WWE releases former HBCU national champion

WWE has officially released Kayden Carter. The veteran pro wrestler spent the greater part of the past decade at the top of the sport and was one-half of the previous women's tag team champion duo with Katana Chance.

Before Carter earned her spot with the WWE, she was known by her real name, Allyssa Lane, and was part of Shaw University's 2011-12 women's basketball NCAA Division II national championship team. Her success wasn't limited to the hardwood as she graduated magna cum laude before making a jump to wrestling in 2018.

Carter's journey from HBCU champ to a long run inside professional wrestling set the mark for a few others. She tried her hand at sports-entertainment and learned to mix it up in the ring from two of the best brawlers around, WWE Hall of Famers The Dudley Boyz, according to her WWE bio. 

"Carter didn’t choose to limit herself to only a smash-mouth style. Instead, she took her trade to Mexico, learning the art of lucha libre and maximizing her natural awe-inspiring athleticism with high-flying attacks."

In a significant series of roster moves, WWE released several talents, including Carter and Chance, as part of its post-WrestleMania adjustments. The duo last wrestled on the April 11th episode of WWE SmackDown, competing in the WWE Women's Tag Team Title #1 contender-ship gauntlet. They were moved from WWE Raw to WWE SmackDown as part of the transfer window.  

The announcement came on May 2, marking the end of Carter’s seven-year tenure with the company.