on the club circuit back home in Washington, playing for FOH Seattle (2022-23), Tree of Hope (2021-22), and Zach Lavine Elite (2020-21).  

Kahrimanovic also has experience playing on the international circuit, playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U18 FIBA Women's EuroBasket tournament in Ploieti, Romania in 2024.

For more information on UIC women's basketball, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_WBB and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wbb and @uicflames).