Women's college basketball transfer portal rankings: The 10 best players set to change teams

Transfer portal season has arrived in women's college basketball, and these are the best players who could move

By Jack Maloney

Apr 6, 2026 at 3:34 pm ET • 6 min read

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UCLA crushed South Carolina on Sunday to win the 2026 NCAA women's basketball national championship and officially bring the 2025-26 season to a close. There's no time for rest, though, as now that the season is over, the transfer portal is open.

In January, the NCAA announced major changes to the transfer portal process for both men's and women's college basketball. Unlike past seasons, when the portal was open while the NCAA Tournament was going on, the portal now opens the day after the national championship game. Additionally, it will only remain open for 15 days, which makes the women's basketball window April 6-20.

After the next few weeks, the college basketball landscape is going to change significantly. As the action gets underway, here's a look at some of the top players in the portal (so far).

1. Audi Crooks -- C, Iowa State

Crooks is by far the best player in the portal to date. The 6-foot-3 center was named an AP Second Team All-American after averaging 25.8 points per game and 7.7 rebounds on 64.9% shooting. She set career-highs in scoring and field goal percentage, and was second in the country in both categories.

Despite Crooks' best efforts, which included four 40-point games and a 37-point outing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Iowa State's season ended in disappointing fashion. She is one of 10 Cyclones to hit the portal, and will have no shortage of options this summer as she decides where to play her senior season.

Audi Crooks landing spots: Iowa State star entering transfer portal, so where could she end up?

Jack Maloney

2. Liv McGill -- G, Florida

McGill was one of the most exciting and productive players in college basketball last season. The lightning-quick guard averaged 22.5 points, 6.1 rebounds 6.3 assists and 2.6 steals en route to All-SEC First Team and AP All-American Honorable Mention honors.

She was the highest-ranked recruit in program history, but despite her strong play Florida once again failed to make the NCAA Tournament and parted ways with coach Kelly Rae Finley. Now, McGill is in the portal and will look to play her final two seasons of college basketball elsewhere. She is immediately one of the biggest names in the portal.

3. Talaysia Cooper -- G, Tennessee

Cooper, who was named to the All-SEC Second Team, was Tennessee's best player last season. A big, versatile guard, she put up 16 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game, and shot a career-best 34.3% from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts. In the process, she led the Volunteers in scoring, assists, steals and 3-pointers made.

Tennessee suffered a stunning late-season collapse, losing its last eight games, including a first-round defeat to NC State in the NCAA Tournament. Since then, there's been an exodus from Knoxville. That includes Cooper, who will be in high demand for her final collegiate season.

4. Addy Brown -- F, Iowa State

Brown missed over a month with what Iowa State called a "lower-body injury," and was not herself once she returned to the court late in the season. But even though her numbers took a hit from last season, she still put up 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists and shot 33.8% from 3-point range.

After such a frustrating season on both a personal and team level, Brown hit the portal and will look to play elsewhere in her senior season. Her impressive offensive versatility will make her an easy fit on just about any team, and she should have plenty of suitors.

5. Jada Williams -- G, Iowa State

Williams transferred to Iowa State last summer after playing her first two seasons at Arizona, and will now be looking for her third team in three years after deciding to enter the portal along with nearly every other Cyclones player, including Crooks and Brown.

After an excellent season in Ames, Williams should be in high demand this summer. She was named to the All-Big-12 First Team after averaging 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists and one steal per game. Aside from steals, all of those marks were career-highs.

6. Kymora Johnson -- G, Virginia

Johnson burst into the national consciousness last season while leading Virginia on a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16. She averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals, while shooting 36.1% on 8.4 3-point attempts en route to All-ACC First Team honors.

Shortly after Virginia's season came to an end, however, coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton was fired after an internal investigation into the team's culture. That led a number of players, including Johnson, to enter the portal. Plenty of teams will be eager to add Johnson for her senior season, especially after how she performed in the Big Dance.

Virginia's Kymora Johnson was once sidelined for being a girl. Now she's starring in March Madness.

Isabel Gonzalez

7. Kiyomi McMiller -- G, Penn State

In terms of pure talent, McMiller has an argument to be even higher on this list. The former McDonald's All-American was a All-Big Ten Second Team selection after averaging 21.6 points, five rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals, while shooting 35.3% from 3-point range for Penn State, which replaced long-time coach Carolyn Krieger with former star Tanisha Wright last month.

However, McMiller was suspended during her freshman season with Rutgers after reportedly getting into locker room altercation with a teammate and only ended up playing 21 games for the Scarlet Knights, is advised by Floyd Mayweather's former promoter and is now entering the portal for the second time in as many years.

8. Zam Jones -- G, NC State

Jones played sparingly as a freshman, but earned a starting role as a sophomore and was one of the most improved players in the country. She more than doubled her numbers in every major statistical category aside from blocks, and put up 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals, while shooting 36.6% from behind the arc.

After NC State's fairly disappointing season, which ended with a blowout loss to Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Jones decided to enter the portal. The North Carolina native will be a target for many programs, especially since she has two years of eligibility left.

9. Gracie Merkle -- C, Penn State

Merkle is back in the portal again. After transferring from Bellarmine to Penn State after her freshman season, Merkle entered the portal last season and announced her intention to play for Maryland. Then, a few months later, she stunningly announced that she was leaving Maryland and would return to Penn State.

Now, after a productive junior season for the Nittany Lions, Merkle is once again planning to leave State College after a coaching change. Merkle averaged 19.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, and led the country in field goal percentage at a stunning 72.5%. The All-Big Ten Third Team honoree has one year of eligibility left.

10. Skylar Forbes -- F, Marquette

Forbes earned her second consecutive All-Big East First Team honor after another productive, if somewhat underwhelming, campaign for Marquette. The versatile, 6-foot-3 forward put up 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, one steal and 1.8 blocks, and shot 34.5% from behind the arc.

Marquette was able to keep its entire team together last offseason, but after a disappointing season that saw them fail to make any postseason tournament, a number of players have hit the portal. Forbes, who was on the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list ahead of last season, will have a number of interested teams hoping to secure her services for her senior campaign.