From Georgia's Battles to LSU's Reese: Ranking the top transfers in women's college basketball

The transportation portal was busier than ever this offseason, with galore big-name players changing programs. How they each acclimate to their caller surroundings volition beryllium 1 of the biggest storylines of the 2022-23 women's assemblage hoops season.

Plenty has changed since our past transportation rankings successful April. Ten of the players connected this list, including 4 of the apical six, hadn't picked their adjacent schoolhouse astatine that point. And portion Tennessee and Maryland stay large winners, schools specified arsenic Arizona, Baylor, LSU and Virginia Tech benefited the astir from the portal since our erstwhile rankings, luring seasoned endowment to their rosters.

How overmuch person things changed? At the extremity of past season, LSU didn't look worthy of being ranked; present the Tigers are apt a top-four squad successful the SEC and person Sweet 16 imaginable aft adding Angel Reese. Reigning nationalist champion South Carolina needed a constituent defender -- and got 1 successful Kierra Fletcher. Virginia Tech and Louisville some needed scoring connected the perimeter -- and person a combined 4 players successful our ranking.

But instrumentality note: Some players precocious connected the database mightiness not enactment up gaudy numbers, but their predicted interaction connected their caller squad -- whether they filled a circumstantial positional request oregon bring enactment and acquisition -- was weighed heavily.

A look astatine our top-30 interaction transfers:

1. Angel Reese, 6-3, F, Jr., LSU

Reese's determination to permission Maryland was the biggest communicative of the offseason astatine the time. She was the astir highly rated enlistee successful Terrapin past and led the squad with 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per crippled past season. But present she's the instauration of the programme successful Baton Rouge, and landing Reese means the Tigers tin beryllium a superior situation to LSU and Tennessee successful the SEC. A station subordinate with increasing range, Reese tin besides interaction the antiaircraft end. The champion Baylor teams nether Kim Mulkey had astatine slightest 1 ascendant station player. Now the manager has 1 successful her 2nd play astatine LSU.

2. Ashley Owusu, 6-0, G, Sr., Virginia Tech

Much similar Reese's determination to LSU, Owusu to the Hokies wholly changes their outlook for 2023. Without her, Virginia Tech was a NCAA tournament-team with Elizabeth Kitley a imaginable first-team All-American. But with Owusu, and Taylor Soule from Boston College, the Hokies tin triumph the ACC and endanger for a heavy tally successful March. Owusu and incumbent constituent defender Georgia Amoore successful the aforesaid backcourt should make plentifulness of playmaking opportunities.

3. Aijha Blackwell, 6-0, G, Sr., Baylor

No subordinate successful the state gets much rebounding accumulation retired of her size. Last play Blackwell ranked 2nd successful the state with 13.0 RPG and led Missouri astatine 15.4 PPG. A suspension for 3 games for undisclosed disciplinary reasons precocious past play seemed to awesome the extremity of her vocation with the Tigers. Now Blackwell gets a caller commencement with the Bears, who needed a speedy influx of seasoned endowment to assistance clasp disconnected challenges to their streak of 12 consecutive Big 12 regular-season titles.

4. Rickea Jackson, 6-2, F, Sr., Tennessee

When Jackson decided to permission the Mississippi State successful January, she was starring the SEC successful scoring astatine 20.3 PPG. Given the endowment that present surrounds her successful Knoxville, she mightiness not people arsenic much, but she gives the Lady Vols the benignant of versatile scorer they didn't person a play ago. Jordan Horston should person much state with Jackson connected the other broadside of the floor, and Tennessee volition person a much potent offense.

5. Lavender Briggs, 6-1, G, Sr., Maryland

Briggs was connected her mode to College Park earlier Reese and Owusu decided to transfer, somewhat softening the blow. If she is wholly implicit the shin wounded that yet ended her Florida vocation successful January, Briggs and Diamond Miller could signifier 1 of the highest scoring duos successful the country. Briggs averaged 19.5 points per crippled successful 2020-21 with the Gators.

6. Saniya Rivers, 6-1, G, Soph., NC State

After winning a nationalist title with South Carolina, the 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year decided to look for a caller commencement successful Raleigh pursuing an uneven freshman twelvemonth with the Gamecocks. Rivers volition inactive person mean expectations with each the veterans connected the Wolfpack, but NC State offers much accidental for playing time. She tin beryllium a quality shaper successful a highly competitory ACC.

7. Morgan Jones, 6-2, G, Gr., Louisville

For the 2nd consecutive year, Jeff Walz has utilized the transportation portal to rapidly rebuild. Last season, the program got the Cardinals to the Final Four. If it works again, it volition beryllium due to the fact that Jones was a immense occurrence aft an intra-ACC transportation from Florida State. She averaged 13.8 PPG past season, including games of 28 and 26 points against Louisville.

8. Diamond Battles, 5-8, G, Gr., Georgia

If the Lady Bulldogs are going to situation South Carolina and Tennessee successful the SEC nether caller Georgia manager Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, Battles volition person to beryllium each spot the subordinate and person she was astatine Central Florida. Battles, who averaged 13.9 points, 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals past play connected her mode to AAC subordinate of the twelvemonth and antiaircraft subordinate of the year, could person entered the WNBA draft, but alternatively elected to travel Abrahamson-Henderson to Athens to spearhead the program's transition.

9. Lauren Fields, 5-9, G, Sr., Arizona

Fields was the superior transportation that Adia Barnes targeted arsenic she remade the roster astir Cate Reese, Shaina Pellington and Lauren Ware. Fields struggled arsenic a 3-point shooter successful her vocation astatine Oklahoma State, but she is an assertive subordinate astatine some ends who averaged 15.4 points and 2.4 steals past season. Fields and Jade Loville, who moved to Tucson from rival Arizona State, should springiness the Wildcats' backcourt scoring punch it lacked a twelvemonth ago.

10. Kierra Fletcher, 5-9, G, Gr., South Carolina

The defending champs are the favorites to triumph it each again, but a proven constituent defender was the 1 constituent they lacked with the graduation of Destanni Henderson. Fletcher, who is coming disconnected a ft wounded that outgo her past play astatine Georgia Tech, should supply security if highly regarded Raven Johnson, who missed astir of her freshman play with a genu injury, isn't wholly ready.

11. Taylor Jones, 6-4, F, Jr., Texas

A enarthrosis wounded forced Jones to miss astir of past play with Oregon State. She present gets person to her Forney, Texas, location and gives the Longhorns a scoring station presence. Before the injury, Jones was connected the verge of becoming 1 of the Pac-12's champion players and has vocation averages of 12.1 points and 7.7 rebounds with 57.8% shooting.

12. Jasmine Powell, 5-6, G, Sr., Tennessee

Of each the players successful Kellie Harper's awesome transportation haul this offseason, Powell, by virtuousness of the presumption she plays, mightiness beryllium the astir important. As the constituent defender she volition person the on-court work of meshing caller faces. Powell was a double-figure scorer successful each of her 3 years astatine Minnesota and was averaging 5.7 assists done 19 games a play agone earlier leaving the Gophers.

13. Sara Scalia, 5-10, G, Sr., Indiana

One tin lone ideate what a shooter similar Scalia could person meant to the Hoosiers the past 2 seasons, erstwhile they ranked 209th and 191st successful 3-point attempts. Last twelvemonth astatine Minnesota, Scalia was 11th successful shots from beyond the arc and made 41.3% connected her mode to averaging 17.8 PPG.

14. Dre'Una Edwards, 6-0, F, Gr., Baylor

Edwards joins Blackwell arsenic the span to the adjacent signifier of the Baylor programme successful Nicki Collen's 2nd twelvemonth aft NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo moved onto the WNBA. Edwards has been successful, if not ever consistent, successful her 2 erstwhile stops. She was the 2019 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year astatine Utah and was Kentucky's second-best subordinate down Rhyne Howard past season, with 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

15. Chrislyn Carr, 5-5, G, Gr., Louisville

The pairing of Carr with 5-foot-7 Hailey Van Lith makes for a diminutive but perchance explosive backcourt. The well-traveled Carr volition beryllium counted upon arsenic 1 of the Cardinals' apical scorers, and she has already done that successful the ACC. After 2 seasons astatine Texas Tech, Carr averaged 14.2 points and was a 37.2% 3-point shooter astatine Syracuse successful 2021-22.

16. Jasmine Franklin, 6-2, F, Gr., Tennessee

Coach Harper has tried to physique the Lady Vols the aforesaid mode Pat Summitt did -- with rebounding and defence -- truthful she knew wherever to spell successful the transportation portal to find much of both. Recruited to Missouri State by Harper 5 years ago, Franklin was the 2021 MVC Defensive Player of the Year and was 2nd successful the state successful rebounding astatine 12.1 boards per crippled past play earlier tearing her ACL successful December. A steadfast Franklin adjacent to Tamari Key should marque Tennessee, already 4th successful rebounding borderline a twelvemonth ago, adjacent much ascendant connected the glass.

17. Esmery Martinez, 6-2, F, Sr., Arizona

Martinez primitively committed to LSU but changed her caput successful aboriginal May, deciding to bring her rebounding prowess to Tucson. A first-team all-Big 12 prime astatine West Virginia successful 2021 portion averaging 13.6 PPG and 11.6 RPG, Martinez's numbers weren't arsenic awesome past season, but her beingness should marque Reese and Ware adjacent much unsafe successful the Wildcats' frontcourt.

18. Abby Meyers, 6-0, G, Sr., Maryland

There shouldn't beryllium immoderate accommodation play for Myers moving from the Ivy League to the Big Ten. She scored 29 points and outplayed No. 1 WNBA draught prime Rhyne Howard successful Princeton's upset of Kentucky successful the NCAA tournament. Meyers, who is from Potomac, Maryland, was the unanimous prime for Ivy Player of the Year aft averaging 17.9 PPG for the Tigers.

19. Sonya Morris 5-10, G, Gr., Texas

In Morris, Vic Schaefer has a subordinate helium hasn't had yet astatine Texas: a proven seasoned who tin people with consistency. Morris averaged 17.5 PPG successful her last 3 seasons astatine DePaul. Like caller backcourt mate Rori Harmon, Morris is an capable heavy shooter but does astir of her harm wrong the 3-point line.

20. Taylor Soule, 5-11, F, Gr., Virginia Tech

Soule hadn't adjacent announced her volition to transportation anterior to our archetypal summation of the rankings successful April. Now she could beryllium important difference-maker successful what should beryllium a choky ACC race. In her last 3 seasons astatine Boston College, Soule averaged 14.5, 15.7 and 16.0 PPG and was the ACC's Most Improved Player successful 2020. While not a 3-point menace astatine each (just 24 3-point attempts successful her career), Soule is simply a scrappy rebounder and defender who should gully treble teams distant from Elizabeth Kitley.

21. Sydney Parrish, 6-2, G, Jr., Indiana

Getting backmost to her location authorities aft 2 years astatine Oregon, Parrish arrives successful Indiana astatine a bully time. Graduation losses depleted the Hoosiers backcourt, but the accomplishment of Parrish and Scalia mightiness marque Indiana amended than the squad that went to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 successful the past 2 season. Parrish isn't rather the shooter Scalia is but offers a bully complement and provides much magnitude defensively.

22. Mimi Collins, 6-3, F, Gr., NC State

With her versatility to premix it up physically (nearly 5 rebounds successful her vocation astatine Tennessee and Maryland) and quality to measurement retired and sprout 3-pointers (38.3%), Collins should beryllium capable to regenerate the accumulation of Kayla Jones. She joins different transfer, River Baldwin (Florida State), and holdover Camille Hobby successful the Wolfpack's rebuilt frontcourt aft the nonaccomplishment of Elissa Cunane, 1 of the program's all-time greats.

23. Elisa Pinzan, 5-8, G, Gr., Maryland

Pinzan is 1 of 5 transfers opening anew astatine Maryland this season, but arsenic the constituent guard, she mightiness beryllium the 1 to propulsion the lineup together. She is not the shooter that Katie Benzan was astatine the constituent the past 2 seasons, but she averaged 5.0 assists per crippled successful her 4 seasons astatine South Florida.

24. Myah Taylor, 5-7, G, Gr., Ole Miss

In bid to proceed the momentum she has built implicit the past 2 years, Yolett McPhee-McCuin volition request accumulation to regenerate Shakira Austin and a constituent defender to pb aft the graduation of Lashonda Monk. Taylor led the SEC with 5.4 assists per crippled astatine Mississippi State past play and should assistance Madison Scott and Angel Baker go adjacent bigger scorers.

25. Shaylee Gonzales, 5-10, Gr., Texas

Strong with the shot and supremely confident, the two-time WCC Player of the Year could beryllium the last portion to the Final Four puzzle for the Longhorns. Combined with Harmon and Morris, Texas present has 3 guards who are arsenic adept astatine scoring and distributing. Gonzales averaged 2.3 SPG past play to spell with her 18.3 PPG and 4.5 APG.

26. Haley Cavinder, 5-6, G, Sr., Miami

The already ample NIL and societal media opportunities for Haley and duplicate sister Hanna volition lone turn successful South Beach. But present a squad that mightiness person been successful rebuilding mode could situation for an NCAA berth acknowledgment to the Cavinders. Haley was an all-Mountain West enactment each 3 of her seasons astatine Fresno State and was the conference's subordinate of the twelvemonth arsenic a sophomore. She averaged 19.8 PPG past season.

27. Dyaisha Fair, 5-5, G, Sr., Syracuse

It shouldn't daze anyone if Fair leads the ACC successful scoring this season. After averaging 23.1 PPG successful 3 seasons astatine Buffalo, Fair chose to travel manager Felisha Legette-Jack to Syracuse. With truthful galore defections from the Orange successful the past 2 years, Fair should person plentifulness of accidental to bash what she does best: hunt her shot. Only Jasmine Dickey of Delaware launched much tract extremity attempts successful 2021-22 than Fair.

28. Lauren Ebo, 6-4, C, Gr., Notre Dame

Coming retired of past season, Niele Ivey knew her squad would person plentifulness of violative talent. What the Irish didn't person was a carnal presence. Then Ebo chose Notre Dame for her last play aft leaving Texas and a occupation was solved. With Ebo mounting screens and anchoring the middle, Olivia Miles, Dara Mabrey, Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron should person abstraction to make plentifulness of scoring.

29. Lou Lopez-Senechal, 6-1, G, Sr., UConn

With Paige Bueckers retired for the season, Lopez-Senechal's relation became bigger. Frankly, each Huskies' relation took connected added importance, but successful Lopez-Senechal, UConn has a subordinate who tin get her ain changeable and people from agelong distance. That is, if her tremendous occurrence astatine Fairfield -- wherever she was the 2022 MAAC Player of the Year -- translates to the Big East and to the nationalist stage.

30. Aliyah Matharu, 5-7, G, Sr., Florida

With truthful overmuch younker connected the roster, duplicating 2021-22's astonishing play was going to beryllium hard for the Gators until Matharu, on with KK Deans and Leilani Correa, transferred to Gainesville. Any 1 of the 3 could person been connected this list, but Matharu led an Elite Eight squad (Texas) successful scoring (12.0 PPG) and changeable 42.1% from 3-point range. She is the astir explosive of the radical and tin transportation a squad successful abbreviated spurts.

Also considered: Brynna Maxwell, Gonzaga; LaDazhia Williams, LSU; Greta Kampschroeder, Michigan; Dru Gylten, South Dakota State