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USC headlines the top 5 women's CBB transfer portal classes … so far – 247Sports
With the deadline to enter the transfer portal rapidly approaching, 247Sports decided to take a look at some of the programs who made the most of this window by highlighting the top 5 transfer portal classes in women’s college basketball.
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USC’s roster is in a good place even despite graduating several key pieces from this year’s Elite 8 participant. National Freshman of the Year, Juju Watkins has 3 seasons of eligibility remaining and Lindsay Gottlieb’s staff has paired her with the transfer portal’s No. 2 rated prospect, Kiki Iriafen.
Iriafen’s overall stock rose with the 19.4 points and 11 rebounds a game she averaged for Stanford this season. She was every bit as productive as her teammate Cameron Brink who was the No. 2 pick in the WNBA Draft. Iriafen is a season-changer for whoever lands her.
Southern Cal also added a top 25 portal player in Talia von Oelhoffen. She averaged 10.1 points, 5 assists per game last season for Oregon State.
The Oklahoma Sooners land in the No. 2 spot because they reeled in the transfer portal’s No. 1 ranked prospect, Raegan Beers.
At Oregon State, Beers shot an incredible 66.4% from the field in 2023-24, finishing second in the country in that mark. She was also a walking double-double this season, dropping 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Getting a post player like Beers for two more seasons could change the trajectory of this program. This is a major win for the Sooners as they prepare to enter the SEC.
Kenny Brooks got his tenure in Lexington off to a great start by announcing that the No. 3 player in the transfer portal, Georgia Amoore, would be following him from to Lexington from Virginia Tech.
Amoore has been operating at an All-League level for two season, averaging 18.8 points and 6.8 assists per game in 2023-24. She was the most prolific guard in the transfer portal and is a huge land for Brooks. He also brought over a post player from Virginia Tech, Clara Strack.
Kevin McGuff’s roster finished the season on a disappointing note after losing during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. However, the Buckeyes wasted no time in adding quality pieces like Ajae Petty and Chance Gray to the fold for next year.
Petty was a double-double machine for Kentucky, averaging 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. She’ll give McGuff a true presence in the paint. Gray will provide perimeter scoring as Jacy Sheldon departs for the WNBA. Gray went for 13.9 points a game as an Oregon Duck in 2023-24.
Michgan State occupies the No. 5 slot for now. The Spartans landed the No. 4 recruit in the portal, Grace VanSlooten, from Oregon. A transfer of VanSlooten’s status was a must land for Michigan State as they look to repeat 2023-24’s success with another trip to the NCAA Tournament next spring.
VanSlooten averaged 15 points and 7.1 rebounds a game for the Ducks last season.
LSU might lack a signature transfer like Aneesah Morrow was for them a year ago, but they are right in the mix for the portal’s deepest class. They’ve added a handful of high-level starting options in Shayeann Day-Wilson from Miami, Kailyn Gilbert from Arizona and Mjracle Sheppard from Mississippi State.
Texas is working hard on both the high school recruiting front and in the transfer portal. The Longhorns landed former Michigan standout and the No. 8 player in the transfer portal, Laila Phelia. This goes a long way towards the Longhorns returning to the Elite 8 next year.
A part of TCU’s gain is LSU’s loss. The Horned Frogs added Hailey Van Lith after a challenging season in Baton Rouge. Mark Campbell’s 2024-25 roster will look vastly different than the 2023-24 version. By adding Van Lith and Maddie Scherr (a transfer from Kentucky) the Horned Frogs will be ready for the revamped Big 12 conference.
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