Western Kentucky University women's basketball's Carla Bartee has been released from her scholarship with the Lady Topper program and has transferred back home to the University of Mississippi.

As a freshman at Western, the 6-0 Waynesboro, Miss., native averaged 11.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, playing in all 34 contests. She finished the year ranked 17th in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring and third in rebounding.

Bartee earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the 2004 Aeropostale Sun Belt Conference Tournament, averaging 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds during WKU's run to the championship game.

She also dropped in a season-high 32 points in the Lady Toppers' win over Memphis in the WNIT.

"We wish Carla the best of luck as she moves on with her collegiate career," said Lady Topper head coach Mary Taylor Cowles. "Obviously, it is always unfortunate when a player makes the decision to leave your program, but we are very excited about the talent level we have returning next season, along with the great recruiting class we have joining us."

The Lady Toppers return seven letterwinners from last year's 20-14 squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the postseason WNIT. That group includes all-Sun Belt guards Leslie Logsdon and Tiffany Porter-Talbert.

Cowles and her staff will also welcome six newcomers to the squad.