Five impact Big Ten women's basketball transfers

The transfer portal was a beast last offseason. Several high-level players sought out new programs, and plenty of them have already made a significant impact. On3 looks at five impact players who transferred into the Big Ten.

Lucy Olsen – Villanova to Iowa

Lucy Olsen had enormous shoes to fill when she transferred from Villanova to Iowa – impossible shoes to fill. With Caitlin Clark in the WNBA, Olsen was positioned to be the next up. She was the third-leading scorer in the NCAA last season and has the versatility to take on a Clark-adjacent role. 

Last season at Villanova, she averaged 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals. While her production has understandably dropped a tad, she’s a very significant part of Iowa’s early success this year. She’s no Clark (and she doesn’t claim to be), but she’s averaging 18.6 points, 4 rebounds and 5.6 assists. 

Kaylene Smikle – Rutgers to Maryland

Kaylene Smikle was a star at Rutgers for the past two seasons but transferred to Maryland this offseason. The 6-foot junior joined a team full of newcomers and has stood out on a team with high hopes this season. 

Last year, she averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals. This year with the Terps, she’s averaging 17.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals. 

Kiki Iriafen – Stanford to USC

Former Stanford Cardinal Kiki Iriafen was potentially the biggest get of portal season. After Tara Vanderveer’s retirement, the star post player entered the portal and didn’t travel far, heading to USC. The projected No. 2 draft pick in the WNBA Draft, alongside stellar sophomore JuJu Watkins, has aided the Trojans in some key wins. 

Last year, she averaged 19.4 points and 11 rebounds. This season, she’s averaging 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds.  

Grace VanSlooten – Oregon to Michigan State

Grace VanSlooten was Oregon’s leading scorer a season ago. As the Ducks transitioned to the Big Ten, Vanslooten transferred into the conference, joining Michigan State. The 6-foot-3 post player is a major piece for a Michigan State team that’s exceeded expectations through their nonconference slate. 

Last year, VanSlooten averaged 15 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals. This year, she’s averaging 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks. 

Janiah Barker – Texas A&M to UCLA

Janiah Barker was a late offseason addition for the UCLA Bruins. She was a highly-recruited prospect, but never thrived as expected with Texas A&M. She’s now a major role player off the bench for the Bruins and is aiding in UCLA’s No. 1 ranking. 

Last season, Barker averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals as a full-time starter. This season, the 6-foot-4 post player is averaging 10.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals.