Winners of the 2024 women’s college basketball transfer portal
The women’s college basketball transfer portal was a beast this offseason with more than 1,300 entries including top mid-major and high-major talent. Plenty of schools landed star power, but some performed better than others. On3’s Talia Goodman presents her picks for the 10 winners of the transfer portal.
USC Trojans
Stanford transfer Kiki Iriafen was a big pickup for USC in the transfer portal (John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports)
The USC Trojans only added two players from the transfer portal, but both are big names who will make an immediate impact.
Kiki Iriafen was the best transfer on the board, deciding to leave the Stanford Cardinals shortly after legendary coach Tara VanDerveer announced her retirement. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 19.4 points, 11 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a junior while shooting nearly 55% from the field.
“Kiki is a next-level talent,” Lindsay Gottlieb said. “An established star in women’s college basketball already, she comes to USC looking to help us win at the highest level and to continue to expand her capabilities. She’s a dynamic scorer and rebounder who will flourish in our style and with those around her. She is a magnetic personality who gets to come home and be special.”
Talia von Oelhoffen was one of many to enter the transfer portal out of Oregon State and ultimately chose the Trojans over schools like Colorado, Kentucky and Louisville. The versatile guard averaged 10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and five assists last season.
The Trojans were already national title contenders before the transfer additions, but now USC enters the offseason as one of the clear-cut favorites to win it all.
Maryland Terrapins
Rutgers transfer Kaylene Smikle was a big transfer portal win for Maryland. (Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Maryland brought in a haul this offseason. They added Rutgers transfer Kaylene Smikle (16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Arkansas’ Saylor Poffenbarger (10.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg), VCU’s Sarah Te-Biasu (16 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2 spg), UConn’s Amari DeBerry, Villanova’s Christina Dalce (8.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg) and Virginia’s Mir McLean (12.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg).
That’s a lot of talent for one portal class, but a much-needed rebuild after four Terrapins transferred out and three graduated. The new additions give the Terps a much-needed boost in the ultra-competitive Big Ten.
“We are excited to add some great ladies to our program this off-season,” coach Brenda Frese said. “It’s truly been a ton of hard work and a team effort from our staff, academic advisor and support staff. t matters. I feel grateful to be leading this program in this new era of NIL. Lastly, I have to give a huge thanks to everyone who’s donated to our One Maryland Collective. That support is invaluable to our program for now and the future.”
TCU Horned Frogs
Hailey van Lith heads to TCU as the only active player with 1,900-plus points, 500 rebounds and 350 assists. (Courtesy of TCU Athletics)
TCU landed two of the most high-profile transfers on the board in LSU’s Hailey van Lith (11.6 ppg, 3.6 apg) and Kentucky’s Maddie Scherr (12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.4 apg), which will help boost an already loaded roster.
van Lith spent her first three seasons at Louisville before transferring to LSU last season, where she played out of position. Her decision to transfer to TCU should give her more freedom as a shot-taker.
TCU will also add USC transfer Taylor Bigby and Oregon State freshman Donovyn Hunter in the mix for a talented bunch of newcomers.
UCLA Bruins
UCLA newcomer Charlisse Leger-Walker averaged 13.2 points at Washington State this past season (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
UCLA made only a pair of additions, but both should make sizable impacts next season on what was already a solid returning roster.
The Bruins added one of the best point guards in the country in Washington State transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker, who will help replace the production of Charisma Osborne. Leger-Walker averaged 13.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 5.1 apg last season as a senior. The Bruins also add Oregon State sophomore transfer Timea Gardiner (11.6 ppg, 7 rpg) who has two years of eligibility remaining.
Kentucky Wildcats
New UK coach Kenny Brooks has retooled the WIldcats’ roster through the transfer portal. (David Yeazell/USA TODAY Sports)
New Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks got to work in the transfer portal this offseason, bringing over talent from Virginia Tech and adding a combination of high-major and mid-major talent with a lot of potential upside.
The Wildcats added UNC transfer Teonni Key, Charlotte’s Dazia Lawrence (18.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.7 apg) and Penn’s Jordan Obi (14.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and also brought over Clara Strack from Virginia Tech.
But the biggest addition for the Wildcats was one of Brooks’ former players at Tech – Georgia Amoore.
Rather than declaring for the WNBA, Amoore elected to join her former coach in Lexington. She averaged 18.8 ppg and 6.8 apg last season for the Hokies and will be the star of the show next season for the Wildcats.
LSU Tigers
LSU coach Kim Mulkey added an impressive haul of transfers. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)
The LSU Tigers did it again. They hauled in an impressive group of transfers from the portal this offseason, including Shayeann Day-Wilson (Miami), Kailyn Gilbert (Arizona), Jersey Wolfenbarger (Arkansas) and Mjracle Sheppard (Mississippi State). This gives LSU plenty of options at the point guard position but leaves room for the current roster to shine and maintain their development.
With the new talent and returning stars, LSU will once again be a favorite in the SEC.
Oregon Ducks
Deja Kelly landing at Oregon was one of the top storylines of the transfer portal window. (Courtesy of Oregon Athletics)
The Oregon Ducks lost five players to the transfer portal this offseason, including two starters. But they were slowly but surely able to add a class of seven additions, including UNC star Deja Kelly, Texas sophomore Amina Muhammad and BYU’s Nani Falatea. The high-major additions averaged a total of 51.4 points per game in their last full season, and Kelly was one of the biggest recruiting wins in the portal this season.
Kelly has one year of eligibility remaining and averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season at UNC. She’s made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in each of her four years as a Tar Heel. She was named to the first-team All-ACC for the third year in a row after last season and was named a WBCA All-America region finalist for the third year.
“Kelly is an elite level mid-range scorer whose ability to create her own shot and get to the free throw line will help any offense,” one ACC coach said. “Her defense leaves much to be desired – whoever her next team has around her to help her on defense will really determine how much success she can have.”
UConn Huskies
Princeton transfer Kaitlyn Chen will bolster UConn’s backcourt. (Courtesty of Kaitlyn Chen)
UConn made only one addition, but they retained a team talented enough to make another national title run. They added Kaitlyn Chen from the portal, who was one of the best point guards available. She chose the Huskies over schools like USC and UCLA, who will also be contenders next season.
The winners of the transfer portal aren’t always the ones who add the most – they’re the ones who know what they need and fill those gaps efficiently.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Liza Karlen averaged 17.7 points this past season at Marquette. (Courtesy of Liza Karlen)
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish made a splash in the transfer portal long after most chose to do so, but they added sizable talent through two big-time additions.
Notre Dame added Marquette transfer Liza Karlen, a 6-2 forward who averaged 17.7 points and 7.9 rebounds last season. She’ll bring depth to the forward position and versatility that will only aid the Irish.
“She brings a wealth of experience and the depth to the forward position and has tremendous versatility offensively having shot 50% from the field and 36 percent from deep last season,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said. “Liza also has an incredible motor and is a relentless rebounder. I am so grateful and excited for what she will add to our team next season.”
Pittsburgh transfer Liatu King also joined Notre Dame. King was a first-team All-ACC selection last season, averaging a double-double with 18.8 points and 10.4 rebounds.
Oklahoma Sooners
Raegan Beers is heading to Oklahoma after two impact seasons at Oregon State. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard /USA TODAY NETWORK)
The Oklahoma Sooners return a loaded core next season but added one significant player from the portal.
Oklahoma landed Oregon State transfer Raegan Beers, who was one of the best forwards in the country last season. Beers chose the Sooners over the UConn and will provide Oklahoma with a boost in size and talent. They didn’t need to add much, but Beers was a big win for coach Jennie Baranczyk and the Sooners.
“She’s an incredible talent on the court and will fit in perfectly with our program on and off the floor. Raegan will add another dynamic to our team, and I know that Sooner Nation will love her,” Baranczyk said.
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