USC women’s basketball has a new piece for its 2026-27 roster, and the Trojans are bringing in Belarusian guard/forward Alesia Talkouskaya, sixth-year head coach Lindsay Gottlieb announced Friday, Sept. 18.
Talkouskaya arrives after spending the last two years with Horizont Minsk, a professional club in Belarus. In the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot guard/forward put up 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals over 29 games, helping Horizont Minsk finish with a bronze medal in the Belarusian Women’s Basketball Championship.
“We're so happy that Alesia is finally here with us as she will be an important part of our Trojan family,” said Gottlieb. “She's a versatile guard/forward who fits into our style of play with her tenacity on the defensive end and varied skill set.”
“Identified as one of the top young players in Belarus, we have so much respect for the effort and resilience it has taken for her to get to Los Angeles and USC, and we're excited for our fans to meet her.”
Her resume with Horizont Minsk also includes a 2024 Belarus Cup title, when she was in the starting lineup. Before that, she played for the Republican State School of Olympic Reserve (RGUOR) and suited up for the Belarusian U16 team.
Talkouskaya has also made her mark in 3x3 basketball, winning gold in the girls’ tournament at the 2024 Children of Asia International Sports Games in Yakutsk, Russia.
A native of Smorgon, Belarus, Talkouskaya was born Oct. 14, 2008. She joined USC at the start of the 2026 fall semester.
The Trojans open the 2026-27 season on Nov. 2 in Las Vegas, Nev. against UNLV at the TNT Hall of Fame Series at Michelob Ultra Arena.
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