The women's college basketball transfer portal opened one week later than it did last year, but that hasn't curtailed the activity. Since it opened March 24, more than 1,200 players have entered. Just over 100 have already committed to new schools, but with the portal open for another three weeks much more activity is expected.
This transfer season has already been more shocking than last. Big names who have had three years as cornerstones of their programs have thrown their names into the portal. Notre Dame's Olivia Miles, Florida State's Ta'Niya Latson and Ohio State's Cotie McMahon were set to lead their teams for one final push toward championships but are now in position to completely change the landscape of next season. Their decisions will be the next big news in women's college basketball now that UConn has been crowned this year's champion.
This list will change as more players enter the portal. For now, ESPN ranks the top 25 transfers for 2025-26.
Rankings as of April 8; transfer window closes April 22
Ta'Niya Latson recounts her journey to Florida State and some of her most impactful games for the Seminoles.
1. Ta'Niya Latson, 5-8, G, Jr., Florida State Seminoles
Committed to South Carolina Gamecocks
The nation's leading scorer (25.2 PPG) has left open the possibility of a Tallahassee return, but she will be highly sought after and could opt for a program with a better chance at a conference and national title. Makayla Timpson and O'Mariah Gordon, Latson's primary scoring help this season, have used up their eligibility, and two other players who might have moved into more prominent roles are also transferring.
2. Olivia Miles, 5-10, G, Sr., Notre Dame Fighting Irish
It was a two-pronged shock when Miles first elected not to enter the WNBA draft and then decided to enter the portal -- which began a wave of departures from Notre Dame. Four Irish players, including Miles, are in the portal. Miles, who was projected as the No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft, didn't quite play like herself toward the end of the season, averaging 9.8 points in the postseason. An ankle injury slowed her in the NCAA tournament. But Miles' first year back from an ACL tear resulted in a career-high 15.4 points as well as 5.8 assists per game, which ranked 15th in the country.
Take a look back at Olivia Miles' best plays this season for Notre Dame after committing to TCU.
3. Cotie McMahon, 6-0, F, Jr., Ohio State Buckeyes
Committed to Ole Miss Rebels
In three years in Columbus, McMahon has ranked first or second on the team in scoring. She did take a step back last season from her breakout freshman year but reached a higher level of consistency in 2024-25. In the process she became a much better 3-point shooter (38.6%). Add that to her unique strength and power and McMahon's decision on her next destination could sway next year's national championship race as much as Latson and Miles.
4. Gianna Kneepkens, 6-0, G, Jr., Utah Utes
Before Kneepkens arrived the Utes hadn't been to the NCAA tournament in 10 years. In her four years they never missed it. They had to do it without her in 2024 after she broke her foot, but Kneepkens has been the foundational piece to all of Utah's recent success. She is a shotmaker at every level -- 50.4% from the field, 44.8% from 3-point range and 89.0% at the free throw line -- and is a talented enough scorer to be the No. 2 option on a national title contender.
5. Yarden Garzon, 6-3, G, Jr., Indiana Hoosiers
Committed to Maryland Terrapins
A good passer with a high basketball IQ, Garzon, who is in the portal with a "do not contact" designation, can play anywhere on the perimeter. Her size and court vision make her a difficult one-on-one matchup and a player opposing coaches must specifically game-plan against. Garzon has never shot below 40% from 3-point range in her three seasons at Indiana and is the Hoosiers' all-time leader with 220 makes from behind the arc.
6. Serah Williams, 6-2, F, Jr., Wisconsin Badgers
The first Badger to be a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection twice, Williams is arguably the program's best-ever player. She averaged 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in her three seasons in Madison. But team success eluded Williams. The Badgers went 39-54 without a winning season in the past three years.
7. Sa'Myah Smith, 6-2, F, So., LSU Tigers
Her numbers were modest (6.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG) coming off last season's knee injury, but Smith was outstanding in the NCAA tournament. She's an agile post with an offensive game that has already come a long way. Smith is also a good shot blocker and has significant upside. Her role with the Tigers was sure to expand had Smith stayed, so her next school will get a much improved two-way player.
8. Dani Carnegie, 5-9, G, Fr., Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Carnegie was the biggest difference between the Yellow Jackets' 17-16 WBIT 2023-24 season and this year's 22-11 NCAA tournament team, their first March Madness appearance in three years. The ACC Sixth Player of the Year, Carnegie led Georgia Tech in 3-pointers made. With coach Nell Fortner retiring, seven Yellow Jackets have entered the portal. Carnegie ranks highest among them because of her three years of remaining eligibility.
9. Tonie Morgan, 5-9, G, Jr., Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Another one of those Yellow Jackets is Morgan, who will be able to immediately step into any other power league program and fill the role of a pass-first point guard. She led Georgia Tech and was third in the ACC with 5.6 assists per game. Morgan can score too (13.7 PPG) but is not a 3-point threat (24.6% on 1.6 attempts per game).
10. Kiyomi McMiller, 5-8, G, Fr., Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The numbers -- 18.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game -- were outstanding. But McMiller was suspended in early January for a week, returned for seven games and then didn't play another game for the Scarlet Knights after Feb. 6. With her electrifying offensive talent and three years of eligibility, McMiller could be a program changer if the fit is right.
11. Latasha Lattimore, 6-4, F, Sr., Virginia Cavaliers
Committed to Ole Miss Rebels
One of the first players in the portal to commit to her next school, Lattimore is a good get for the Rebels, who must replace four starters. This will be Lattimore's fourth stop (Texas, Miami, Virginia), but this past season with the Cavaliers is where she made a big jump: 5.6 points per game in 2024 at Miami to averages of 14.3 points and 8.2 rebounds. Lattimore joins Wichita State forward Jayla Murray (12.5 PPG) as coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin's first two portal additions.
12. Jada Williams, 5-8, G, So., Arizona Wildcats
Committed to Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones needed a point guard to replace Emily Ryan and secured one in Williams. While she lacks Ryan's efficiency and reliability as a perimeter shooter, Williams will give Iowa State a new look with more explosiveness and someone who can push tempo. How her skill set works with that of Cyclones star Audi Crooks will be the key to Iowa State's season.
13. Kara Dunn, 5-11, G, Jr., Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Dunn was the Yellow Jackets' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game and grabbed an impressive 5.8 rebounds a contest from her guard spot this past season. Dunn is a good finisher at the rim and has a solid midrange game but is not a playmaker or much of a threat from 3-point range, although her outside shooting was greatly improved this season.
14. Taliah Scott, 5-9, G, So., Auburn Tigers
Committed to Baylor Bears
Committing early in the process, Scott hopes she has found her permanent home in Waco. Scott has been a high-volume shooter and a big scorer in her two stops at Arkansas and Auburn when she has been on the court. Her 21.2-point scoring average has come in just 23 games over those two seasons. A wrist injury kept her out of all but three games with the Tigers this season.
15. Kate Koval, 6-5, F, Fr., Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Committed to LSU Tigers
The No. 5-rated freshman entering the season, Koval never found her footing at Notre Dame. She lost her starting job after 10 games when Maddy Westbeld returned from injury and played more than 20 minutes in a game only twice in the final three months of the season. The talent remains and Koval can be a dominant post player in her three seasons remaining, but the college game appeared too fast for her at times. She has adjustments to make.
16. Aaliyah Guyton, 5-7, G, Fr., Iowa Hawkeyes
While Guyton's impact was minimal this season -- 4.7 points and 16.4 minutes per game -- she had a chance to have a much bigger role next season with the departures of Lucy Olsen and Sydney Affolter. Guyton is quick and is a solid 3-point shooter who still has three years to grow with another program. Other Big Ten schools such as Illinois, Nebraska and Michigan State were among her finalists when she was being recruited, and her father is former Indiana Hoosier A.J. Guyton.
17. Laura Ziegler, 6-2, F, Jr., Saint Joseph's Hawks
The Hawks' best player the past two seasons, Ziegler had 20 double-doubles and two triple-doubles this season and was one of the country's best defensive rebounders. She does most of her work in the paint but can make the occasional 3-pointer. Her experience and production could make her an interesting addition as a role player at a major conference school.
18. Avery Howell, 6-0, Fr., USC Trojans
Committed to Washington Huskies
With even more playing time likely awaiting with the departure of Talia von Oelhoffen and the injury to JuJu Watkins, Howell's decision to enter the portal was one of the more surprising of the past two weeks. She averaged 7.5 points and 20.8 minutes per game but posted two 18-point performances in the games USC won in the NCAA tournament. Howell was followed in the portal by Kayleigh Heckel, erasing what likely would have been USC's starting backcourt in November.
19. Breya Cunningham, 6-4 F, So., Arizona Wildcats
With Adia Barnes leaving the Wildcats to coach SMU, there has been a mass exodus in Tucson. Nine players, headlined by Jada Williams and Cunningham, are leaving the program. Cunningham was a two-year starter at Arizona and improved considerably as a sophomore but still needs work as a defender and with consistency. If she improves in those areas Cunningham is an all-conference level player the next two seasons.
20. Nyla Harris, 6-2, F, Jr., Louisville Cardinals
Committed to North Carolina Tar Heels
A full-time starter for Jeff Walz the past two seasons, Harris' scoring and rebounding numbers dipped as a junior. Her decision to stay in conference helps Courtney Banghart replace the defense and rebounding she is losing with the graduations of Alyssa Ustby and Maria Gakdeng.
21. Clara Silva, 6-7, C, Fr., Kentucky Wildcats
Committed to TCU Horned Frogs
The still developing Silva might not have received the playing time (12.5 MPG) she hoped for with the Wildcats but should get plenty of opportunity at TCU as Sedona Prince's replacement. Her potential as a shot blocker (1.1 BPG this season) might be the area in which she makes the most immediate impact.
22. Gracie Merkle, 6-6, C, So., Penn State Lady Lions
Committed to Maryland Terrapins
After playing her freshman season at Bellarmine, Merkle made the major jump to Penn State and didn't see much drop-off in her numbers. All her effectiveness is in the low block. Merkle averaged 15.5 points per game and shot 67.0% from the field, which ranked fourth in the country.
23. Madina Okot, 6-6, C, Jr., Mississippi State Bulldogs
After playing two seasons of college basketball in her native Kenya, Okot had a significant impact in her one year in Starkville. She averaged 11.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, helping the Bulldogs return to the NCAA tournament. Her entry into the portal along with wing Debreasha Powe means that coach Sam Purcell has to replace his top four scorers.
24. Haleigh Timmer, 5-11, G, Jr., South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Committed to Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Not only did Timmer decide to transfer from South Dakota State, she chose the team the Jackrabbits beat in the NCAA tournament three weeks ago. Cowgirls coach Jacie Hoyt has added four players from the portal, and Timmer, who averaged 12.5 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 40.0% on 3-pointers, is the best of the bunch.
25. Ta'Mia Scott, 6-0, G, Jr., Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Coming off her best season yet, Scott might be looking for a Power 4 conference to play in for her final season. She averaged 16.7 points for the Blue Raiders, which included double-digit scoring games against NCAA tournament teams Tennessee, Iowa State, Kansas State and Princeton.