Top Women’s College Basketball Transfer Portal Winners and Losers 2026
The 2025-26 women’s college basketball season wrapped up with UCLA taking home the national championship. But honestly, the real drama kicked off right after, thanks to the transfer portal chaos—over 1,000 players on the move.
Let’s dig into who’s winning and losing in this wild transfer market. Programs like Oklahoma State, South Carolina, and Texas are scrambling to reshape their rosters, while others are just trying to patch up after big departures.
Oklahoma State: A Surprising Powerhouse
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Oklahoma State came out of nowhere as a transfer portal juggernaut. With Stailee Heard as literally the only player coming back, Coach Jacie Hoyt had no choice but to hit the portal hard.
The Cowgirls grabbed Audi Crooks from Iowa State and Liv McGill from Florida—the top two players in the portal. That’s a massive coup, and now Oklahoma State sits at No. 12 in the CBS Sports way-too-early rankings. Who saw that coming?
The Crooks and McGill Effect
Crooks brings a mix of brute strength and nimble footwork in the paint. Last season, she averaged 25.8 points per game and shot nearly 65%. That’s just wild.
McGill? She’s an athletic playmaker, putting up 22.5 points and snagging 2.5 steals per game. Her defense is next-level.
With these two, the Cowgirls suddenly look like legit Big 12 title contenders. For a program not really known for that, it’s a massive leap.
South Carolina: Maintaining Momentum
South Carolina lost stars like Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Madina Okot to the WNBA. But they didn’t lose anyone to the portal, which is pretty impressive.
Coach Dawn Staley doubled down, bringing in former Texas guard Jordan Lee and locking up five-star recruit Oliviyah Edwards.
Key Additions
Jordan Lee broke out at Texas last year, averaging 13.2 points. She can shoot from anywhere, and her defense fits perfectly with Staley’s system.
Oliviyah Edwards—“Big Oh”—originally committed to Tennessee but flipped to South Carolina. She brings even more depth to a stacked roster.
Tennessee: A Complete Overhaul
Tennessee’s offseason? Brutal. Every player who saw the court last season is gone. Coach Kim Caldwell is basically starting from scratch.
She’s bringing in two freshmen and eight transfers, including former Maryland guard Kaylene Smikle. That’s a lot of new faces for one bench.
Challenges Ahead
The Lady Vols just had their worst season ever. With a totally new roster, it’s tough to know what to expect.
Maybe the new group clicks fast, maybe not. It’s a gamble, but at least there’s hope for a fresh start.
UCLA: Rebuilding After a Championship
After winning it all, UCLA lost every key player to graduation. Star center Lauren Betts is gone, and yeah, that stings.
Still, UCLA kept every player who could’ve stayed. They’re the only Big Ten team with zero transfers out. That’s rare these days.
New Faces
Coach Cori Close worked the portal, adding Addy Brown from Iowa State, Elina Aarnisalo from North Carolina, and Donovyn Hunter from TCU.
With Sienna Betts and Timea Gardiner sticking around, UCLA actually looks pretty solid for another run. Not bad for a team in transition.
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Iowa State: A Tough Rebuild
Iowa State started strong last season but got derailed by injuries and a brutal Big 12 slate. Then the exodus hit—nine players in the transfer portal, including starters like Audi Crooks and Addy Brown.
Replacing that kind of talent isn’t easy. The Cyclones brought in five transfers, but only two come from power conferences.
Incoming Talent
The other three new faces were starters elsewhere, but none played in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That’s a tough spot for Iowa State, honestly.
Texas: Unexpected Setbacks
Texas made back-to-back Final Fours, but now they’re scrambling. Graduation and the portal hit hard.
Rori Harmon and Kyla Oldacre leaving was expected. But losing starting guard Jordan Lee and forward Justice Carlton? That caught folks off guard.
Reasons for Optimism
On the bright side, Texas still has Madison Booker. Plus, they’ve got four top-20 recruits coming in, according to 247Sports.
Coach Vic Schaefer’s got some pieces to work with, but it’s a rebuild, no doubt.
Ole Miss: A Quick Rebuild
Ole Miss lost its top three to the WNBA, but Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin (who calls herself a “portalista”) wasted no time.
She brought in eight transfers, including ex-Tennessee star Talaysia Cooper and LSU’s Jada Richard. That’s some serious hustle.
Developing Talent
McPhee-McCuin has a knack for developing players. Rachael Okokoh from Penn State barely played as a freshman, but there’s a good chance she’ll contribute right away for the Rebels.
Virginia: A Cinderella Story
Virginia made its first Sweet 16 since 2000. Then things got messy—head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton was fired.
Junior guard Kymora Johnson entered the portal, but after talking with new coach Aaron Roussell, she decided to stick around. Sometimes, a little stability goes a long way.
Key Player Retained
Johnson played a huge role in Virginia’s recent success. She averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
She’s decided to stay, which feels like a big win for the Cavaliers. Now they can try to build on what they’ve started.
The transfer portal keeps shaking up women’s college basketball. Teams like Oklahoma State and South Carolina look ready for another strong season.
Meanwhile, schools such as Tennessee and Iowa State have some tough rebuilding ahead. The next season could get wild as fresh faces arrive and big programs figure things out.
For more details, check out the full article on CBS Sports.