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Oklahoma State and UCLA lead the rankings in women's basketball transfer portal team updates. Most top players have chosen their new teams as the transfer portal season concludes.
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Itâs been more than a month since the transfer portal opened for womenâs college basketball. The dust has largely settled on a busy portal season and most of the top 100 or so players in the nation have picked new destinations.
We donât know how the players will fit in with new teammates, if they can thrive in different conferences, or how theyâll adjust to different coaching style.
But we know what the rosters look like, how good all these players have been in previous seasons and â judging from social media posts â we know which coaches are excited about their teams for next season.
âGrateful for players that believed in a vision and that had the courage to blaze their own path,â Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt wrote on X. âGrateful for a staff that worked tirelessly to make it happen.â
âWhen the staff gets it right in the portal and in the freshman class⌠Proud of our program,â Arizona State coach Molly Miller wrote on X. âThe work is the reward.â
Here are USA TODAY Sportsâ top 15 portal class rankings for womenâs college basketball:
Key additions: Audi Crooks (Iowa State), Liv McGill (Florida), Ellie Brueggemann (Lindenwood), Nènè Ndiaye (Rutgers)
Itâs difficult to argue any other team had a better portal haul than Jacie Hoytâs Cowgirls, who landed the nationâs second-leading scorer in Crooks, a dynamic guard in McGill, a sharpshooting deep threat in Brueggemann and a versatile forward in Ndiaye. Oklahoma State also picked up former Baylor guard Yuting Deng, Utah guard LA Sneed and Missouri State guard Zoe Canfield to shore up the Cowgirlsâ depth in the backcourt. Pairing all those pieces with returner All-Big 12 selection Stailee Heard makes Oklahoma State a team capable of a deep run in March.
Key additions: Addy Brown (Iowa State), Elina Aarnisalo (North Carolina), Donovyn Hunter (TCU), Bonnie Deas (Arkansas)
After winning the national championship, UCLA sent their top six players off to the WNBA. Aside from Sienna Betts, the roster seemed thin. But then coach Cori Close and her staff brought in an impressive collection of talent, headlined by the do-it-all Iowa State forward Brown. After a season at UNC, where she helped the Tar Heels advance to the Sweet 16, Aarnisalo returned to UCLA. The Bruins rounded out their portal class with a top SEC rookie in Deas, one of TCUâs top players in Hunter, and Notre Dameâs KK Bransford. Count on the Bruins being competitive in March again.
Oklahoma State and UCLA are currently at the top of the women's basketball transfer portal team rankings.
Most of the top 100 players in women's college basketball have selected new destinations since the transfer portal opened.
Players may struggle with fitting in with new teammates, adjusting to different conferences, and adapting to various coaching styles.
Coaches like Jacie Hoyt from Oklahoma State and Molly Miller from Arizona State have expressed gratitude for their players and excitement about their teams' prospects for the upcoming season.

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Key additions: Talaysia Cooper (Tennessee), Jada Richard (LSU), Jaida Civil (Tennessee), Doneelah Washington (Illinois State)
Rebels head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin doing damage in the portal is nothing new. Once again, she and her staff have assembled a roster that resembles a team capable of making noise in March again. The class is headlined by two of the top guards in the SEC â Cooper and Richard â joining Ole Miss. Coach Yo also brought in All-America East selection Jade Tillman, San Jose State forward Maya Anderson, Tennessee guard Jaida Civil and a handful of other key contributors to boost their depth.
Key additions: Ruby Whitehorn (Tennessee), Rashunda Jones (Michigan State), Ayanna-Sarai Darrington (Central Michigan), Madi Morson (Central Michigan)
Coach Molly Miller built on an impressive debut season with the Sun Devils by bringing a collection of talented players from the portal. Whitehorn was a top player for Tennessee in the 2024-25 season, Jones has been an All-Big Ten defender, Darrington led the MAC in field goal percentage, Morson was the MAC Player of the Year and Quinnipiac's Ella Ryan shot 41.1% from behind the arc this past season. Itâs a roster that should be near the top of the Big 12.
Key additions: Achol Akot (Oklahoma State), Sophie Burrows (Syracuse), Chloe Clardy (Stanford), Gabby White (Virginia)
Coach Courtney Banghart went into the portal with a list of needs and checked all the boxes. The Tar Heels landed a tough forward in Akot, a knockdown shooter in Burrows and a pair of combo guards in Clardy and White. Akot fits the mold of Nyla Harris and Alyssa Ustby, previous players who have played power forward for Banghart. Burrows should slot into Indya Nivar's position after she was drafted by the Atlanta Dream. Clardy and White will be part of a backcourt rotation that also features Kate Harpring, the Naismith High School Player of the Year.
Key additions: Zamareya Jones (NC State), Carys Baker (Virginia Tech), Deniya Prawl (Tennessee)
Coach Jeff Walz was already returning a talented core of players that competed for the ACC Championship and advanced to the Sweet 16 and boosted that group with an impressive trio of players from the portal. Jones is a guard that can quickly fill up the scoreboard, Baker is a versatile forward and All-ACC selection, and Prawl showed promise as a rookie at Tennessee. Count on the Cardinals contending in the ACC again.
2026: UCLA Bruins
2025: Connecticut Huskies
2024: South Carolina Gamecocks
2023: LSU Lady Tigers
2022: South Carolina Gamecocks
2021: Stanford Cardinal
2019: Baylor Lady Bears
2018: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
2017: South Carolina Gamecocks
2016: Connecticut Huskies
2015: Connecticut Huskies
2014: Connecticut Huskies
2013: Connecticut Huskies
2012: Baylor Bears
2011: Texas A&M Aggies
2010: Connecticut Huskies
2009: Connecticut Huskies
2008: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
2007: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
2006: Maryland Terrapins
2005: Baylor Lady Bears
2004: Connecticut Huskies
2003: Connecticut Huskies
2002: Connecticut Huskies
2001: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
2000: Connecticut Huskies
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2026: UCLA Bruins
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2024: South Carolina Gamecocks
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2016: Connecticut Huskies
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2012: Baylor Bears
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2008: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
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2006: Maryland Terrapins
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2004: Connecticut Huskies
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2000: Connecticut Huskies
Key additions: Lanie Grant (North Carolina), Lara Somfai (Stanford), Jadyn Wooten (Oklahoma State), Bella Hines (LSU)
After a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight, coach Mark Campbell reloaded his roster. The Horned Frogs return center Clara Silva, and TCUâs staff added players that should fit in nicely around her. Grant has flashed big-time potential as a playmaking guard at North Carolina, Somfai was one of the ACCâs best rookies at Stanford, Wooten was an All-Big 12 selection, and Hines showed promise in an off-the-bench role at LSU â shooting 45% from the floor and 37% from 3-point land. If Campbell can make all the pieces fit, TCU could be a contender again.
Key additions: Zahirah Walton (George Mason), Skylar Forbes (Marquette), Alexis Bordas (Duquesne), Kennedy Harris (George Mason)
The Mountaineers won the Big 12 and earned a top 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season in Mark Kelloggâs third year as coach. In the offseason, heâs assembled a collection of players that seem capable of putting WVU in a position to do that again. Walton and Harris powered George Mason to program heights by winning the A-10 Tournament and regular season titles, Forbes is a top-notch defender and sharp free throw shooter, and Bordas has high potential after a strong rookie season. Kellogg added a handful of other players â like BYUâs Marya Hudgins and UCFâs Khyala Ngodu â that should help as well.
Key additions: Kaylene Smikle (Maryland), Naomi White (Northern Arizona), Fatmata Janneh (Texas A&M), Kennedy Fauntleroy (East Carolina)
Coach Kim Caldwell completely flipped the Lady Volsâ roster after last seasonâs team either exhausted their eligibility or transferred out. Tennessee didnât bring in any flashy, All-American type names, but â Lady Volsâ fans hope â ones that fit Caldwellâs style of play. Smikle averages 17.1 points per game across her career in the Big Ten, White was 15th nationally in scoring this past season as a rookie at Northern Arizona, Janneh proved she could play in the paint in the SEC at Texas A&M, and Fauntleroy is a well-traveled veteran guard who has won conference awards in the Big East and American. Caldwell brought in several other transfers too, including Avery Mills from Liberty, Rylie Theuerkauf of Georgia, Aaliyah Moore from Texas and Seton Hallâs Jada Eads.
Key additions: Dani Carnegie (Georgia), Amari Whiting (Oklahoma State), Jocelyn Faison (Georgia)
Coach Jan Jensen didnât need to add many players in the portal, but got one of the most talented players available in Carnegie â an All-SEC guard this past season who has experience playing alongside Chit-Chat Wright. The duo starred together at Georgia Tech as freshmen. Whiting â who averaged 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for Oklahoma State this past season â should be a strong contributor as well.
Key additions: Aryss Macktoon (La Salle), Arianny Francisco de Oliveira (Gulf Coast State), Cali Smallwood (UAB), Reese Beaty (Iowa State)
After missing the NCAA Tournament, coach Sam Purcell landed players to boost their chances of dancing next season. Macktoon is the headliner of the class after being named Defensive Player of the Year in the Atlantic 10, while Francisco de Oliveira was ranked as the top junior college transfer in the country. Smallwood ranked fourth nationally in 3-pointers made per game this past season, and Beaty was fourth among freshmen nationally in assist-turnover ratio. All-CUSA freshmen team selection Macie Phifer and junior college standout Tootie Lockett round out an impressive haul for the Bulldogs.
Key additions: Jada Williams (Iowa State), Laila Reynolds (Florida), Chloe Larry (Tennessee Tech)
Coach Kim Mulkey had big shoes to fill in the backcourt following the graduation of FlauâJae Johnson. Filling that vacancy became even more important when Jada Richard opted to transfer to Ole Miss. So, the Tigers went out and got Williams, who ranked third nationally in assists per game with 7.7 and also posted 15.3 points per game last season at Iowa State. Reynolds and Larry should boost LSUâs depth as well.
Key additions: Gracie Merkle (Penn State), Leah Harmon (UCF), Tayla Thomas (Northwestern)
The Gophers made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005 this past season under third-year coach Dawn Plitzuweit and returned their top three starters from that core. Minnesota landed Merkle to fill in the gaps, who has ranked in the top three nationally in field goal percentage in each of her past three seasons. Last season for Penn State, she averaged 19.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Harmon brings offensive firepower and Thomas averaged 9.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season.
Key additions: Mackenzie Nelson (Virginia Tech), Edie Clarke (Saint Maryâs), Jenna Lawrence (Arkansas)
Coach Shawn Poppie guided the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in his second season, the second time Clemson has gone dancing since 2002. To increase the Tigers chances of getting back there, Poppie added size, potential and a veteran guard in Nelson who ranked second nationally in assist-turnover ratio last season. Clarke is versatile 6-foot-4 forward who can block shots and hit 3-pointers, Lawrence is 6-foot-3 and proved to be a capable player in the SEC, and players like Taliyah Henderson and Yakiya Milton have high upside.
Key additions: Kiyomi McMiller (Penn State), Vanessa Harris (Rhode Island), Jordan Jones (Arizona State), Mallory Miller (Butler)
Coach Tammi Reiss got to work right away on rebuilding Florida and has brought in a total of nine transfers ahead of her first season. The headliner is McMiller, who ranked 12th nationally in scoring with 21.6 points per game this past season. Harris was the Atlantic 10 Sixth Player of the Year last season while playing for Reiss at Rhode Island, Jones didnât play this past season but averaged 19.8 points per game at Denver two years ago and the 6-foot-4 Miller proved to be a capable rim-protector in the Big East last season.
Also considered: Kentucky, Washington, UCF, Georgia, Rutgers
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 top 15 transfer portal classes for womenâs college basketball