Compared to the Big Ten and SEC, the Big 12 isn’t as prestigious in women’s basketball. However, the conference has made great strides, including securing eight bids to the NCAA Tournament last season.
The transfer portal has proved helpful to a number of teams, including TCU. In fact, the Horned Frogs leaned on imported star Olivia Miles, a 5-foot-10 senior guard who led the team with 19.6 points and 6.6 assists per game and earned Big 12 Player of the Year.
There are a number of newcomers from the transfer portal who could be candidates for Big 12 POY in 2027. Here’s a list of the top 20 transfers for the league.
1. Liv McGill, 5-foot-9 junior guard, Oklahoma State
2025-26 stats (Florida): 22.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists
McGill was one of the best players in the country last year, shooting 43 percent from the field and ranking in the top- 10 nationally in minutes at over 37 per game. McGill had five games of at least 30 points, including 38 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists and 7 steals in a win over Chattanooga. Oklahoma State lost its entire backcourt this offseason, so McGill will step in as the lead guard.
2. Audi Crooks, 6-foot-3 senior center, Oklahoma State
2025-26 stats (Iowa State): 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds
McGill will be the top guard for the Cowgirls, but not the No. 1 option. That’s Crooks, a multi-time All-American and one of the best frontcourt players in the nation. Crooks shot 65 percent from the field on 16 attempts a game and went for 40-plus points on four occasions last season, including 47 on 19-of-25 shooting in a win over Indiana. She joins McGill to form a lethal one-two punch for Oklahoma State, which is looking to become the new class of the Big 12.
3. Zahirah Walton, 5-foot-11 senior guard, West Virginia
2025-26 stats (George Mason): 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds
Walton is a three-time all-league player in the Atlantic 10, coming off career-high numbers in her fourth year. She’s capable of some huge games, including a 42-point performance in a loss to Murray State. West Virginia brings back leading scorer and 5-foot-9 senior guard Gigi Cooke (15 points per game), so Walton projects to slide in next to Cooke as another backcourt starter.
4. Jalayah Ingram, 5-foot-9 senior guard, Texas Tech
2025-26 stats (Texas-Rio Grande Valley): 16.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists
Ingram was one of the top impact junior college transfers a year ago, leading the Vaqueros in both scoring and passing. Despite making just 5 of 33 shots from deep, Ingram was a quality scorer, including 12 games of at least 20 points. One of them was a 31-point effort against Incarnate Word. Texas Tech lost all of its guards to graduation this offseason, giving Ingram a clear path to being the lead guard for next year.
5. Skylar Forbes, 6-foot-1 senior forward, West Virginia
2025-26 stats (Marquette): 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds
Forbes was the leading scorer on an 18-win Marquette squad, shooting 35 percent from deep on five attempts a game. Along with seven games of at least 20 points, Forbes is an underrated defender, including nearly two blocked shots a game. West Virginia lost a ton of production inside, including starting 6-foot-1 senior forward Kierra Wheeler (13.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game). Forbes is the natural replacement for Wheeler and the likely starter.
6. Madi Morson, 5-foot-8 junior guard, Arizona State
2025-26 stats (Central Michigan): 20.1 points, 4.0 rebounds
Morson not only led all of the MAC in scoring last season, but she also was the conference’s Player of the Year. She shot 45 percent from the field and 39 percent from deep on over four attempts. The Sun Devils lost all of their guards from last year, setting up Morson to be the lead guard in 2026-27.
7. Jadyn Wooten, 5-foot-6 junior guard, TCU
2025-26 stats (Oklahoma State): 12.8 points, 5.4 assists
Despite not starting, Wooten was an effective player at Oklahoma State, shooting 49 percent from the field. The veteran playmaker ranked fifth in the Big 12 in passing and had a trio of 10-plus assist games, including 10 in the NCAA Tournament win over Princeton. Wooten will not be the kind of scorer that Miles was for the Frogs last year, but she’s a proven and capable starting guard to keep TCU in contention in the league.
8. Ashleigh Connor, 5-foot-11 senior guard, Iowa State
2025-26 stats (La Salle): 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Connor led La Salle in both scoring and passing last season, shooting 44 percent from the field. The All-Atlantic 10 guard had seven games of at least 20 points, including 26 against Loyola Chicago. Iowa State has to completely rebuild its roster after a player exodus this offseason, giving Connor a chance at starting in her senior campaign.
9. Kira Reynolds, 6-foot-4 sophomore forward, Colorado
2025-26 stats (UT-Arlington): 13 points, 7.9 rebounds
Reynolds was one of the top freshmen in the WAC last season, shooting 45 percent from the field. She had eight double-doubles, including 15 points and 16 rebounds on the road at Houston. The Buffaloes lost 6-foot forward Anaelle Dutat this offseason, so the ideal scenario is that Reyonlds replaces her in the lineup next year.
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10. Rashunda Jones, 5-foot-8 senior guard, Arizona State
2025-26 stats (Michigan State): 11.7 points, 3.2 assists
Jones had her best year with the Spartans, shooting 46 percent from the field and a career-high 32 percent from deep. She earned All-Big Ten honors, including a 20-point game against Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament round of 32 game. While Morson has more prestige joining the Sun Devils, Jones is a proven high-major player and the safer bet to start.
11. Ellie Brueggemann, 5-foot-11 senior guard, Oklahoma State
2025-26 stats (Lindenwood): 14 points, 3.1 assists
Brueggemann has been a consistent player for Lindenwood each year, starting all 95 games over three seasons. What made her a coveted portal addition was the shooting numbers, as she hit at a 44-percent clip on 6.6 attempts per game. With McGill as the lead guard and Crooks getting so much attention inside, Brueggemann should be able to take advantage at a similar rate for Oklahoma State.
12. Lara Somfai, 6-foot-3 sophomore forward, TCU
2025-26 stats (Stanford): 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds
The Australian forward was an instant impact contributor with the Cardinal, shooting 41 percent from the field overall and ranking fifth in the ACC in rebounding. Somfai produced seven double-doubles, including 15 points and 23 rebounds in a win over Pitt. TCU will hope that the sophomore forward can replace most of 6-foot-3 forward Marta Suarez’s impact, coming off averaging 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in the frontcourt.
13. Filipa Barros, 5-foot-9 senior guard, Utah
2025-26 stats (Cal Baptist): 11 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists
Pound for pound, Barros is one of the best rebounders in the country. The All-WAC guard had a double-double against Long Beach, as well as four other games with double-digit rebounds/assists. The Utes lost both of their starting guards to graduation this offseason, so expect Barros to come in and have a large impact as the projected lead guard.
14. Ayanna-Sarai Darrington, 6-foot-2 junior forward, Arizona State
2025-26 stats (Central Michigan): 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds
It wasn’t just Morson who was key for Central Michigan, as Darrington was another All-MAC performer. She shot 57 percent from the field and posted seven double-doubles. One of them was a 27-point, 23-rebound game against Ohio. Arizona State returns the frontcourt duo of 6-foot-1 junior forward McKinna Brackens (14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game) and 6-foot-2 sophomore forward Heloisa Carrera (10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game) but Darrington should serve as quality depth as the first big off the bench.
15. Anete Adler, 6-foot-5 senior center, Colorado
2025-26 stats (Boston University): 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds
Adler broke out in her fourth year, nearly doubling her production at Boston University. She shot 50 percent from the field and blocked nearly two shots a game, earning All-Patriot League honors. Adler had a pair of 33-point outings, including one against Navy in the conference tournament. She gives the Buffaloes needed frontcourt depth, competing with 6-foot-4 sophomore center Jade Cook (3.1 points and 2.0 rebounds per game).
16. Khyala Ngodu, 6-foot-3 senior center, West Virginia
2025-26 stats (UCF): 10.8 points, 7.0 rebounds
Ngodu is a proven Big 12 starter, including 56 starts in three years at UCF. She shot 49 percent from the field and produced five double-doubles, including 22 points and 13 rebounds on the road at Arizona. If Forbes is set to start at the four, Ngodu is the likely starter at center for West Virginia.
17. Key Roseby, 6-foot junior guard, UCF
2025-26 stats (Stephen F. Austin): 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds
Roseby was an All-Southland performer last season, shooting 44 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point range at nearly five attempts a game. The guard/wing had four double-doubles, including 19 points and 10 rebounds against Southeastern Louisiana. With the Knights losing all of their perimeter players this offseason, there’s a need for Roseby to have an immediate impact next year.
18. Trinity Turner, 5-foot-6 junior guard, Baylor
2025-26 stats (Georgia): 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists
Turner started 58 games in two years at Georgia, shooting 39 percent from the field last season. She had a pair of 20-plus point outings, including 23 against VCU in a win. Baylor, which lost several senior guards this offseason, will have Turner, a proven high-major contributor, as part of its rotation.
19. Rhema Collins, 6-foot-2 senior forward, Texas Tech
2025-26 stats (Florida International): 17.7 points, 8.9 rebounds
After two years of little production at Ole Miss, Collins broke out at FIU, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. The Conference USA Player of the Year shot 46 percent from the field and produced 14 double-doubles, including 40 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Georgia State. The Red Raiders lost their entire rotation to graduation this offseason outside of 6-foot-2 senior forward Jalynn Bristow, so a combination of her and Collins will be one of the best in the Big 12.
20. Raegan McCowan, 5-foot-11 senior guard, Houston
2025-26 stats (Western Illinois in 10 games): 17 points, 6.4 rebounds
McCowan has been one of the better mid-major scorers in all of college basketball, averaging 22.3 points per game in her last full year in 2024-25. That included four different games of 35 points during that span. Coming off a last-place finish in the Big 12 (1-17 record), Houston has a completely rebuilt roster, with McGowan having the chance to be the lead guard on opening night.
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