Here’s a look at six of the biggest winners and losers of the past two weeks based on the latest transfer portal news from around the country, courtesy of The Portal Report.
WINNERS
Notre Dame
The Irish, who were a No. 3 seed for the women’s tournament, got good news April 5 when 5-foot-6 sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo announced her return for next season. With Hidalgo’s 23.8 points per game secured for another season, the past two weeks have seen coach Niele Ivey make some massive moves in the transfer portal.
To help bolster a frontcourt that was ravaged by senior departures, Notre Dame is bringing in 6-foot-4 junior forward Gisela Sanchez of Kansas State, who announced her commitment April 16. As a junior, the native of Barcelona made 27 appearances off the bench for the Wildcats while averaging 4.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Two days later, 5-foot-8 senior guard Vanessa de Jesus of Duke declared for the Fighting Irish off a season in which she averaged 3.1 points and 1.8 assists.
There also was a report of 5-foot-9 freshman guard Kayleigh Heckel planning a visit to campus. At USC, she made 34 appearances and started seven games, averaging 6.1 points, 1.9 assists and 1.4 rebounds.
USC
While 6-foot-2 sophomore guard JuJu Watkins, the AP Player of the Year, will return, the Trojans did lose a few key contributors to the WNBA draft and the transfer portal. In an effort to patch some roster holes, coach Lindsay Gottlieb added a trio of transfers over the past two weeks.
On April 16, 5-foot-11 junior guard Kara Dunn of Georgia Tech announced her commitment to USC. She is a two-time All-ACC selection and averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds this past season.
Her decision was followed five days later by UCLA 5-foot-4 junior guard Londynn Jones picking USC; she averaged 11.8 points per game in 2023-24 for the Trojans’ archrival, but that fell to 8.5 this past season. Finally, 6-foot-2 freshman forward Dayana Mendes committed to the Trojans after averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds at Washington State, where she was a WCC All-Freshman selection.
Colorado
Colorado is expected to lose a lot of senior talent, with Lior Garzon, Frida Formann, Nyamer Diew, Kindyll Wetta and Johanna Teder each potentially out of eligibility. Despite that, it was a quiet start to the offseason for coach JR Payne, with the only news being the return of leading scorer Jade Masogayo, a 6-foot-3 junior forward, for next season.
But Payne made some significant signings out of the portal in the past two weeks that will help rebuild the roster after a 21-13 finish in 2024-25.
On April 18, Gonzaga 6-foot sophomore guard Claire O’Connor announced her commitment to Colorado. She is an absolute sharpshooter, averaging 7.6 points and 3.5 rebounds while connecting on 41 percent from three-point range.
Earlier this week, 5-foot-8 sophomore guard Zyanna Walker announced her decision to transfer to Colorado following stints at Louisville and Kansas State. Walker, a 2024-25 All-Defense pick in the Big 12, started all 36 games for the Wildcats, averaging 8.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals before hitting the portal.
PORTAL TO THE PORTAL
Men’s Transfer Portal Winners and Losers. So Far.
Which schools are playing the portal well? Which are racking up more losses than wins? We break it down.
The Top 10 Players in the Women’s NCAA Basketball Portal
Though the women’s Tournament is in full swing, the transfer portal opened this past Tuesday morning. Just under 1,000 players have entered.
LOSERS
Boston College
BC was decimated by several players declaring for the portal just before its closing, leaving coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee scrambling. In all, 11 Eagles entered the portal; BC has yet to receive a transfer commitment and has a ton of rebuilding to do.
The late-entry run began last week, when 6-foot-1 senior guard Savannah Samuel and 6-foot-3 freshman wing Tatum Greene entered the portal on back-to-back days. Then later last week, 6-foot-1 junior forward Teya Sidberry entered the portal; she averaged 12.5 points and 7.0 rebounds, with six double-doubles, this past season.
Just hours before the portal’s closing this week, 6-foot senior guard Andrea Daley decided to enter; she averaged 8.6 points and 5.9 rebounds, second on the team, this past season for the Eagles.
Texas
Though Texas finished 35-4 this season and lost in a national semifinal, the offseason has started relatively slowly for the Longhorns.
Texas retained a solid core, starting with the 2024-25 SEC Player of the Year in 6-foot-1 sophomore forward Madison Booker. The Longhorns also secured two commitments out of the portal in 6-foot-4 sophomore forward Breya Cunningham of Arizona and 6-foot-6 freshman center Lovisa Asbrink Hose from FAU.
But the Longhorns were hurt by two late portal entrants, starting with 6-foot-2 junior guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda. She entered April 18 after playing in 38 games and averaging 5.5 points and 2.9 rebounds; she also shot 46% from the floor.
Wednesday, 6-foot senior guard Laila Pheila entered the portal after missing the majority of the season with an eye injury. Pheila was a two-time All-Big Ten selection at Michigan, and she averaged 16.8 points in 2023-24.
Samford
Following six seasons at the helm and managing just one finish with a record above .500, Carley Kuhns resigned as Bulldogs coach April 18 and was hired as an assistant at Maryland a few days later. Though associate head coach Matt Wise was promoted to replace her, Kuhns’ late departure led to Samford losing two key contributors to the portal.
The day Kuhns resigned, 5-foot-7 sophomore guard Kennedy Langham, Samford’s second-leading scorer, officially entered the portal, where she’s expected to receive high-major interest. A few days later, she was followed into the portal by 5-foot-9 freshman guard Claire Johnson, who was the Bulldogs’ leading scorer. Johnson was a second-team All-SoCon selection.
Samford has just one offseason transfer: 5-foot-10 redshirt freshman guard Sydney Martin from Northern Kentucky.
Looking for more information on the transfer portal and which players your favorite teams are recruiting? Check out The Portal Report’s Transfer Portal Tracker.
