It’s been more than a month since the transfer portal opened for women’s 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 don’t know how the players will fit in with new teammates, if they can thrive in different conferences, or how they’ll adjust to different coaching style.
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But we know what the rosters look like, how good all these players have been in previous seasons and — judging from social media posts — we know which coaches are excited about their teams for next season.
“Grateful for players that believed in a vision and that had the courage to blaze their own path,” Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt wrote on X. “Grateful for a staff that worked tirelessly to make it happen.”
“When the staff gets it right in the portal and in the freshman class… Proud of our program,” Arizona State coach Molly Miller wrote on X. “The work is the reward.”
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ top 15 portal class rankings for women’s college basketball:
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1. Oklahoma State
Key additions: Audi Crooks (Iowa State), Liv McGill (Florida), Ellie Brueggemann (Lindenwood), Nènè Ndiaye (Rutgers)
It’s difficult to argue any other team had a better portal haul than Jacie Hoyt’s Cowgirls, who landed the nation’s 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 Cowgirls’ 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.
2. UCLA
Key additions: Addy Brown (Iowa State), Elina Aarnisalo (North Carolina), Donovyn Hunter (TCU), Bonnie Deas (Arkansas)
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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 TCU’s top players in Hunter, and Notre Dame’s KK Bransford. Count on the Bruins being competitive in March again.
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 — Cooper and Richard — 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.
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4. Arizona State
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. It’s a roster that should be near the top of the Big 12.
5. North Carolina
Key additions: Achol Akot (Oklahoma State), Sophie Burrows (Syracuse), Chloe Clardy (Stanford), Gabby White (Virginia)
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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.
6. Louisville
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.
7. TCU
Key additions: Lanie Grant (North Carolina), Lara Somfai (Stanford), Jadyn Wooten (Oklahoma State), Bella Hines (LSU)
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After a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight, coach Mark Campbell reloaded his roster. The Horned Frogs return center Clara Silva, and TCU’s 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 ACC’s best rookies at Stanford, Wooten was an All-Big 12 selection, and Hines showed promise in an off-the-bench role at LSU — 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.
8. West Virginia
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 Kellogg’s third year as coach. In the offseason, he’s 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 — like BYU’s Marya Hudgins and UCF’s Khyala Ngodu — that should help as well.
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9. Tennessee
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 Vols’ roster after last season’s team either exhausted their eligibility or transferred out. Tennessee didn’t bring in any flashy, All-American type names, but — Lady Vols’ fans hope — ones that fit Caldwell’s 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 Hall’s Jada Eads.
10. Iowa
Key additions: Dani Carnegie (Georgia), Amari Whiting (Oklahoma State), Jocelyn Faison (Georgia)
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Coach Jan Jensen didn’t need to add many players in the portal, but got one of the most talented players available in Carnegie — 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 — who averaged 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for Oklahoma State this past season — should be a strong contributor as well.
11. Mississippi State
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.
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12. LSU
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 Flau’Jae 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 LSU’s depth as well.
13. Minnesota
Key additions: Gracie Merkle (Penn State), Leah Harmon (UCF), Tayla Thomas (Northwestern)
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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.
14. Clemson
Key additions: Mackenzie Nelson (Virginia Tech), Edie Clarke (Saint Mary’s), 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.
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15. Florida
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 didn’t 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 women’s college basketball
