How did SEC women’s basketball teams benefit in the transfer portal? We ranked the classes.

There is no perfect method to crafting a roster in college basketball, but one thing’s for sure — hitting the transfer portal just right has the potential to take a team from good to great, and from great to national championship-level.

Take the last two NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honorees, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso (2024) and LSU’s Angel Reese (2023), for example. Both Cardoso and Reese made their way to the Southeastern Conference after sophomore seasons at Syracuse and Maryland, respectively, before helping their new schools to national titles.

During the 2023-24 season, the top five scorers (who played the majority of their teams’ games) at each of the 14 SEC programs except Missouri, featured at least one transfer. 2024 conference entrants Oklahoma and Texas had at least two of their top five scorers last season start their collegiate careers elsewhere.

In addition to welcoming the Sooners and the Longhorns this season, the SEC also gains 38 new transfers. Eight additional transfers moved within the conference. Will these transfers aid in bringing the SEC its fourth national championship in as many seasons? Will they achieve elite status, earning All-SEC and/or NCAA Tournament MOP honors? Only time will tell, but, now that the rosters are set, it’s time to dive into each program’s transfer haul.

Below is our ranking of SEC teams’ incoming transfer classes in tiers. Teams are listed alphabetically in each tier.

This list is the second in a two-part series ranking the SEC’s women’s basketball teams. First by freshman signing class, and now by transfer class.

Perfect fit

OKLAHOMA — Raegan Beers (Oregon State).

Last season was good to the Sooners. A first-place finish in their final year as a member of the Big 12, a 23-win season and a slew of conference honors understandably set the bar high for Oklahoma’s SEC debut this year. Jennie Baranczyk could’ve stopped with her signing of two top-75 recruits, but she further bolstered her roster by adding two-time All-America center Beers out of Oregon State.

What’s true is true — nearly everybody could use a Raegan Beers; she chose the Sooners over UConn.

Last season, Beers led Oregon State in scoring along the way to an Elite Eight berth and 27-8 record; she also posted the second-highest field goal percentage in college basketball (66.4%) while averaging 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest.

Nailed it

AUBURN — DeYona Gaston (Texas), Taliah Scott (Arkansas).

What do you do when you graduate your two leading scorers? In Johnnie Harris’ case, you sign one of the SEC’s top freshmen and the 2024 Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year, giving the Tigers a real opportunity to continue building upon the momentum of last year’s 20-win season.

Scott, the No. 11 prospect in the class of 2023, led the Razorbacks in scoring during her freshman season, averaging 22.1 points per game on 40.7% shooting from the field. The 5-9 guard earned SEC All-Freshman recognition, and instantly became one of the top available transfers as soon as she entered the portal. Gaston, a 6-2 forward, spent four seasons with the Longhorns, reaching the Elite Eight three times. During her senior season at Texas, Gaston averaged 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

TEXAS — Kyla Oldacre (Miami), Laila Phelia (Michigan).

After a pair of back-to-back difference-making seasons in Austin, guard Shaylee Gonzales exhausted her remaining eligibility last year. Vic Schaefer’s solution? Signing first-team All-Big Ten selection Laila Phelia, a three-year standout for the Wolverines who averaged 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game last year. Now that All-America honorable mention Rori Harmon should be back and ready to play following a season-ending knee injury suffered in December, and All-America forward Madison Booker has her freshman season under her belt, Phelia could plug right in and serve as another option in the Longhorns’ high-powered style of play.

The Longhorns also chose to add more depth in the post with former McDonald’s All-American and 2022 top-25 prospect Oldacre, a 6-6 forward who should pair well with Texas veteran forward Taylor Jones.

VANDERBILT — Leilani Kapinus (Penn State), Jane Nwaba (Pepperdine).

Shea Ralph is lifting the Commodores to heights — a 20-plus-win season and an NCAA Tournament victory — unseen by Vanderbilt supporters in over a decade. Fans were, for good reason, elated by the signings of top-10 prospect Mikayla Blakes and 6-3 forward Trinity Wilson, but had even more to celebrate when the program announced the transfer of Kapinus, one of the nation’s top defenders.

Not only was Kapinus a three-year starter for the Nittany Lions, she also led all power conference players in steals per game during the 2022-23 season. As a senior, Kapinus averaged 11.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 2.1 steals, and was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. The Commodores may have graduated Jordyn Cambridge, who averaged 12.0 points and ranked third in the nation in steals per contest with 3.5, but the decision to bring in another defensive powerhouse is a testament to Ralph’s intentionality, and gives Vanderbilt a shot to keep the ball rolling. Nwaba, fresh off the best statistical season of her career, delivered 10.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists — leading the Waves in each category and earning an honorable mention nod in the 2023-24 All-West Coast Conference postseason awards.

Good pickups

ALABAMA — Diana Collins (Ohio State), Christabel Ezumah (Campbell), Zaay Green (Arkansas-Pine Bluff).

One thing about Kristy Curry, she’s learned how to identify transfers who will not only fit well within the Crimson Tide’s system, but also become major contributors to her program. Four of Alabama’s top five scorers in 2023-24 arrived in Tuscaloosa via the portal, including 2024 first-team All-SEC honoree Sarah Ashlee Barker, who transferred from Georgia after her junior year.

In hopes of striking gold once more and building upon last year’s fourth-place conference finish, Curry signed Collins, Ezumah and Green. Collins, a 5-9 sophomore guard, averaged only 9.8 minutes across 18 games for the Buckeyes, but graduated from high school as the No. 70 prospect in 2023, and earned valuable FIBA minutes in 2023 with Sweden’s U20 roster. In Ezumah, the Crimson Tide gains a 2024 All-Coastal Athletic Association third-teamer and All-CAA Defensive selection with four years of Division I experience. Last season with the Camels, the 6-2 forward averaged 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Green, a 6-2 graduate guard and 2018 McDonald’s All-American, began her career at Tennessee before stops at Texas A&M and UAPB; she’s overcome two ACL tears in three years. Last season with the Golden Lions, Green averaged 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists, earning first-team All-SWAC honors.

ARKANSAS — Izzy Higginbottom (Arkansas State).

Higginbottom, who began her college career at Missouri in 2021, makes her return to the SEC after two seasons at Arkansas State. Though she earned Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore, Higginbottom had a dominant junior season for the Red Wolves; she averaged 22.2 points (ninth in Division I), while also contributing 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

The Razorbacks lost most of their production from last season — saying goodbye to all five of their leading scorers — so gaining a surefire scorer in Higginbottom was a big win for Mike Neighbors.

LSU — Shayeann Day-Wilson (Miami), Kailyn Gilbert (Arizona), Mjracle Sheppard (Mississippi State), Jersey Wolfenbarger (Arkansas).

After graduating reigning SEC Player of the Year Angel Reese and saying goodbye to transfers Janae Kent (Texas A&M), Kateri Poole (Houston), Hailey Van Lith (TCU) and Angelica Velez (Syracuse), Kim Mulkey seems to have scored big in the portal again.

Day-Wilson, Miami’s leading scorer during her sole season with the Hurricanes, averaged 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists after two solid seasons at Duke, during which the 5-6 guard was named the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year. Gilbert, the No. 31 prospect in the class of 2022, averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 23 games last season. Though Sheppard averaged 5.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a freshman last season, she’s a former top-90 prospect. Wolfenbarger is 6-5, a 2022 SEC All-Freshman selection and has 65 games of experience.

MISSOURI — Tionna Herron (Texas), Laniah Randle (Southern Illinois), Tilda Sjökvist (Presbyterian), Nyah Wilson (New Mexico).

Randle highlights a Missouri transfer class looking to inject new life after a last-place finish in the 2023-24 SEC standings. Randle, a 2024 All-Missouri Valley Conference first-teamer, led the Salukis in scoring (18.3) and rebounding (8.6), while also averaging 1.5 assists and 2.2 steals. The 5-11 forward saw a big jump in production between her sophomore and junior seasons, and brings 87 games of experience to Missouri. Robin Pingeton also signed Presbyterian leading scorer Sjkökvist, who averaged 12.2 points, in addition to 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and a team-high 3.5 assists. Wilson, another guard who paced her previous program in scoring, averaged 15.5 points with the Lobos last season. She also contributed 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals, and was named the 2023-24 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year in addition to first-team honors.

The Tigers also added 6-5 center Herron, a top-70 prospect in the class of 2022 who began her college career at Kentucky but did not play after preseason open-heart surgery. She transferred to Texas ahead of her sophomore season, during which she averaged 1.7 points and 0.5 rebounds in 15 games.

SOUTH CAROLINA — Maryam Dauda (Arkansas).

South Carolina has graduated back-to-back dominant posts in Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso. And, while reserve center Sakima Walker and redshirt freshman forward Adhel Tac remain on the roster, it makes perfect sense that the Gamecocks would want to add some more depth in the frontcourt.

Enter the 6-4 Dauda, who’s spent the past two seasons at Arkansas matching up against South Carolina’s bigs. Dawn Staley was quite complimentary of Dauda after she recorded 19 points, one steal and three blocks against South Carolina in February during a season where she averaged 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds. Since arriving on campus, the Arkansas native has acknowledged her need to sharpen up defensively to meet the program’s high standard, but Dauda seems to be another strong addition for the reigning national champions — joining the likes of Cardoso and former Oregon Duck Te-Hina Paopao.

A reconstructive approach

KENTUCKY — Georgia Amoore (Virginia Tech), Gabby Brooks (Virginia Tech), Amelia Hassett (Eastern Florida State College), Teonni Key (North Carolina), Dazia Lawrence (Charlotte), Jordan Obi (Penn), Dominika Paurová (Oregon State), Clara Strack (Virginia Tech).

Nearly everything about the Kentucky Wildcats will look different from last season — including all but two returners, junior guards Cassidy Rowe and Saniah Tyler.

Kenny Brooks wasted no time in starting fresh, earning big-time commitments from former Virginia Tech pledges Lexie Blue, the No. 40 prospect in the class of 2024, and touted international prospect Clara Silva. The first real marker of possibility, however, came when esteemed point guard Amoore elected to spend one final year in the college ranks before declaring for the WNBA draft, and choosing to spend that last season in Lexington with Brooks. Amoore’s transfer to Kentucky means the Wildcats have their first All-American since Rhyne Howard, the first-overall pick in the 2022 WNBA draft.

Joining Amoore from Virginia Tech is 6-5 center Strack, who spent her freshman season learning under 2023 WNBA draft pick and all-time Hokies great Liz Kitley, and Brooks’ youngest daughter Gabby, who redshirted the 2023-24 season. The Wildcats also flipped 6-3 junior college transfer Hassett, who earned National Junior College Athletic Association Division I All-America third-team honors after averaging 13.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per contest as a sophomore. Brooks also brought in 1,000-point scorers Lawrence and Obi to pair with Amoore in the backcourt, and provide much-needed leadership while establishing the foundation for a new era. Key, a 6-4 forward and former top-10 prospect, and Paurová, a member of Oregon State’s 2023-24 Elite Eight roster, add power conference experience and developing talent to round out the roster.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, both Obi and Paurová sustained lower-leg injuries over the summer, and UK has not yet specified timelines for their return.

MISSISSIPPI STATE — Denim DeShields (UAB), Chandler Prater (Oklahoma State), Eniya Russell (Kentucky), Kayla Thomas (Georgia Southern), Terren Ward (Georgia Southern).

It’s a new dawn for the Bulldogs, who welcome five transfers and three freshmen ahead of the 2024-25 campaign in hopes of besting last year’s .500 finish in SEC play.

Ward, who led the Eagles last season in points (22.0), rebounds (9.1) and steals (1.8), is a great pickup for Sam Purcell. The 5-11 guard/forward played in more than 100 games over four seasons at Georgia Southern, and was named to the Sun Belt All-Conference first team in both 2023 and 2024. She’s joined in Starkville by fellow former Eagle Thomas, who averaged 5.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.2 minutes last year.

DeShields, the younger sister of WNBA champion Diamond DeShields, was the Blazers’ second-leading scorer last season, averaging 13.4 points while also topping the team in assists with 5.3; the 5-5 guard has 62 starts in two seasons of college basketball. Prater, who played in only five games for Oklahoma State last year before sustaining a season-ending injury, averaged 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds over three seasons at Kansas. Last season with the Wildcats, Russell was a reliable spark off the bench; the 6-0 guard averaged 10.1 points and 3.6 rebounds as a senior, recording the best numbers of her career.

TENNESSEE — Favor Ayodele (Pittsburgh), Alyssa Latham (Syracuse), Zee Spearman (Miami), Samara Spencer (Arkansas), Ruby Whitehorn (Clemson).

Though Tennessee returns two of its top-five leading scorers in Jewel Spear and Sara Puckett, and brings back guard Destinee Wells after she suffered a season-ending injury early last year, new coach Kim Caldwell went to work in the transfer portal to try to begin her tenure on the right foot, bringing in five power conference players.

Former NJCAA All-America honoree Ayodele averaged 4.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in her sole season at Pitt, where she made 15 starts. Latham, a member of the 2023-24 ACC All-Freshman Team, started in the majority of games she played at Syracuse. The 6-2 forward averaged 8.6 points and 7.0 rebounds, leading the Orange in boards. Spearman, a 6-4 forward, led Miami in rebounding last season with 6.0 boards while also contributing 6.3 points on 50% shooting.

Spencer, a 5-7 senior, was a standout for the Razorbacks last season, during which she averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals and started all 33 contests. She and Whitehorn, a 2022 McDonald’s All-American and reliable forward who averaged 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds, are big gets for Tennessee fans hoping the Vols can restore their winning tradition.

Also worth noting, former head coach Kellie Harper signed South Carolina transfer guard Talaysia Cooper ahead of the 2023-24 season, though she was ineligible due to transferring after the NCAA window had closed. After sitting out last season, the former McDonald’s All-American is free to return to the court, and should provide an appreciated boost — and consistency — amid all the change.

Solid signings

FLORIDA — Alexia Gassett (Louisville).

The Gators hit it big on the recruiting trail and lost only Alberte Rimdal (Nebraska) to the portal — plus graduated Zippy Broughton, Leilani Correa and Faith Dut — so Florida’s transfer needs weren’t as pressing as one might expect following an 11th-place conference finish. Kelly Rae Finley opted to add Gassett (formerly Mobley), a 6-2 forward, alongside a highly rated freshman class that includes five-star guard Liv McGill and Me’Arah O’Neal, the four-star daughter of Shaquille O’Neal.

Gassett averaged 5.1 minutes over 24 games during her redshirt freshman season with the Cardinals, contributing 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds.

GEORGIA — Nyah Leveretter (Kentucky), Roxane Makolo (Southern California).

Like Florida, Georgia is freshman-heavy entering the 2024-25 season. However, that doesn’t mean that Katie Abrahamson-Henderson didn’t take the time to add some experience to a roster that, suddenly, is much younger than it was a year ago.

After a dominant final year for fifth-year forward Javyn Nicholson, the Bulldogs bid farewell to the All-SEC second-teamer and looked to the transfer portal to add a pair of fifth-year players. Leveretter, who spent the whole of her senior season with the Wildcats on the sideline following an ACL tear suffered near the end of the 2022-23 regular season, joins Georgia with a career average 2.1 points and 3.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game. Makolo, a 5-10 guard, has four years’ experience with the Canadian National Team. Since beginning her career at Purdue in 2019, she’s made stops at TCU and USC, and has career averages of 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 14.3 minutes.

OLE MISS — Christeen Iwuala (UCLA), Starr Jacobs (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Tameiya Sadler (Colorado).

Yolett McPhee-McCuin is another SEC coach who’s no stranger to finding success in the transfer portal, and she’s looking to do it again.

Jacobs began her college career in 2018 at Houston, but transferred to juco Temple College after redshirting her freshman year. In two seasons at Temple College and the subsequent two years at UT Arlington, Jacobs was dominant; she became the first player in UT Arlington history to eclipse 1,000 career points in two seasons after averaging nearly 20 points per game. Though she didn’t suit up for Arkansas-Pine Bluff after transferring ahead of last season, it shouldn’t take her long to shake off the rust.

Iwuala, a strong defender, averaged 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game during her sophomore year with the Bruins last season. Sadler, a 5-7 guard, played in 94 games for the Buffaloes after transferring from Washington after her freshman year. As a senior last season, Sadler averaged 5.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 18.4 minutes.

TEXAS A&M — Amirah Abdur-Rahim (SMU), Janae Kent (LSU).

The Aggies’ biggest needs this offseason were created by the departures of star forward Janiah Barker (now at UCLA) and second-leading scorer Endyia Rogers (out of eligibility). Though it’s a tall ask to try to replace a pair of experienced players who each averaged 12.2 points per contest, Joni Taylor and her staff reeled in a pair of players with potential.

Following minimal playing time at Notre Dame and a season-ending injury early on in her sophomore season at SMU, Abdur-Rahim became a big help for the Mustangs as a senior, posting the best stats of her career by far last season with 11.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.7 blocks, the latter of which ranked the 6-3 forward first in the American Athletic Conference. Kent, a top-100 prospect in the class of 2023, scored more than 2,000 points during her high school career before playing 32 games during her freshman season with the Tigers. The 6-1 guard averaged 1.6 points in 8.0 minutes per contest.

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