Happy days are here again? UK women say ‘cheese’ as one

After an offseason filled with turmoil, the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team came back together publicly Monday with nothing but smiles to show for their trouble.

The Wildcats came forth for their annual photo day on the women’s court at the Joe Craft Center.

Head coach Matthew Mitchell enters his 10th season at Kentucky, and it could be one of his most challenging. The Wildcats return the core group from a team that finished 25-8 and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season, but several key players and recruits and all three assistant coaches left the program for a variety of reasons.

Mitchell enters the 2016-17 season with a seven-player roster of scholarship players and two walk-ons, but five of those players — Evelyn Akhator, Makayla Epps, Maci Morris, Taylor Murray and Alyssa Rice — played significant roles last season. Transfer Ogechi Anyagaligbo will not be eligible until 2017-18. Mitchell’s three new assistants are Niya Butts, Lin Dunn and Kyra Elzy.

Kentucky opens the regular season Nov. 11 against Miami (Fla.) in the Kentucky Classic at Memorial Coliseum.

This story was originally published August 22, 2016 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Happy days are here again? UK women say ‘cheese’ as one."