NCAA champion UCLA transfer portal class ranks No. 5 in the country

In one way or another, next year will be a step back for the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team. That’s not to say they can’t have a very good season, it just won’t be the 37-1 season that wrapped up last month with an NCAA championship.

UCLA head coach Cori Close didn’t bask in the glory for too long though, hitting the portal and landing replacements for the six Bruin seniors the team lost to the WNBA Draft. UCLA was active in the portal, giving Close plenty of talent at her disposal for the 2026-2027 season.

ESPN’s Michael Voepel released a ranking of the five best portal hauls in women’s college basketball this season, having the UCLA Bruins at No. 5. UCLA added Addy Brown from Oklahoma State, Elina Aarnisalo from North Carolina, KK Bransford from Notre Dame, Donovyn Hunter from TCU and Bonnie Deas from Arkansas.

“The national champions lost six players to the WNBA draft. Of those, four were transfers who didn't start their college careers at UCLA but helped the Bruins win this year's title,” Voepel wrote. “They leave huge shoes to fill, but the portal will help again. Brown, Aarnisalo, Hunter and Deas were double-digit scorers this past season, and Brown also is a strong interior defender.”