Women's college basketball transfer portal tracker: Who entered and where they land

Cassandra Negley

The transfer portal is bumpin' once again this offseason with more than 1,000 student-athletes in it for the past month. The portal has been knocked by many coaches and fans who view it as young players not wanting to put in the hard work or stick out tough transitions. But it is also an avenue for players to exit a toxic situation.

Transfers are a key aspect of college basketball either way. Coaches can treat it similar to free agency and plug players into gaps. The portal can give an early glimpse into problems within a program's culture.

We compiled the most notable transfers here, both for individual talent and sheer number exiting a program. This post will be updated as transfers commit elsewhere or players continue to enter the portal. The last update was made May 9.

There are many more factors that go into any player's decision to transfer beyond the most recent season and head coach, but we included those to give basic background on the program. A thorough list of players in the portal can be found at WBB Blog. This post will be updated periodically with transfer news with the date in italics and parentheses.

Arizona

2021-22 season: 21-8, 10-6 Pac-12. Lost to Colorado in Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. Lost to 5-seed North Carolina in second round as 4 seed.

Coach: Adia Barnes returned to her alma mater in April 2016.

  • Bendu Yeaney (5-10, senior, wing) to Oregon State (4/21/22)— 25.2 MPG, 6.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG

  • Koi Love (6-0, junior, F) to Southern Cal (4/27)— 14.3 MPG, 4.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, .447 FG%

  • Anna Gret Asi (5-8, freshman, PG) to Oklahoma State (4/27), Derin Erdogan (5-6, sophomore, G), Gisela Sanchez (6-3, freshman, wing) to Kansas State (4/24), Semaj Smith (6-6, senior, C) to San Jose State (4/21/22), Aaronette Vonleh (6-3, freshman, C) to Colorado (4/24)

Yeaney transferred from Indiana following '19-20, and Love was one of the first off the bench.

Buffalo

2021-22 season: 25-9, 16-4 MAC. Won MAC title for third time in six years. Lost to Tennessee in first round of NCAA tournament.

Coach: Becky Burke takes over for longtime coach Felisha Legette-Jack (Syracuse). Burke was named 2022 Big South Coach of the Year at USC Upstate.

  • Dyaisha Fair (5-5, junior, PG) to Syracuse (4/27)— 23.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.1 SPG, .404 FG%, .368 3FG%

  • Georgia Woolley (6-0, freshman, F) to Syracuse— 14.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 2.1 SPG, .418FG%

  • Saniaa Wilson (6-0, freshman, F) to Syracuse, Adebola Adeyeye (6-2, senior, F) to Kentucky, Loren Christie (6-3, junior, F) to San Francisco (4/27), Cheyenne McEvans (5-9, sophomore, G) to Syracuse (4/24), Casey Valenti-Paea (5-9, sophomore, G), Laney Bone (5-10, freshman, wing) (entered 4/27), Kaelonn Wilson (5-11, freshman, F) to Binghamton

Fair and Woolley were the Bulls' two leading scorers last season and Fair ranked seventh in the nation in win shares (11.0), per Her Hoop Stats. Her scoring output ranked fifth for a second consecutive season. She scored 21.4 PPG in '20-21 and 22.0 (ranking fourth) her freshman year. Fair entered her name in the portal the same day Legette-Jack was introduced at Syracuse and her former teammates Wilson and Woolley have already committed to the Orange. McEvans confirmed her transfer to join Syracuse on April 21. And Fair later joined them in a school announcement on April 27; both she and Wilson are natives of Rochester, New York.

Connecticut

21-22 season: 30-6, 16-1 Big East. Won conference title. NCAA runner-up to South Carolina.

Coach: Geno Auriemma will coach his 38th season in 2022-23 with a record 11 national titles.

  • Piath Gabriel (6-5, sophomore, F/C) — 13 games, 64 minutes, 39 points, 25 rebounds, 17-of-30 (56.7%)

  • Mir McLean (5-11, sophomore, wing) to Virginia — 4 gms, 8 min., 2 rbd

  • Saylor Poffenbarger (6-1, sophomore, wing) to Arkansas — 12 gms, 32 min., 6 pts, 4 rbd, 1 blk, 2-14 FG, 1-11 3FG

Gabriel is the only player currently in the portal after McLean and Poffenbarger left in late 2021. She played 22 games as a freshman and found limited time as a sophomore even though the Huskies dealt with a litany of injuries to their starters.

Poffenbarger enrolled early at UConn in January 2021 and appeared in 12 games, including the NCAA tournament. She entered the transfer portal in November and joined the Arkansas program midway into the year, but was not eligible to play because of the timing.

McLean entered the transfer portal in mid-December and committed to Virginia earlier this year. She ranked 25th overall in the class of 2020 and the fourth-best wing by ESPN. Her freshman year she totaled 68 points, 51 rebounds and 11 assists in 167 minutes shooting 46.4%.

Fresno State

21-22 season: 11-18, 7-10 Mountain West. Lost in first round of tournament to Utah State, which won the fourth quarter 36-21.

Coach: Jaime White will enter her ninth season as head coach.

  • Haley Cavinder (5-6, junior, G) — 38.1 MPG, 19.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 5.7 APG, .446/.373/.973

  • Hanna Cavinder (5-6, junior, G) — 37.1 MPG, 14.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.7 APG, .392/.362/.805

The Cavinder twins are All-Mountain West players and TikTok sensations with major NIL deals. Miami announced their inclusion to the program on April 21.

“We wanted to have the best opportunity to get to the [NCAA] tournament,” Hanna said. “Miami stood out to us is because of the vision Coach Katie has with her staff. The leadership is everything we wanted and what the team accomplished this past year is something we were looking for and we can’t wait to be a part of that [next year].”

Haley was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year (2020) and Player of the Year (2021) amid three all-conference team selections. She ranked 21st in the nation in scoring. Hanna was named all-conference twice and led the Bulldogs in steals (51) while ranking top-3 in scoring, assists and rebounds.

Aubrey Joens entered the transfer portal despite her sister, Ashley, remaining at Iowa State. (David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Aubrey Joens entered the transfer portal despite her sister, Ashley, remaining at Iowa State. (David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Iowa State

2021-22: 28-7, 14-4 Big 12. Lost as 8 seed to Texas (7 seed) in Big 12 semifinals. Lost to No. 10 seed Creighton in NCAA Sweet 16.

Coach: Bill Fennelly joined Iowa State in 1995-96.

  • Aubrey Joens (5-8, sophomore, SG) to Oklahoma— 21.3 MPG, 6.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, .417 FG%, .425 3FG%

  • Maddie Frederick (6-0, senior, G)

Joens' decision to leave came as a surprise since her older sister, Ashley Joens, announced she would return for a fifth season at Iowa State. She was a projected first-round WNBA draft pick. Kelsey Joens, one of their younger sisters, has committed to play at Iowa State come 2023-24.

"It was a very hard decision knowing that I wasn't going to get to play with Ashley again and knowing that Kelsey was coming here, and I wouldn't get to play with her again and all my teammates in general," Aubrey told the Des Moines Register on April 15. "I just overall wanted more playing time and wanted a bigger role, and I thought that this is a good decision for me."

She announced in late May she would join Oklahoma, which lost to Iowa State twice last season. The Sooners went 25-9.

Kentucky

2021-22 season: 19-12 overall, 8-8 SEC. Won SEC tournament title vs. South Carolina. Lost to Princeton in first round of NCAA tournament.

Coach: Kyra Elzy enters her third season as head coach and 11th overall after serving as an assistant.

  • Dre'una Edwards (6-2, redshirt junior, F) to Baylor— 16.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, .521 FG%

  • Jazmine Massengill (6-0, senior, PG) to Florida State — 7.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.7 APG .406 FG%

  • Treasure Hunt (6-2, sophomore, wing) — 6.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.4 APG

  • Kristen Crenshaw-Gill (5-9, freshman, G), Olivia Owens (6-4, redshirt junior, C) to Syracuse, Erin Toller (5-7, sophomore, PG) to Georgetown College (NAIA)

Massengill and Edwards played the second-most minutes behind No. 1 WNBA draft pick Rhyne Howard last season. It was Edwards, on an assist from Messengill, who made the game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds left to upset No. 1 South Carolina in the SEC championship game.

Edwards announced April 27 she committed to Baylor, led by head coach Nicki Collen. She previously transferred from Utah to Kentucky ahead of 2018-19. Massengill, who previously played at Tennessee, is heading to Florida State as a graduate transfer.

Dre'una Edwards, who helped lead Kentucky to the SEC championship, has entered the transfer portal. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Dre'una Edwards, who helped lead Kentucky to the SEC championship, has entered the transfer portal. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Maryland

2021-22 season: 23-9, 13-4 Big Ten. Lost to Indiana in second round of Big Ten tournament. Lost to Stanford in Sweet 16.

Coach: Two-time National Coach of the Year Brenda Frese enters her 21st year at Maryland and is 535-140 (.793) with the 2006 national title.

  • Angel Reese (6-3, sophomore, F/G) to LSU (5/6)— 17.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG, .500 FG

  • Ashley Owusu (6-0, junior, G) to Virginia Tech (5/1)— 14.3 PPG, 3. APG, 3.1 RPG, .424 FG%, .406 3FG

  • Mimi Collins (6-3, redshirt junior, F) to NC State, Taisiya Kozlova (6-1, sophomore, G) to Dayton, Channise Lewis (5-8, grad, G) to Pittsburgh

Reese and Owusu, both Associated Press All-Americans, were the two building blocks for the Terrapins with Diamond Miller, their third-highest scorer, coming off the bench most games. Collins (7.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 25.2 MPG) also played key minutes with the injuries Maryland dealt with during the season.

Reese will move to the SEC to join head coach Kim Mulkey in her second year at the helm.

“I chose LSU and Kim Mulkey because of the winning culture,” Reese said in a release. “I trust in coach Kim and her staff to help develop me into the player I need to be for the next level. Her resume speaks for itself and I want to continue that here at LSU. The relationships I’ve built here, especially with the team, are so special and we are ready to work!”

Minnesota

2021-22: 15-18, 7-11 Big Ten. Lost to Northwestern in second round of Big Ten tournament. Lost in second round of WNIT to South Dakota State, the eventual champions.

Coach: Lindsay Whalen, alumna and retired Minnesota Lynx champion. Whalen will enter her fifth season.

  • Sara Scalia (5-10, junior, SG) to Indiana — 17.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 35.2 MPG

  • Jasmine Powell (5-6, junior, PG) to Tennessee (January) — 12.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.7 APG, 30.2 MPG

  • Kadiatou Sissoko (6-2, redshirt, junior, wing) — 10.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG

  • Erin Hedman to Sacramento State (4/24), Klarke Sconiers to Delaware (4/24), Alexia Smith to Virginia (4/28), Caroline Strande to Butler (4/24)

Scalia and Powell were the team's leading scorers and Sissoko ranked fourth, leading the team in rebounds by a slight margin. No double-digit scorers remain on the roster. There were and are high hopes for the program's star to return it to the top. Whalen is 60-59 as head coach and has not yet had a winning record in Big Ten play. Her 2022 recruiting class is ranked seventh in the country.

Mississippi State

2021-22: 15-14, 6-10 SEC. Lost to Kentucky in second round of SEC tournament.

Coach: Sam Purcell joins Mississippi State after nine years on Jeff Walz's staff in Louisville. He takes over for interim head coach Jim Novak, who stepped in last October when Nikki McCray-Penson stepped down citing health concerns.

  • Rickea Jackson (6-2, junior, wing) to Tennessee — 35 MPG (15 games), 20.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, .410 FG%

  • Myah Taylor (5-7, redshirt senior, PG) to Ole Miss (4/24)— 35.3 MPG, 8.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 SPG

  • Ashley Jones (5-7, redshirt junior, G), KN'isha Godfrey (5-9, sophomore, G) to TCU, Jasmine Shavers (5-9, freshman, G) to Texas Tech, Alyza Winston (5-7, junior, G).

Two of the Bulldogs' top playmakers entered the portal in Jackson, the leading scorer and second rebounder, and Taylor, the best facilitator. Jackson, ranked No. 5 overall in the 2019 class and second at the wing position out of high school, entered her name into the portal on Jan. 24.

Rickea Jackson was one of Mississippi State's top playmakers, but entered her name in the transfer portal in January. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Rickea Jackson was one of Mississippi State's top playmakers, but entered her name in the transfer portal in January. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Missouri

2020-21 season: 18-13, 7-9 SEC. Lost to Arkansas in OT of SEC tournament first round. Lost to Drake in WNIT.

Coach: Robin Pingeton started at Missouri in 2010.

  • Aijha Blackwell (6-0, junior, G) to Baylor — 14.9 PPG, 13.1 RPG, .487FG%

  • LaDazhia Williams (6-4, redshirt senior, F) to LSU (4/24)— 9.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, .535FG%

  • Izzy Higginbottom (5-7, freshman, G)to Arkansas State (4/24), Kiya Dorroh (6-1, freshman, wing) to Colorado State (4/24)

Blackwell led the nation in defensive rebounds (10.5 DRPG) by a full 1.4 more than Lorela Cubaj of Georgia Tech. She was one of four who missed games late in the season due to what coach said were separate violations of team standards. Blackwell told ABC17 out of Columbia, Missouri, she would make a transfer decision in May between South Carolina, Ole Miss and Baylor. She ultimately chose Nicki Collen and the Bears.

Collen told ESPN:

"Our fans saw firsthand how she can impact the game with her physicality, rebounding and overall attack mentality when Mizzou played us in December. She has the ability to swing between forward positions and is a true mismatch for opponents with her combination of skill, speed and size.

"Aijha wants to continue to develop her all-around game and be pro-ready, and I know we can help her do that."

Williams and Dorroh were also in that group suspended late in the season.

Morehead State

2021-22 season: 1-27, 0-18 OVC. Team was 7-16/6-13 the year prior.

Coach: Cayla Petree, formerly a coach in the NJCAA, took over ahead of the past season.

  • Fredrionna Adams, Morgan Browning, Lauren Carter to Appalachian State (4/24), Jada Claude, Alana Denson, Jazmyn Gaines-Burns, Charlette Leurs, Jalynn Marshall, Terri Smith, Kiana Williams, Paris Williams

Morehead State is on this list for the sheer number of players exiting the program. Four players remain on the Morehead State online roster as of April 16.

Notre Dame

21-22 season: 24-9, 13-5 ACC. Upset by Miami in ACC tournament semifinal. As No. 5 seed in NCAA tournament, nearly upset No. 1 NC State in Sweet 16.

Coach: Niele Ivey, former Notre Dame point guard, will enter her third season after taking over for Muffet McGraw.

  • Sam Brunelle (6-2, junior, F) to Virginia — 16.5 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, .450 FG%

  • Anaya Peoples (5-10, junior, PG) to DePaul — 19.7 MPG, 3.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, .445 FG%

  • Abby Prohaska (5-10, senior, G) to San Diego State — 12.1 MPG, 3.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, .509 FG%

  • Katlyn Gilbert (5-10, senior, PG)

Brunelle, Peoples and Prohaska were Ivey's top options off the bench. They entered the portal four days after the tight loss to the Wolfpack. Three of the five Fighting Irish starters are freshmen or sophomores.

Oregon

2021-22 season: 20-12, 11-6 Pac-12. Lost to Utah in Pac-12 tournament semifinals. Upset by Belmont in 2OTs in first round of NCAA tournament.

Coach: Kelly Graves has been at Oregon since April 2014.

  • Sydney Parrish (6-2, sophomore, wing) to Indiana —24.7 MPG, 8.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG

  • Taylor Bigby (6-1, freshman, G), Chanaya Pinto (6-1, junior, F) to Penn State, Maddie Scherr (5-11, sophomore, G), Kylee Watson (6-4, sophomore, F) to Notre Dame (4/27)

Parrish, an Indiana native, was one of five five-star freshmen, including Scherr and Watson, to join the Ducks for 2020-21. Angela Dugalic transferred from Oregon to UCLA last May, leaving only point guard Te-Hina Paopao from that recruiting class.

Princeton

2021-22 season: 25-5, 14-0 Ivy League. Won Ivy League tournament title. Upset Kentucky in NCAA tournament.

Coach: Carla Berube will enter her fourth year.

  • Abby Meyers (6-0, senior, G) to Maryland— 17.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, .450 FG%, .393 3FG%

  • Neenah Young (5-10, junior, G/F) to Johns Hopkins (D-III), Maddie Plank (5-11, sophomore, G) to Davidson

Meyers is a Potomac, Maryland, native and reigning Ivy League Player of the Year. She scored 29 in the upset win over Kentucky and was named an AP Honorable Mention All-American selection. Meyers, a standout defender, made a move up in program and a return to home.

Saniya Rivers said she
Saniya Rivers said she "was not the piece of the puzzle they were looking for" at South Carolina and entered the transfer portal. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

South Carolina

2021-22 season: 25-2, 15-1 SEC. Lost SEC tournament title. Won NCAA championship.

Coach:The Dawn Staley.

  • Destiny Littleton (5-9, senior, SG) (entered 4/26)

  • Saniya Rivers (6-1, freshman, G), Eniya Russell (6-1, sophomore, PG) to Kentucky, Elysa Wesolek (6-1, senior, F)

The trio of transfers played sparingly on a deep, full roster of talent. Rivers, the No. 3 recruit in the 2021 class, averaged 12.9 minutes, the most of the group, and had 38 total assists.

“I was not the piece of the puzzle they were looking for and the piece of the puzzle they wanted me to be,” Rivers said, via the Star News. “I know I’m good enough to play there, but the fit wasn’t what I thought it would be coming into my freshman year.”

Russell was 42.2% from the floor and 5-of-12 from 3-point range.

Syracuse

2021-22 season: 11-18, 4-14 ACC. Lost to Clemson in first round of conference tournament.

Coach: Felisha Legette-Jack comes back to her hometown and alma mater from Buffalo to spark a program in need of a revamp.

  • Chrislyn Carr to Louisville (4/21), Christianna Carr to Arkansas (4/22), Shalexxus Aaron (transferred to Texas Southern in late summer 2021), Julianna Walker

  • Priscilla Williams (6-0, sophomore, G) to South Florida — 2020-21: 8.7 PPG, 3.2 APG

Syracuse filled its roster with mostly transfers as a bridge from its mass exodus in 2021 to the start of a new era under Legette-Jack. Carr and Carr (no relation) averaged double-digit points and about four rebounds each.

Williams was one of the few who stayed, but had to redshirt last season for an undisclosed injury and will join South Florida. She last played in the 2021 ACC tournament and took a scary fall, appearing to hit her head.

Texas

2021-22 season: 29-7, 13-5 Big 12

Coach: Two-time National Coach of the Year Vic Schaefer will enter his third season at Texas after eight seasons at Mississippi State.

  • Lauren Ebo (6-4, senior, F/C) to Notre Dame— 26.6 MPG, 8.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, .481 FG%

  • Audrey Warren (5-9, senior, G/wing) to Georgia (4/24)— 26.6 MPG, 8.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, .468FG%

  • Latasha Lattimore (6-4, freshman, F), Ashley Chevalier (5-7, sophomore, PG) to Texas Tech, Precious Johnson (6-5, sophomore, F/C) to Auburn

The Longhorns lost their Nos. 4 and 5 players in minutes played as they seek somewhere else for their fifth year. Joanne Allen-Taylor renounced her NCAA eligibility, but was not taken in the WNBA draft. The three combined for 43% of all minutes played at Texas this past season.

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