How Transfers Are Revolutionizing Women’s Basketball Parity in the ACC
The Clemson Tigers’ recent win over North Carolina State in women’s basketball stands out as a big moment, not just for the team but for the sport as a whole. Snapping a 16-game losing streak against NC State, Clemson showed how much the landscape in women’s college basketball is shifting.
This kind of increased competitiveness? It’s showing up more and more, and a lot of it comes down to the transfer portal. Teams can rebuild faster now, grabbing talented players who are hungry to prove themselves.
Shawn Poppie, the Tigers’ head coach, jumped on this opportunity. He’s turned Clemson into a real contender in the ACC by using the portal to his advantage.
The Impact of the Transfer Portal on Women’s College Basketball
Table of Contents
The transfer portal has changed college basketball in a huge way lately. Now, players can move between programs without having to sit out a season, which gives them a lot more freedom.
This shift has really leveled the playing field. Teams don’t have to wait years to rebuild anymore; they can do it almost overnight.
Clemson’s Strategic Use of Transfers
Poppie, now in his second season at Clemson, has rebuilt his roster with a heavy focus on transfers. Last year, he brought in 11 newcomers—10 of them were transfers.
This season, the team added three freshmen and six transfers. Rachael Rose stands out among the new arrivals.
Rose played at USC Upstate and Wofford before coming to Clemson. She’s made a huge difference this season.
Notable Transfers Making an Impact
- Rachael Rose: Coming from Wofford, Rose has delivered on offense and helped fuel Clemson’s recent wins.
- Rusne Augustinaite: After transferring from Georgia Tech, Augustinaite is now one of the ACC’s top 3-point shooters at 42.9%.
- Mia Moore: Moore, who played at Mississippi State and UAB, brings valuable experience and depth to the Tigers.
- Hadley Periman: Periman, from Tulsa, leads Clemson in rebounds and brings toughness inside.
Parity Across Women’s College Basketball
You can really see the growing parity in women’s college hoops by looking at all the upsets this season. Oregon, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, and Alabama have all knocked off higher-ranked teams.
Examples of Parity
Several programs have taken full advantage of the transfer portal, finding success that would’ve seemed unlikely a few years back:
- Texas Tech: Off to its best start ever, Texas Tech relies on transfers, including their No. 2 scorer from Ole Miss and their top assist leader from Campbell.
- Vanderbilt: Undefeated and ranked, Vanderbilt features high-scoring sophomore Mikayla Blakes plus two important transfers.
- Ole Miss: Cotie McMahon, who came in from Ohio State, has helped Ole Miss notch some big wins.
- Oregon: Mia Jacobs, now at her third school, was key in Oregon’s upset over No. 21 USC.
- Cincinnati: Mya Perry, a transfer from FAU, scored the most points in Cincinnati’s victory over No. 13 Iowa State.
- Alabama: Former NC State guard Jessica Timmons led Alabama past No. 7 Kentucky.
Shawn Poppie’s Vision for Clemson
Poppie has a pretty clear vision for Clemson women’s basketball. He wants to build a team that can go toe-to-toe with the ACC’s best and make deep NCAA Tournament runs.
His approach mixes transfers with homegrown talent. Poppie talks a lot about finding players who fit the program’s culture, not just their stats.
He once said, *Part of the parity is, some of these kids, instead of sitting and watching, they want to play. And they’re good players. And so, that has helped in our case.* You can see that pay off in Clemson’s recent results.
The Future of Women’s College Basketball
It’s hard to imagine this trend slowing down. The transfer portal gives players more freedom, and as more take advantage, the sport will only get more competitive.
Championship Contenders
Six of the last eight national championship-winning teams in women’s basketball have started at least one transfer. That’s a pretty clear sign that the transfer portal matters when you’re building a team that can win it all.
Transfers keep shaking up the landscape, making women’s college basketball unpredictable and, honestly, more fun to watch.
If you’re curious about Clemson’s recent win or how the transfer portal is changing the game, check out the full article on USA Today here.