After an injury plagued season that started with 12 players and ended with just seven last year, Adia Barnes went into the 2024 season with a more conservative approach and a bulked up roster. With the start of the season still months away, the Wildcats have already lost one of those members. Arizona forward Ajae Yoakum, who joined the team as a graduate transfer this offseason, will be out indefinitely after she announced on Thursday via her Instagram that she underwent surgery on her left knee.
Arizona confirmed the post with an official release on Friday morning. Yoakum also shared the release on Instagram story with the caption “💔🥺 be back soon!”
Yoakum transferred to Arizona after spending the last two seasons at Florida International University. She appeared in 52 games during that time, with 15 starts in each of her two seasons. The six-foot forward was also named to the CUSA Honorable Mention Team last season. Prior to that, Yoakum began her collegiate career at Eastern Arizona College.
With Ajae Yoakum out indefinitely, Adia Barnes and Arizona now have eight healthy forwards listed on the roster, including South Carolina transfer Sahnya Jah and Serbian freshman Katarina Knežević, for a total of 13 healthy players.