Big Ten WBB Portal Rundown: Top Additions/Departures

The women’s basketball season is still over 150 days away and the offseason is just barely over 25% complete. That being said, just because next season is still several months away, doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to talk about.

The latest transfer portal cycle gives us plenty to discuss, with teams across the country making moves to build their roster for next season. In the Big Ten, there were plenty of big-time additions and exits, including several intraconference moves that came as a bit of a surprise. Sometimes, the transfer portal, both additions and subtractions, can be a lot to process, so I went ahead and looked at the top additions for Big Ten teams, while also touching on the biggest departures.

Top Transfer Portal Additions

1. G Gianna Kneepkens (19.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg) (Utah -> UCLA)

Rated as the #4 transfer portal player by ESPN, the Bruins addition of Utah guard Gianna Kneepkens was the biggest splash of any Big Ten team this offseason. Kneepkens was a huge reason why the Utes were back in the NCAA Tournament last season, averaging 19.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. She shot 50.4% from the floor and 44.8% from three-point range, which made her one of the most efficient shooting guards in the country. With UCLA losing several notable players to the portal, this was the move they needed to keep themselves in the Final Four discussion going into next season.

2. G Kara Dunn (15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) (Georgia Tech to USC)

Although Georgia Tech guard Kara Dunn was rated as just #17 transfer portal player by ESPN, which is behind a couple players on this list, this was something USC needed dearly. With a couple of players transferring out and JuJu Watkins likely out for a portion of next season, Dunn provides some stability for the Trojans. She was the leading scorer for a Yellow Jackets team that made the NCAAT, averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Although her three-point shooting isn’t great (29.8%), Dunn scored 20+ points in nine games. The Trojans aren’t a national title contender, but this addition is enough to keep them in the top 25 until Watkins returns to the lineup.

3. F Yarden Garzon (14.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 41% 3pt) (Indiana -> Maryland)

There were several impactful Big Ten to Big Ten transfers and this one was the biggest one. Rated as the #7 transfer portal player by ESPN, forward Yarden Garzon goes from the Hoosiers to the Terrapins and joins the long list of players that Brenda Frese has brought to College Park via the portal over the years. Indiana’s leading scorer last season, Garzon averaged 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, including five games with 20+ points. She brings plenty of three-point shooting to Maryland, as a career 42.6% shooter from distance, including 220 made triples.

4. G Kiyomi McMiller (18.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg) (Rutgers -> Penn State)

It was quite the interesting true freshman season for guard Kiyomi McMiller, with some of the stuff that surrounded her season with the Scarlet Knights. That being said when on the court, you couldn’t argue with the results that McMiller had, which is why she was the #14 transfer portal player by ESPN. She led Rutgers in scoring in 21 games played, averaging 18.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. McMiller scored 20+ points in ten games, while shooting 41.5% from the floor and 33.3% from three-point range. This was a major addition for the Lady Lions, especially with three years of eligibility left.

5. G Oluchi Okananwa (10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.8 spg) (Duke -> Maryland)

The Terps were one of two teams to land a pair of top 15 transfer portal players, bringing in Duke guard Oluchi Okananwa to go along with the addition of Garzon. Okananwa was named the ACC Sixth Player of the Year as a freshman and ACC Tournament MVP this past season as a sophomore. She averaged 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, including scoring 10+ points in five of seven postseason games.

6. G Jalyn Brown (18.0 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg) (Arizona State -> Michigan State)

7. G T’yana Todd (13.7 ppg, 1.0 spg, 46.0% 3pt) (Boston College -> Ohio State)

8. SF Emely Rodriguez (11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg) (UCF -> Iowa)

9. F Ashley Sofilkanich (19.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.2 bpg) (Bucknell -> Michigan)

10. F Gift Uchenna (14.5 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 2.1 bpg) (Southern Illinois -> Wisconsin)

11. G Chit-Chat Wright (7.2 ppg, 2.6 apg) (Georgia Tech -> Iowa)

12. G Avery Howell (7.5 ppg, 43.5% 3pt) (USC -> Washington)

Top Transfer Portal Departures

1. F Cotie McMahon (16.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg) (Ohio State -> Ole Miss)

Easily the most impactful transfer out for any Big Ten team, Cotie McMahon’s decision to transfer to Ole Miss significantly changes the outlook for the Buckeyes going into next season. With her on the roster, Ohio State is a top 15-20 team, but without her, they fall out of the top 25 and into the secondary pack of Big Ten teams. McMahon led OSU in scoring last season, averaging 16.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, including scoring 15+ points in 19 games. ESPN has the Buckeyes as a 7 seed in their way-too-early bracket projection, which would be their lowest seed at the tournament since 2012.

2. F Serah Williams (19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.3 bpg) (Wisconsin -> UConn)

This transfer portal cycle showed just how hard it is to turn around a program like Wisconsin, who has not gone to the NCAA Tournament since 2010. The Badgers made the WNIT in 2024, but were unable to build on that success on that last season. Now, head coach Marisa Moseley is gone and so are their best two players. In 30 starts last season, Williams averaged 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, including tallying 14 double-doubles. Now, she’s off to Connecticut and that’s tough to see if you’re a Badger fan.

3. F Yarden Garzon (14.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 41% 3-pt) (Indiana -> Maryland)

4. G Kiyomi McMiller (18.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg) (Rutgers -> Penn State)

5. G Avery Howell (7.5 ppg, 43.5% 3pt) (USC -> Washington)

6. G Kayleigh Heckel (6.1 ppg) (USC -> UConn)

The Trojans added a couple of players from the portal, but also lost four players, which included a pair of talented young guards. Both Avery Howell and Kayleigh Heckel were contributors off the bench as true freshman, but now they’ll finish their careers elsewhere. Head coach Linsday Gottlieb is bringing in guard Jasmine Davidson, the #1 player in the ’25 class, but losing both Howell and Heckel still hurts.

7. G Londynn Jones (8.5 ppg, 75 3pt) (UCLA -> USC)

8. F Janiah Barker (7.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg) (UCLA -> Tennessee)

It was kind of crazy to see the Bruins make it to their first ever Final Four and then lose six players to the portal. Top three-point shooter Londynn Jones made the brave move to transfer across town to USC, while forward Janiah Barker spent just one season in Westwood after transferring in from Texas A&M. UCLA was one of the deepest teams in the country last season, but they might not have that title this season, as they lost all four players from their ’24 recruiting class to the portal as well.

9. F Carter McCray (10.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg) (Wisconsin -> West Virginia)

10. F Allie Kubek (9.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg) (Maryland -> Virginia Tech)

11. G Gabby Elliott (13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) (Penn State -> Arizona State)

12. C Lilly Meister (6.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg) (Indiana -> Kansas)

Way-Too-Early Projections for the 2025-26 season

ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25: #3 UCLA, #12 Maryland, #15 Michigan, #19 USC, #22 Iowa, #23 Michigan State, #24 Washington, Ohio State (one of three more teams considered)

Tied with the SEC for the most of any conference, the Big Ten landed seven teams in ESPN’s latest Way-Too-Early Top 25. That group was led by UCLA, who has since added Gianna Kneepkens to solidify their top five ranking. Some other notables include Michigan, who surprised many with the play of freshman Syla Swords and Olivia Olson last season, while USC tumbles to #19 due to the injury to JuJu Watkins. Also, for the first time in a while, the Buckeyes may not be considered a legit contender in the Big Ten, at least to start the year, after Cotie McMahon transferred out. They were considered, but left out of the rankings.

ESPN Way-Too Early Bracketology: UCLA (1), Maryland (3), Michigan (4), USC (5), Iowa (5), Michigan State (6), Washington (6), Ohio State (7), Minnesota (8), Indiana (8), Oregon (9), Nebraska (9), Illinois (First Four Out)

An incredible 13 Big Ten teams were either in the field or just out of the field in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Bracketology. Three teams were picked to host, led by UCLA as a one seed. Other notables include Minnesota, who has steadily climbed going from the WNIT to the WBIT and if they can make the NCAAT, it would be the first time since 2018. With five teams listed as a 7 seed or lower and Illinois just on the outside, it gives a similar feel to this past season, where things can shift pretty dramatically with a just a couple of conference games.