2026 College Basketball Transfer Tracker | Colleges

With the college basketball season at an end, it’s time for teams to take stock of their rosters and look to rebuild and reload for the 2026-27 campaign.

The transfer portal opened April 6 in women’s basketball and April 7 for the men and closed two weeks later. Players were allowed to enter the portal any time between those dates, but once they are in the portal, they can choose to sign at any time, meaning the player-acquisition period could drag into May. 

Here is a look at the comings and goings in the transfer portal this offseason for some notable teams and local players. 

Indiana

Out of eligibility: Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries, Sam Alexis, Conor Enright, Reed Bailey, Tayton Conerway*

New portal additions

Markus Burton, G, Notre Dame

Burton, the 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball, is a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick who has been one of the best scorers in the ACC the last several years.

Notre Dame guard Markus Burton has been lighting it up at Players Era 🔥Burton followed up yesterday’s 24-point performance against Kansas with 21 in a win over Rutgers pic.twitter.com/QUwQbVs0u1

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 25, 2025

The former Irish standout out of Mishawaka was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2023-24, then led the conference in scoring as a sophomore in 2024-25, averaging 21.3 points on 44.2% shooting while hitting 37.5% from beyond the arc and adding 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals per contest on the way to second-team All-ACC honors.

The 6-foot Burton followed that up with a strong start to this past season, averaging 19.9 points on 48.8% from the floor in Notre Dame’s first nine games before suffering an ankle injury Dec. 6 against TCU that kept him out the rest of the season.

In the 10 games Burton played, the Irish were 7-3 overall and 3-3 against high-major opponents, including wins over NCAA Tournament-bound outfits in Missouri and the Horned Frogs. With Burton out, Notre Dame was 6-15, including 4-14 against high-major teams.

The combo guard starred in high school at Penn, which he led to a 28-2 record and a regional championship as a senior before the Kingsmen fell to 2024 Mr. Basketball Flory Bidunga and Kokomo, 58-57, in the semistate championship.

Burton averaged 30.3 points on 58% shooting as a senior and finished his career with 2,273 points, 20th on Indiana’s all-time scoring list. He will be the 30th Mr. Basketball to play for the Hoosiers and the first since 2020 winner Anthony Leal.

The do-it-all guard has one season of eligibility left under current rules – he played too many games this past season to be eligible for a medical redshirt. However, if the NCAA goes to its proposed “5-for-5” rule (five years of eligibility with no redshirts), he would be able to return in 2026-27. He is ranked the No. 24 player available through the portal this offseason by 247 Sports.

Jaeden Mustaf, G, Georgia Tech

Mustaf is a 6-5 sharpshooter and athletic slasher who played his best basketball near the end of the season for the Yellow Jackets. The Bowie, Maryland, native started 23 of 29 games for Georgia Tech this past season as a sophomore, averaging 10.4 points, shooting 38.9% from 3-point range and adding 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest.

Georgia Tech Guard Jaeden Mustaf is entering the transfer portal according to 247 Sports. The 6’6 guard from Bowie Maryland is one of the most intriguing guards in the whole portal right now.👇-Mustaf standing at 6’6 210lbs has amazing physical tools. A strong frame and… pic.twitter.com/i2kshMocQ4

— CBBCarter (@CBBCarter) April 3, 2026

Georgia Tech struggled down the stretch, losing its final 12 games, but Mustaf averaged 14.2 points over the last 11 games. In the regular-season finale against NCAA Tournament-bound Clemson, he poured in 28 points on 8-for-14 shooting and an 11-of-12 mark at the foul line while adding three steals in a 79-76 defeat.

Mustaf played high school basketball at DeMatha Catholic, alma mater of former Indiana All-American Victor Oladipo, and was the No. 67 player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class. He has two seasons of eligibility left.

Darren Harris, G, Duke

The 6-6 former Blue Devil was the No. 35 recruit in the 2024 class and played in 57 games for Duke over the last two seasons, averaging 13.7 points per 40 minutes.

Duke transfer Darren Harris has committed to Indiana. Harris was a 4-star recruit in the class of 2024 and played a reserve role for the Blue Devils last season. pic.twitter.com/p45HKVzHCD

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) April 13, 2026

The Hendon, Virginia, native played high school basketball at St. Paul VI in Virginia, a program at which Hoosiers assistant coach Kenny Johnson spent four years as associate head coach from 2007 to 2011. He chose the Hoosiers over Virginia, canceling a planned visit to the Cavaliers that had been set for the day after he committed to IU.

Harris’ best asset as a recruit was his silky-smooth jump shot, which he was able to get off at nearly any time. He has two seasons of eligibility left.

Prior to Harris’ arrival at Duke, 247 Sports national basketball director Eric Bossi wrote: 

“At 6-foot-6 with a sturdy build, Harris has tremendous size that allows him to see over the top of defenders and get clean looks. Away from the ball, he also knows how to use his body to make his way through traffic, play through contact and get to his spots. Once he gets to his spots, the shot preparation is elite.

“He’s always on balance and shot ready and then shoots a classic shot where the balance sets a base and he then gets the shot off quickly with a nicely tucked elbow, eyes on the rim and a fully extended follow through where it looks like he’s trying to reach into that cookie jar on the top shelf.

“While shooting is certainly Harris’ biggest strength and the asset that’s going to get him on the floor early, he’s got other strengths as well. He’s an intelligent passer, he has some mid post game and he’s a sneaky good rebounder.”

Samet Yigitoglu, C, SMU

Yigitoglu is a junior-to-be with two seasons of eligibility left who has started all 66 games in which he has appeared for the Mustangs over the last two seasons.

Samet Yigitoglu (7’2”, 270 lbs, 10.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.3 bpg from SMU via Turkey) would be an interesting fit for MSURuns the floor well, has length, good off high ball screens. Needs more physicality — Izzo’s specialty. Highlights below https://t.co/85w3dWmXNu pic.twitter.com/rkbSxKQUJw

— Intrinsic (@intrinsicvalyou) April 10, 2026

The 7-foot-2, 270-pound Yigitoglu is the first 7-footer the Hoosiers have had under coach Darian DeVries. The Istanbul native, 22, averaged 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks this past season while shooting 62.8% from the field. He helped SMU to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.

Yigitoglu was one of the better offensive rebounders in the country last season, pulling down 3.6 per game at a 14.4% rate, 44th in the country. He was considered the No. 37 player in the transfer portal, per 247 Sports, and the No. 7 center.

In back-to-back games against a pair of NCAA Tournament-bound Southeastern Conference teams in Vanderbilt and Texas A&M in December, Yigitoglu averaged 14 points and eight rebounds and shot 72.2% from the floor.

If there is a knock on Yigitoglu, it’s his inability to stay out of foul trouble. He averaged 4.8 fouls per 40 minutes over his two seasons at SMU and fouled out of three of his last four games this season, including a First Four loss to Miami (Ohio).

Aiden Sherrell, F, Alabama

The 6-foot-11 Sherrell was one of the most coveted players in the portal, pursued by Duke, North Carolina, Michigan and Michigan State, among others. A five-star recruit in the 2024 high school class, Sherrell came off the bench for the Crimson Tide in 2024-25, then blossomed into one of the more productive frontcourt players in the Southeastern Conference this past season.

6’10” SO Aiden Sherrell averaged 11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 2.2 BPG on 53.9/33.8/71.3 splits last szn 24 MPG. Strong PNP and PNR scorer with + wingspan. S&C a big swing factor for his continued growth but tangible upside. MSU is expected to be in heavy pursuitpic.twitter.com/5KfTYIhd89

— DK (@SpartanHoops_DK) April 8, 2026

As a sophomore in 2025-26, the Detroit native started all 34 games in which he played and averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes while shooting 53.9% from the field and 33.8% from 3-point range on 2.4 attempts per game. 

Sherrell’s most outstanding trait is his shot-blocking, which was elite this past season. He averaged 2.2 rejections per game, ranking second in the SEC and 13th nationally. He collected 3.7 blocks per 40 minutes and twice blocked eight shots in a game, against Arizona and Clemson, both of which reached the NCAA Tournament.

His performance helped Alabama go 25-10 and reach the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual national champion Michigan. He had 15 points and 15 rebounds in a first-round win over Hofstra, then added 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting in a second-round victory over Texas Tech.

Arguably Sherrell’s best game of the season came against Arkansas and coach John Calipari, when he poured in 26 points on 10-for-13 shooting and added 13 rebounds in a 117-115 double-overtime triumph for Alabama.

Sherrell is likely to play power forward for the Hoosiers, starting alongside Samet Yigitoglu, a 7-2 transfer center from SMU. That would give the Hoosiers the type of multi-pronged frontcourt that dominated the NCAA Tournament this past season and set programs all over the country scrambling to add elite big men to the roster. Sherrell can also play center, which could be important as Yigitoglu has struggled with foul trouble at times.

Sherrell’s ability to provide some threat from the outside should help keep the paint from getting clogged despite the two-big lineup.

Sherrell was considered the No. 11 player available in the transfer portal and the fifth-ranked power forward. 

Bryce Lindsay, G, Villanova

Lindsay committed without making a visit. The 6-3 Baltimore native began his career with a redshirt season at Texas A&M in 2023-24, then blossomed into a star at James Madison in 2024-25, averaging 13.4 points and shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc on his way to third-team All-Sun Belt recognition and also Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and Sun Belt Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Here’s some film on Indiana’s newest commit, Bryce Lindsay.A career 37.7% 3-point shooter, Lindsay adds a terrific shooting prowess to the Hoosiers.He should fit right in with DeVries’ offense and is a major under the radar pickup for #iubb. pic.twitter.com/4mTFGtRSgh https://t.co/FBAVln7keT

— Colin McMahon (@ColinMcMahon31) April 15, 2026

He transferred to Villanova prior to last season to play for first-year coach Kevin Willard and helped the Wildcats to an NCAA Tournament berth, starting 31 of 33 games and ranking third on the team in scoring. With Villanova, Lindsay averaged 12.3 points, 2.1 assists and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 35.6% from beyond the arc.

In the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Utah State, Lindsay scored 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting and 6 of 11 from 3-point distance, though Villanova lost.

Lindsay has two seasons of eligibility left. He will likely compete with Mustaf and Harris for a starting spot in IU’s backcourt next to Burton.

Portal departures

Nick Dorn, F

Dorn, who transferred from Elon last offseason, averaged 8.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 30 games for the Hoosiers while shooting 38% from 3-point range.

⚜️Available Transfer⚜️ Nick Dorn… pic.twitter.com/fG0ag9wvEt

— Transfer Tapes (@TransferTapes) April 12, 2026

The 6-foot-7 forward moved into the starting lineup in the middle of the season and eventually started 12 games. He helped the Hoosiers to back-to-back wins over Purdue and UCLA in January, averaging 22 points in those games and going 10 for 24 from 3-point range.

Dorn has one season of eligibility left. He will play for Miami (Florida) next season, joining a roster that went to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament under first-year coach Jai Lucas this past season.

Jasai Miles, G

Miles transferred from North Florida prior to last season and saw more playing time as the season progressed, but never fully cracked the rotation and was not able to turn his elite athleticism into consistent production.

For the season, the junior wing averaged 1.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.5 minutes per contest over 26 games while shooting 34.1% from the field, somewhat disappointing considering he averaged 15.4 points with the Ospreys in 2024-25. 

Still, he was always noticeable on the court for his boundless effort and near the end of the season was arguably the best on the team in tracking down loose balls.

JASAI MILES POSTER ALERT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/kXaZqhpzJF

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 6, 2025

Miles will play for Loyola Marymount next season. The Lions are looking for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1990.

Jason Drake (G), Josh Harris (F), Aleksa Ristic (G), Andrej Acimovic (C)

All four entered the portal after playing sparingly or not at all in their lone seasons in Bloomington. Harris and Drake spent all season injured while Ristic and Acimovic were freshmen who weren’t quite ready for the rigors of the Big Ten.

Harris landed at Florida Atlantic, teaming with another former Hoosier, Kanaan Carlyle. Ristic ended up at Belmont under new coach Evan Bradds. Acimovic signed with Missouri State, which is led by former Purdue star Cuonzo Martin.

* Tayton Conerway, G

Conerway is theoretically out of eligibility – he spent three seasons in junior college, then two seasons at Troy and one at Indiana – but is going to court to try to play another season (under the argument his junior-college seasons should not count against his eligibility) and will look to do so elsewhere.

That’s one pretty bucket, Tayton Conerway 😍 @IndianaMBB📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/dn4QvFDgpP

— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 14, 2026

The lightning-quick guard was the Sun Belt Player of the Year for the Trojans in 2024-25, helping them to the NCAA Tournament. He was in and out of the lineup with Indiana, dealing with injury and illness and eventually playing 29 games and starting 19.

He lost his starting spot to Dorn and finished the season averaging 9.5 points on 56.1% shooting, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals. At times, he was nearly unstoppable going to the rim and he shot better than 70% from 2-point range, a remarkable figure for a 6-3 guard. He averaged 19.5 points over back-to-back wins over Washington and Maryland in January, but was never able to make that kind of impact consistently down the stretch of the season.

Purdue

Out of eligibility: Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer, Liam Murphy, Oscar Cluff 

New portal additions

Caden Pierce, G/F, Princeton

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Pierce played three seasons for the Tigers, earning Ivy League Player of the Year honors in 2023-24, then sat out 2025-26 to preserve a year of eligibility. He committed to the Boilermakers in February. Pierce is the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts receiver Alec Pierce. He also visited Duke, Connecticut, Gonzaga and Louisville.

“I went on all five visits, just looking for the place that felt most like home for one year for me,” Pierce told ESPN. “Purdue obviously has an unbelievable program that coach (Matt) Painter has built over the years.

“When I was on campus, with the coaches and with the guys, it felt like a great place for me. I wanted to be a part of that program. Mackey Arena is one of the best venues in college basketball, and I can be part of something special.”

Meet Purdue’s newest recruit:6’7 Princeton Transfer Caden Pierce2024 Ivy League POTYIn 2024 he averaged: 16.6 PTS | 9.2 REBS | 3.2 ASTS | 1.2 STLSOn 54.6 FG% | 34.2 3PT% | 76.7 FT% pic.twitter.com/CBAnPTzNy1 https://t.co/XJTodSn1Eq

— BoilerMuse (@BoilerMuse) February 13, 2026

A sophomore Pierce averaged 16.6 points on 54.6% shooting and 9.2 rebounds in 2023-24 as the best player in the Ivy League. Of the 22 low- and mid-major conference players of the year that season, he was the only one to return to the same team the next season.

His numbers dipped to 11.2 points on 46.5% shooting and 7.2 rebounds per game in 2024-25, in large part because of a severe ankle injury that resulted in a pair of torn ligaments. He was still second-team All-Ivy League despite the physical issue.

“I’m feeling great,” Pierce told ESPN. “That’s been the nice thing about this year. I’ve been able to address whatever deficiencies I had without feeling like I had to play through injury or whatever I had. I was able to move at my own pace, get my body feeling great and stronger than ever.

“It’s been a different, unique year. That’s the only way to put it. I’ve never taken a full year off of competitive basketball. It’s been a little bit of an adjustment. I’m still working out, getting all my work in, but it’s by myself.”

Pierce is a career 32.7% 3-point shooter. He shot 34.2% from beyond the arc at full strength in 2023-24.

As a freshman in 2022-23, he started 31 of 32 games, won Ivy League Rookie of the Year and helped the Tigers on a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where they notched wins over No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 7 Missouri in the first two rounds. Pierce had nine points and 16 rebounds in the win over Mizzou.

The Glen Ellyn, Illinois, native had a monster performance in an 83-82 win over Rutgers prior to his injury in 2024-25, scoring 21 points on 10-for-17 shooting, adding 14 rebounds, and playing 39 minutes.

On film, Pierce shows significant feel for finishing around the basket and a willingness and ability to find the open man. Like Purdue, Princeton runs a ton of off-ball cutting actions and Pierce is capable of playing the role of passer or cutter in those situations with success. He has more than enough athleticism to get by at the higher level and although his 3-point numbers don’t really show it, he appears to have a fairly confident, repeatable stroke.

The question will be how he adjusts from playing a starring role for several years into being a more of a tertiary scoring option.

Pierce’s former Princeton teammate, Xaivian Lee, who was part of the same freshman class as Pierce and played with him for three seasons, transferred to Florida for the 2025-26 campaign and averaged 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals as a starter for the Gators, who earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but lost to Iowa in the second round.

Another member of those early 2020s Princeton teams, guard Matt Allocco transferred to Notre Dame prior to last season and averaged 9.5 points while shooting 46.5% from 3-point range despite battling injuries.

Portal departures

Aaron Fine, G

The 6-2 Fine put his name in the portal after two seasons in the program. The former Noblesville star played in nine games this season, averaging 1.2 points in 2.6 minutes per contest, and was a valuable member of Purdue’s scout teams. He has three seasons of eligibility left after redshirting in 2024-25.

As a senior at Noblesville, he averaged 17.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists, shooting better than 52% from the field and 41% from 3-point range while helping the Millers to a No. 2 ranking in the state and earning Indiana All-Star honors.

He landed at Ball State and will play for new coach Chris Capko with the Cardinals next season.

Best wishes to @aaronfine_3 at Ball St. Go be great!! #PG1 pic.twitter.com/CBAjrt3z8H

— Rob Jacobsen (@rob_jacobsen) April 16, 2026Notre Dame

Out of eligibility: Carson Towt, Kebba Njie

New portal additions

Logan Duncomb, C, Winthrop

The 6-10 Duncomb is the reigning Big South Conference Player of the Year. A Cincinnati native, he began his career at Indiana, where he played for two seasons under coach Mike Woodson, appearing in 18 games. He received a medical redshirt for the 2022-23 campaign, when he underwent sinus surgery and did not appear in a game after mid-January.

After spending 2023-24 at Xavier, where he was not part of the basketball team, Duncomb landed at Winthrop, where he played a bit role in 2024-25 before blossoming this past season. In 2025-26, Duncomb averaged 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 60.0% from the field and helping the Eagles to a 23-11 record.

Big South Play of the Year Logan Duncomb is entering the transfer portal according to 247 Sports. One of the best post scorers in the whole country. 👇-Duncomb posted averages 18.3 PPG, 8.9 REB, 1.6 AST while posting splits 60/0/74 (doesn’t shoot 3s). Duncomb averaged about 24… pic.twitter.com/YdxBMkHdNV

— CBBCarter (@CBBCarter) April 2, 2026

In a win over eventual conference champion High Point, he poured in 28 points on 9-for-13 shooting. High Point went on to upset No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the only team to win a game against a Big Ten team in the opening round.

Duncomb was considered the No. 18 center in the transfer portal by 247 Sports. 

Ethan Roberts, G, Penn

The 6-5 Roberts started all 48 games in which he appeared over the last two seasons and was All-Ivy League this past season. He has one season of eligibility left.

Penn Wing Ethan Roberts has been one of the best mid major players in CBB so far this season.Through his first four games he’s averaging 24/4/3 while shooting 47% from three on 5 attempts a game.Roberts is a high level shot maker and shooter who can effectively score without… pic.twitter.com/7Omt7wM73i

— KJ (@KJScouting) November 18, 2025

For the Quakers in 2025-26, he averaged 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range. More than 84% of his shot attempts came from beyond the arc.

The sharpshooter helped Penn, under first-year coach Fran McCaffery, reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. He had to sit out the Ivy League Tournament and a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Illinois, however, because of a concussion. He missed seven games overall during the campaign due to injury, but still earned second-team all-league honors.

Roberts scored 30 points in back-to-back games against Drexel and Merrimack in November, shooting a combined 57.6% in those games, both Penn victories.

Roberts began his career at Army and was Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2022-23. He transferred to Drake under DeVries in 2023-24, but did not play because of an injury before landing at Penn.

The Arlington Heights, Illinois, native has one season of eligibility left. He announced his commitment with a photo of his family posing in Notre Dame gear when he was a child.

GOD, COUNTRY, NOTRE DAME 🍀🍀 🍀 #committed pic.twitter.com/wmPCEg1iiA

— Ethan Roberts (@iso_ebo) April 16, 2026Portal departures

Jalen Haralson, G/F

Haralson was the highest-ranked signee in Irish hoops history when he joined the program last season and stepped up in the absence of the injured Burton to average 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field as Notre Dame’s top scoring option.

Think Jalen Haralson played the best game of his freshman season tonight in Notre Dame’s win over TCU:20 PTS9 ASTS5 REBS1 BLK8-12 FG0-1 3PTHaralson is a versatile 6-7 prospect with the ability to handle the ball, make plays for teammates, rebound, and score it himself.… pic.twitter.com/EgGr4q1IF9

— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) December 6, 2025

Arguably the best game for the former five-star recruit came in a 96-90 overtime win over North Carolina State in February, the only victory for the Irish in their final eight games. He scored 25 points on 8-for-15 shooting and added nine rebounds while attempting only one 3-pointer.

The Anderson native was considered the No. 24 player available in the portal and the third-ranked combo guard. He has three seasons of eligibility left and landed at Tennessee, joining a program that has been to the Elite Eight three seasons in a row.

Markus Burton, G

See Indiana section above

Cole Certa, G

Certa played two seasons for the Irish and started in the back half of this past campaign, appearing in the lineup 16 times in all. 

For the season, he averaged 12.8 points on 36.7% from 3-point range while also leading the ACC in free-throwing shooting, hitting 89.2% from the line.

The 6-5 sophomore scored 30 points three times, including a 37-point outburst on 7-for-11 shooting from 3-point range in a win over Georgia Tech in February. 

Cole Certa putting on an absolute show 🔥📺 @TheCW_Sports x @NDmbb pic.twitter.com/C8Ej8tYheP

— ACC Men’s Basketball (@accmbb) February 14, 2026

Certa has two years of eligibility left and will get a chance to face his former team next season after landing at Clemson, which has been to the NCAA Tournament three years in a row. He was considered the No. 20 shooting guard available in the portal.

Sir Mohammed, G/F

The 6-6 Mohammed was a touted recruit in the 2024 class (No. 59 nationally) and appeared in 54 games over two seasons in South Bend, starting 13. 

He averaged 5.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 16.4 minutes per contest this past season, showing substantial promise at times with an old-school mid-range offensive game but never becoming a consistent force or extending his range out to the 3-point line with regularity.

Mohammed scored 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting in a blowout win over Evansville and added 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting (6 for 6 from inside the arc) in a loss to NCAA Tournament-bound Miami (Florida) in January. He has two seasons of eligibility left.

⚜️Available Transfer Sir Mohammed… pic.twitter.com/LWeaAkxHBy

— Transfer Tapes (@TransferTapes) March 25, 2026

Garrett Sundra, F

The 6-11 big man spent two seasons with the Irish and started 16 of Notre Dame’s 31 games this season as a sophomore. 

⚜️Available Transfer⚜️ Garrett Sundra… pic.twitter.com/87ZeGP1BmB

— Transfer Tapes (@TransferTapes) March 25, 2026

Sundra averaged 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per contest this past season and shot 63.2% from inside the arc and 30.8% from long range. His minutes dwindled somewhat later in the season as the Irish went to a smaller lineup.

The Ashburn, Virginia, native has two seasons of eligibility left and landed at James Madison, located less than two hours from his hometown.

Ryder Frost, F

Frost was a top-100 recruit in the 2025 class and showed some promise as a freshman, appearing in 26 games and averaging 2.7 points in 6.2 minutes per contest while shooting 38.5% from 3-point range.

RYDER FROST❄️strong rebound ➡️ huge three!#GoIrish | 📺ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/EP4ZDhV2pa

— Notre Dame Men’s Basketball (@NDmbb) January 22, 2026

The 6-6 wing scored 12 points on 4 for 5 from beyond the arc in a loss to Pittsburgh in February. He has three seasons of eligibility left and will play next season for George Washington, which has put together an upper-echelon mid-major roster for next season.

Purdue Fort Wayne

Out of eligibility: Mikale Stevenson, Maximus Nelson, Darius Duffy, Deangelo Elisee (working on a waiver)

New portal additions

Edir Ortiz, Seton Hill (Division II)

PFW has done a good job of pulling productive players from the Division II level in recent years, with the most notable such addition being Rasheed Bello, who went on to earn first-team All-Horizon League honors.

Ortiz is a 6-9 forward and this past season averaged 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals in 21 games while shooting 51.8% from the field and a blistering 44.8% from 3-point range (39 of 87). He’s the type of do-it-all big man the Mastodons need to fill in the gaps of a frontcourt that is set to lose substantial production.

D2 forward Edir Ortiz (@ortiz_edir) enters the portal after a big season averaging 14.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 51.8% FG, 44.8% 3FG. Hearing from Purdue Fort Wayne, East Carolina, Hofstra, Loyola Marymount, Citadel, Southern Mississippi, IU Indy.Mid major talent easily. pic.twitter.com/vHy1qs0R4B

— Rising Ballers Network (@dylan_lutey) March 14, 2026Portal departures

Corey Hadnot II, G

The 6-3 Hadnot was one of the best mid-major guards in the country this past season. He enjoyed one of the top offensive seasons in Mastodons history this past campaign, averaging 20.4 points on 52% shooting, hitting 35.8% from beyond the arc and adding 3.5 assists per contest. His 654 points were third-most in Mastodon history and and second-most in the program’s Division I history, trailing only the 746 posted by Fort Wayne native Bryson Scott in 2017-18.

In addition to his offensive efforts, Hadnot averaged 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals, the latter total ranking third in the Horizon League. For his performance, Hadnot was named first-team all-conference, the third PFW guard to earn that distinction in the last two seasons.

The Atlanta native scored 30 points three times in 2025-26, but arguably the best game of his career came in a contest that saw him fall just short of that mark – he poured in 29 on 10-for-16 shooting to go with six rebounds, three steals and two assists in a 72-69 win over Notre Dame in South Bend in December. It was the Mastodons’ first victory over a high-major opponent since a win over DePaul of the Big East in November 2023.

Hadnot landed at Houston, which has been to the Sweet 16 in seven tournaments in a row under coach Kelvin Sampson. The former ‘Don fits the Cougars’ bulldog mentality perfectly and he could be a significant part of their next deep run in March.

Ebrahim Kaba, F

The athletic, 6-9 Kaba was an important pickup from the transfer portal last offseason, when he arrived with four seasons of eligibility left following a redshirt year at St. Bonaventure.

The big wing showed flashes as a redshirt freshman this season, but never fully cracked the rotation, averaging 4.0 points, 2.9 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. He didn’t play after Feb. 7.

Ebrahim Kaba gets in on the action. This is good from three.#FeelTheRumble #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/QUuBVPtKaa

— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) January 22, 2026

Yuval Levin, F

Levin’s journey to the United States from Israel last offseason was harrowing and it was notable he played at all this past season. But like Kaba, he never quite cracked the rotation, averaging 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

The versatile 6-8 forward has excellent court vision for his size and good instincts, but he wasn’t quite physical enough to hold up in the paint in the Horizon League.

Yuval Levin with the steal and basket the other way.#FeelTheRumble #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/nA56Edz7y1

— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) November 8, 2025

Danny Kelly, G

The 6-6 Kelly, a Fort Wayne native and former Bishop Luers star redshirted in 2025-26 and will have four seasons of eligibility left as he looks for his new home.

“I want to sincerely thank my coaches at Purdue Fort Wayne, my teammates, and everyone I’ve had the opportunity to meet during my time here,” Kelly wrote in a statement on social media. “Your support, guidance, and belief in me have meant more than I can put into words.”

Kelly averaged 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a senior at Luers, earning all-SAC honors. He helped the Knights to a sectional title that season.

Ja’Corey Lipkins

Lipkins made the jump from Division II, where he averaged 14.3 points as a freshman, last offseason and then redshirted in 2025-26. With DeAndre Craig Jr., EJ Mosley and Chris Morgan expected back next season, there was likely not a path for him to play big minutes next season. He will play instead for UNC Asheville.

Indiana

Out of eligibility: Shay Ciezki

New portal additions

Jessica Petrie, F, Nebraska

The 6-2 Petrie helped the Cornhuskers to the NCAA Tournament each of the past two seasons and in 2025-26 averaged 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals while shooting 44.9% from the field.

Petrie Power 💪Jessica Petrie (@jesspetrie17) hits a halfcourt+ heave at the first-quarter buzzer for the #Huskers against Creighton 🚨@WOWT6News pic.twitter.com/1xlCkB1SrO

— Mason Kern (@MasonKernMedia) November 13, 2025

She averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games against the Hoosiers, including 18 points and seven rebounds in a 78-73 Cornhuskers win in January. She added 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting in a 67-62 loss to Baylor in the First Four.

The Australian has one season of eligibility left after starting 46 games for Nebraska over the last two campaigns. 

Jessica Petrie with moves in the post for @HuskerWBB 🙌 #B1GWBBT on Peacock pic.twitter.com/mHiHyQjPs3

— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) March 4, 2026

Alisa Williams, F, Iowa State

Williams was the first of two former Cyclones to transfer to IU this cycle, doing so in the early days of the portal being open. With Iowa State last season, the 6-2 forward averaged 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 53.9% from the field in 11.8 minutes per contest.

She has averaged at least 12 points per 40 minutes in each of her three seasons in college and has been looking for an opportunity as a high-level rotation player. She might get it with the Hoosiers, with whom she will likely be one of the first players off the bench.

Williams has one season of eligibility left. She began her career at LSU, where she played in 20 games and won a national championship as a freshman during the 2022-23 campaign for the team that beat Iowa and Caitlin Clark in the championship game.

Kenzie Hare, G, Iowa State

Hare started 31 of 32 games for the Cyclones this past season, helping them to a 22-10 record and a March Madness berth. The 5-9 senior averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 24.4 minutes while shooting 40.0% from 3-point range.

Clutch 3s 🤝 Kenzie Hare🌪️🏀🌪️ pic.twitter.com/cQqRqsOCHY

— Cyclone Basketball (@CycloneWBB) February 15, 2026

The Hoosiers will be Hare’s third program in five seasons. In 2023-24, she starred for Marquette, averaging 14.0 points, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals while leading the Big East at 42.5% shooting from beyond the arc for a team that went 23-9 and earned a spot in March Madness. In a conference tournament loss to eventual Final Four team Connecticut, she scored nine of her team’s 29 points, going 3 for 3 from the fied.

She transferred to Iowa State for the 2024-25 campaign but missed all but 10 games that season with a hip injury, allowing her to earn a medical redshirt. This past season, she collected 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range in a loss to BYU.

Hare was an AAU teammate of Hoosiers guard Lenée Beaumont.

BOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/h9N1hd85b5 pic.twitter.com/OHuFzxWYtM

— Lenee (@leneebeaumont30) April 20, 2026

Malia Samuels, G, Southern California

The 5-6 Samuels played in 30 games and started 19 for the Trojans this past season. She is a defensive stalwart, averaging 1.5 steals in 23.4 minutes per game for USC in 2025-26 to go along with 3.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

The junior, nicknamed “Pitbull,” had a pair of steals and four rebounds and made her only field-goal attempt in a first-round NCAA Tournament victory over Clemson. In a win over the Hoosiers in February, she collected six points, four steals, four rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes.

In perhaps her most impressive moment of the season, she walled up against two-time All-ACC pick Zoe Brooks of North Carolina State and stole the ball in the closing seconds of a one-point game to secure a top-10 victory for the Trojans.

MALIA SAMUELS WHAT A STOP pic.twitter.com/YWqwleKzCn

— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) November 9, 2025

Samuels has one season of eligibility left, making it four one-year additions for the Hoosiers, all of whom played important roles on NCAA Tournament teams last season (three of them starting).

Portal departures

Nevaeh Caffey, G

For the second offseason in a row, the Hoosiers lost a key starter to the portal. After Yarden Garzon left for Maryland last year, Caffey went home to play in the SEC for Missouri. The Tigers went 17-17 this past season in their first season under coach Kellie Harper.

The Missouri native was Miss Show-Me Basketball in 2025 and won four consecutive state championships in high school. She was a four-star, top-45 national recruit in the 2025 class and lived up to her billing as a freshman, averaging 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while starting all 32 games and shooting 41.7% from 3-point range.

Her loss doesn’t sting quite as much as Garzon’s because she’s going home, but it was still a substantial departure – she seemed like a potential future face of the program, especially after she scored in double figures in eight of IU’s final nine games, including 13 points and four assists in a Big Ten Tournament win over Petrie and Nebraska.

Nevaeh Caffey on the steal and score 🙌 pic.twitter.com/pZD0HS1k6N

— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) November 5, 2025

Phoenix Stotijn, G

Stotijn was part of IU’s transfer portal class last season after spending her freshman year at Arkansas. She never got into a rhythm with the Hoosiers, averaging 2.1 points on 26.0% shooting and going just 5 for 39 from 3-point range.

Her minutes saw a noticeable decrease after the calendar turned to 2026 and she did not play after Feb. 28. She will play for Auburn next season.

Edessa Noyan, F

Noyan was another one-year addition for the Hoosiers, though she was somewhat more impactful than Stotijn, starting 21 games and averaging 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 55.1% from the field after transferring last offseason from Virginia.

The 6-3 Noyan stepped into the starting lineup when prized UCLA post transfer Zania Socka-Nguemen got hurt in November. With Socka-Nguemen back next season, however, and expected to star for the Hoosiers on the block, Noyan went in search of more playing time. She may have found it at Nebraska, where she swapped places with Petrie. 

Noyan played a key role in IU’s late-season resurgence, posting 18 points and eight rebounds in a win over Oregon, 15 rebounds in a triumph over Rutgers and 12 points and 10 rebounds in the Big Ten Tournament win over Nebraska.

🔥 18 PTS (Career-High)🔥 8 REB (Team-High)Edessa Noyan had a performance to remember for @IndianaWBB on Sunday against Oregon 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ABp34vi2uf

— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) February 23, 2026

Chloe Spreen, G

The 2024 Indiana Miss Basketball out of Bedford North Lawrence tried her hand at a return home after getting sparse playing time as a freshman at Alabama. She was once again relegated to a bench role at IU, however, playing in just 11 games.

She found a new home at Illinois State.

Faith Wiseman, F

The 6-4 Wiseman was a high-level recruit in the 2024 high school class, ranked No. 61 nationally, but she never settled into a role at IU, playing limited minutes in 26 games over two seasons.

She showed some flashes of being a solid rebounder in an appearance against Iowa State, when she grabbed three while adding a steal in seven minutes on the floor. She will play for Western Michigan next season.

Thank you @TaliaGoodmanWBB Coaches, if you’re looking for more of what Faith Wiseman can bring to your roster I’d consider giving this video a watch… Turn your phone to the side for better quality. pic.twitter.com/ev8VhQGNUE

— Tim Abel (@Tim__Abel) March 13, 2026

Jade Ondineme, F

The 6-3 Ondineme came to IU last offseason after winning a junior college national championship. She played in 18 games and averaged 1.4 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 52.4% from the floor.

Notre Dame

Out of eligibility: Iyana Moore, Vanessa de Jesus, Malaya Cowles, Gisela Sanchez, Jordyn Smith

Departed for WNBA: Cassandre Prosper (drafted No. 19 overall by Washington Mystics, will play with former Irish teammate Sonia Citron, who was an All-Star as a rookie last season)

New portal additions

Anaya Hardy, F, Louisville

The 6-3 Hardy, who has two seasons of eligibility left, started 27 games for the Cardinals this past season and averaged 4.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 11.3 minutes while shooting 66.7% from the field.

Losing Cass Proper stung for Notre Dame, but adding Anaya Hardy can help soften the blow Anaya moves fluidly at 6’3” and can blossom into a promising big for the Fighting Irish if he can continue developing like she did in her sophomore season pic.twitter.com/iji6XDXHkU https://t.co/Z4c2S1Y9b9

— Point Made Joshua (@pointmadejosh) April 18, 2026

“She brings great energy and presence to our front court, and her athleticism will light up the arena,” Irish coach Niele Ivey said of Hardy in a statement. “Her ability to run the floor, rebound and defend at a high level will make an immediate impact.”

Hardy had eight points, two rebounds and a block in 16 minutes in two games against the Irish last season. She dunked in warmups for the Cardinals this past season and is one of the more athletic posts in the ACC. She posted 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting, nine rebounds and three steals in a win over Pittsburgh in January.

Madison St. Rose, G, Princeton

The 5-10 St. Rose is a two-time All-Ivy League selection who this past season averaged 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 47.9% from the field.

She helped the Tigers to three NCAA Tournaments in as many full seasons in the program, including a 26-4 mark and a No. 9 seed this year as the team’s leading scorer.

SECOND HALF SURGE.@PrincetonWBB scored 43 second half points to Cornell’s 15 as the Tigers bounced back for a 59-38 win over the Big Red. Madison St. Rose (15), Skye Belker (12) and Fadima Tall (11) each finished in double figures. 🌿🏀 pic.twitter.com/BDaeDWmOxk

— Ivy League (@IvyLeague) February 15, 2026

“Maddie strengthens our backcourt with her experience, three-level scoring ability and leadership,” Ivey said in a statement. “She brings size, defense and versatility on the wing, plus a high basketball IQ that fits perfectly with everything that makes Notre Dame special.”

St. Rose, a graduate transfer, has one season of eligibility left. She has a similar profile to that of Anna DeWolfe, who transferred from Fordham and started all 35 games for the Irish on the way to the Sweet 16 in 2023-24. St. Rose is not the 3-point shooter DeWolfe was (the former Tiger has hit just 27.9% from beyond the arc in her career), but might benefit from the increased space afforded by playing with Hannah Hidalgo.

The southpaw guard had one of her best games against an elite opponent this past season, pouring in 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting and adding four assists against one turnover against Maryland, which went on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Portal departures

KK Bransford, G

The 5-11 Bransford spent four seasons with the Irish, appearing in 90 games and starting 28 while missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with a foot injury and part of this past season with a knee issue.

She has one season of eligibility left and had told the South Bend Tribune in late March she “planned” to play for the Irish next season.

Bransford appeared in 24 games and started nine for the Irish this past season, averaging 7.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 47.3% from the field.

The Irish were 19-5 with Bransford available and 6-6 in games she missed in the middle of the season. With her departure, Hidalgo is the only player returning who played any minutes in Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament run to the Elite Eight.

The former top-30 national recruit was a part of three Sweet 16 teams with the Irish, scoring more than 650 career points and grabbing more than 300 rebounds. She posted 10 points, six rebounds and three assists without a turnover in a round of 32 victory over Ohio State this year.

KK Bransford with the bucket to finish Q1 in the lead ☘️📺 ACCNX#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/t837t6EHsE

— Notre Dame Women’s Basketball (@ndwbb) February 8, 2026

“My coaches know how much they mean to me, but I want to publicly say thank you to the entire women’s basketball program,” Bransford said in a goodbye message on Instagram. “I left home and came to South Bend at 18 years old and you all helped me grow for 4 years. You are a part of my story and I appreciate you.

“I have no regrets about my time playing for Notre Dame women’s basketball. I am very excited for the next chapter as I have one more year of eligibility, but I wanted to take a moment to show appreciation for a place and for people who have meant so much to me.”

Bransford will play her final season of eligibility for defending national champion UCLA.

Purdue

Out of eligibility: Madison Layden-Zay

New portal additions

Hannah Wickstrom, G, UC-Riverside

The 5-10 Wickstrom was one of the most prolific mid-major players in the country this past season, leading the Big West and ranking fifth nationally in scoring at 23.4 points per game on 48.5% shooting and 34% from 3-point range for a team that played one of the slower paces in the country.

The Australian has two seasons of eligibility left. She also averaged 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals last season, giving the Boilermakers a lead guard on both ends of the floor. She scored 44.4% of her team’s points in a pair of conference tournament games and was named first-team All-Big West and a semifinalist for Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year.

She is the second Aussie to play for the Boilermakers, joining Abbey Ellis.

UC Riverside guard Hannah Wickstrom has been one of the Big West’s most productive scorers this season.Wickstrom is averaging 20.9 PPG, 7.1 REB, 2.2 AST while shooting 47.4% from the field. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/F0KOFe8y5B

— BTN Scouting (@BTNScouting) January 19, 2026Averi Aaron, F, Louisiana Tech

The 6-1 Aaron has two two seasons of eligibility left after spending the last two seasons with the Techsters (yes, that is Louisiana Tech’s team nickname). This past season, the Texan helped Tech to a 26-7 record and a 17-1 mark in Conference USA play.

Aaron averaged 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds while starting 16 games and playing in 33. She added 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 18.2 minutes per contest while shooting 43.3% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc.

She posted 12 points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes in the Conference USA Tournament title game against Missouri State, though the Techsters lost 43-38 and missed out on the NCAA Tournament. 

Big Time 3⃣ for Averi Aaron! 📺- @CBSSportsNet @LATechWBB | #RocketCityHoops | #NoLimitsOnUs pic.twitter.com/RkF4SPCUB6

— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) March 14, 2026

Aysia Proctor, G, North Texas

The 5-foot-8 Proctor has one season of eligibility left after playing two seasons at Texas-San Antonio before transferring to the Mean Green last offseason.

With North Texas, Proctor started 21 of 32 games and led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points on 42% shooting while hitting 39.3% from beyond the arc on nearly five attempts per game.

She also collected 1.4 steals per contest and helped the Mean Green to a 19-14 record and a fourth-place finish in the American Conference. She led UNT to a 58-55 upset of Atlantic Coast Conference foe SMU with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting, five rebounds and two steals. Arguably her best game came against Rice, when she poured in 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting against a team that went 29-6 and gave up less than 60 points per game.

Aysia Proctor Puts The Mean Green On The Board! 📺: https://t.co/qE6W7BooyU#Hoopfest | @HoopfestB | @MeanGreenWBB pic.twitter.com/SMCXLQjPZY

— FloCollege | Basketball (@FloCollegeHoops) November 27, 2025

For her efforts she was named second-team all-conference.

Jelena Bulajic, G, South Florida

The 5-foot-10 Bulajic, a native of Montenegro, is a potential program building-block, coming to the Boilermakers with three years of eligibility left after playing in 31 games and starting two as a freshman in the American Conference.

With the Bulls, Bulajic played 16.4 minutes per game, averaging 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds while shooting 36.7% from the field and 30.6% from 3-point range for a team that went 20-12 and finished third in the conference. Sixty percent of her shots came from 3-point range.

Jelena Bulajic# twenty THREEEEE📺: @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/dIEmilEGBm

— USF Women’s Basketball (@USFWBB) January 14, 2026

Bulajic played some of her best games in the latter half of the season, most notably a 15-point explosion on 5-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc in just 16 minutes in a 70-53 victory over Texas-San Antonio. She also scored 13 points on 3-for-4 shooting from long distance to go along with two assists, two steals and a block in a 77-61 victory over North Texas. That was a notable game because Proctor was the leading scorer for the Mean Green that day with 18 points on 3-for-4 shooting in her own right.

She played a pair of games against her future Big Ten opponents, going a combined 2 for 8 from the field for five points to go along with three assists in losses to Minnesota and eventual national champion UCLA. She faced three of the eventual Final Four teams, averaging 8.5 points (though on just 2 of 8 from long range) in games against Connecticut and South Carolina.

Kyndall Hunter, G, Houston

The 5-7 Hunter has played 76 games and started 18 across five years in college basketball. Last season, she was the Cougars’ second-leading scorer, averaging 9.2 points, second on her team, on 34% shooting and a 30.8% from 3-point range. She added 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.7 minutes per game.

KYNDALL HUNTER!! BALLGAME!! Houston wins at the Buzzer on the 3 by @kynskillz pic.twitter.com/GcnHbMiqBv

— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) February 1, 2026

Hunter has one season of eligibility left. The Boilermakers will be her fourth team after the native Texan played for three schools in the Lone Star State: Texas, Texas A&M and UH, in her hometown. She was a top-25 national recruit when she originally signed with the Longhorns in the 2021 class and she played 21 games and shot nearly 39% from 3-point range as a freshman for a Texas team that went to the Elite Eight that season.

She missed the entirety of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, however, because of injuries and then transferred to Texas A&M, where she was a bench player for a sub-.500 team.

Houston was also under .500 (7-23), but Hunter got her shot as a featured player there and had some big games, most notably a 23-point performance on 8-for-15 shooting to go along with four rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 72-70 win over Cincinnati. Hunter was a rhythm scorer with the Cougars: She scored at least 20 points five times and less than five points 11 times.

Delivered her Sunday best 👏📊 23 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STLKyndall Hunter Highlights vs. Cincinnati 🎥#Big12WBB | @UHCougarWBB pic.twitter.com/VoY9YcaOin

— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) February 1, 2026

Anjela Minja, C, Gulf Coast State College (JUCO)

The 6-5 Minja comes to Purdue after playing two seasons at Gulf Coast State College in Florida. She started 12 of 30 games in which she appeared last season and averaged 7.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting better than 49% from the field. She was a second-team all-conference pick.

The Boilermakers have added a player from GCSC before: Fatou Diagne played there before spending three seasons in West Lafayette. Minja will likely back up promising returning center Avery Gordon.

Portal departures

Tara Daye, G

Daye transferred to Purdue last offseason (that will be a theme in this section) from St. John’s and was the Boilermakers’ best player, averaging a career-best 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting better than 47% from the field and 34% from 3-point range. She started all 30 games for coach Katie Gearlds’ team.

18 PTS & 11 REB 😤Tara Daye’s double-double helps lift @PurdueWBB to an 88-45 win over LIP. pic.twitter.com/FuS4FO7GXg

— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) December 11, 2025

One of her best games came in an overtime victory against NCAA Tournament-bound Washington, one of the Boilermakers’ best victories of the season, in which she led the way with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Daye stayed in the Big Ten and will play for Rutgers next season, her fourth team in five years. The Scarlet Knights have finished below .500 five seasons in a row and went 9-20 in 2025-26, including a 72-57 loss to Purdue at Mackey Arena in the teams’ only meeting. Daye had 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting in that game.

Kiki Smith, G

Another 2025 transfer who spent one season in West Lafayette, Smith came in from Arkansas and averaged 10.7 points and 2.2 assists while shooting close to 40% from the field and 34% from 3-point distance. She started 21 games.

The former junior college national player of the year exploded for 24 points, seven rebounds and three steals while going 8 for 9 at the foul line in an overtime loss to Penn State in February.

Smith signed with Texas Tech on April 18, joining a program that went to the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 2013, finishing the season 26-8. The last time the Red Raiders had been in the tournament, they were led by former Boilermakers coach Kristy Curry.

Nya Smith, G

Another portal addition last season, Smith seemed like a potential building block as she had two seasons of eligibility left after averaging 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23.9 minutes per contest in her first season with the Boilermakers.

The North Carolina-Greensboro transfer moved into the starting lineup at the end of the season in place of freshman Hila Karsh and started 14 times, shooting 35% from the field and 27% from 3-point range overall.

The diminutive (5-0) guard had a run of outstanding performances at the end of the season, averaging 18.3 points and 5.5 assists over the final four games of the regular season, but she went 0 for 9 for just two points in a conference tournament loss to Oregon. She did post a 16-point, 7-assist, 5-rebound, 3-steal masterpiece in a win over Northwestern to end the regular season and hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to send the Penn State game to overtime in February.

Nya Smith sends it to overtime!Really fun game so far.pic.twitter.com/gDK7LVBHc5

— Skim Milkey (@SkimMilkey) February 5, 2026

Smith, a native of Roswell, Georgia, transferred to Georgia, which went 22-10 and reached the NCAA Tournament this past season.

Lana McCarthy, C

The 6-4 McCarthy played two years for the Boilermakers and became more efficient as a sophomore, raising her scoring average to 7.8 points from 6.4 and increasing her field-goal percentage from 47.1% to 57.5% on the same number of shots. 

As a sophomore, she averaged 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 17.6 minutes per game (nearly identical to her 17.8 as a freshman) and started 14 games while playing in 27. McCarthy turned in one of her best performances of the season in the Big Ten Tournament loss to Oregon, scoring 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting and adding nine rebounds and three assists.

Had she stayed, she would have been pushed for her starting spot by 6-7 sophomore-to-be Avery Gordon. She transferred to Fairfield, which has built its program into one of the best, most consistent mid-major outfits in the country with three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and at least 28 wins in each of those seasons.

Want to shout out a few New England centers who are killing it at the D1 level currently 🧵- Lana McCarthy, former @Bedford_NH_GVBB star, just won Big Ten Freshman of the Week, she’s averaging 11.2 PTS and 7 REB as a starter at Purdue already pic.twitter.com/yT7mU17lWK

— Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) November 25, 2024

Kendall Puryear, F

Another player who had the appearance of a future centerpiece in the frontcourt, the 6-3 Puryear played two seasons with the Boilermakers and broke into the starting lineup late in 2025-26.

The Missourian shot nearly 57% from the field over the final 10 games of the season and for the campaign averaged 6.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game while shooting 54% from the floor. She started 14 games overall and had arguably her best performance in a loss to Illinois in December: 20 points in 20 minutes on 9-for-10 shooting.

Kendall Puryear is heating up for @PurdueWBB 🔥#B1GWBBall pic.twitter.com/f8mJeDTJUF

— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) November 24, 2024

Puryear has two seasons of eligibility left and transferred to South Florida, which is led by new coach Kristy Curry. Curry led the Boilermakers to the Final Four in 2001 and coached Gearlds during her playing days at Purdue.

The Bulls have been to nine of the last 13 NCAA Tournaments.

Hila Karsh, G

Perhaps the toughest to stomach of all of the transfers, Karsh seemed like a star in the making at the outset of her freshman campaign this past season, averaging 18 points on 67.7% shooting and a 7-for-13 mark from 3-point range over the first three games of her collegiate career.

24 points, 5-for-7 from three. Purdue freshman Hila Karsh showing why she was so highly recruited. The future is bright 🔥@PurdueWBB pic.twitter.com/ANlDIAz6zj

— Yuval Shaham (@yuval59) November 7, 2025

But the 5-8 Israeli never quite reached those heights again and saw her spot in the starting lineup given to Nya Smith in the middle of the season. She scored in double figures just three times in 17 games from Dec. 31 onward and for the season averaged 6.9 points and 2.4 assists on 35.7% shooting.

She transferred to Xavier, which went 11-19 last season and has not reached the NCAA Tournament since going five years in a row from 2007 to 2011.

Taylor Feldman, G

Arguably Purdue’s most prized transfer pickup last offseason, Feldman never got on track in a Boilermakers uniform thanks to a back injury sustained over the summer.

The former Northern Arizona star, who averaged 16.4 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 36% from 3-point range there as a junior, played in seven games for the Boilers. She averaged 6.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 16.7 minutes per contest while hitting 8 of 19 3-pointers (42.1%).

She had 16 points, seven assists and two steals in a win over Miami (Ohio) in November, but took a medical redshirt and will play her final season of eligibility at High Point, which is emerging as a mid-major power after back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and a 27-6 season in 2025-26.

Taylor Feldman doing what she does best, delivering in a big way for Purdue.🔥🏀Via: @purduewbb /Instagram#PurdueWBB #PurdueBasketball #WomensHoops #NCAA #CollegeBasketball #winningherway pic.twitter.com/J0PCwb0Br7

— Winning Her Way (@Winningherway) November 25, 2025Purdue Fort Wayne

Out of eligibility: Jordan Reid, Alana Nelson, Lauren Lee

New portal additions

New Mastodons coach Kate Peterson Abiad, who took over in mid-April after Maria Marchesano departed to become head coach at Butler, her alma mater, will fill out the roster after the Mastodons lost their top five scorers to the portal or eligibility exhaustion.

Meegan Fahy, G, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville

The first signing of the Peterson Abiad Era came from a 5-5 Park Ridge, Illinois, native, who spent two seasons with SIUE. There, she appeared in 18 games and started one. As a freshman in 2024-25, Fahy played in 14 games and averaged 2.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1 steal while shooting 35.1% from the field in 12 minutes per contest.

She played in four games this past season.

As a high school senior at Maine South, a school in Illinois’ largest classification, she averaged 15.8 points, led her team to a 31-2 record and set a school record for free-throw efficiency at 83.5%. For her effort, she was named a McDonald’s All-American Game nominee.

Southern Illinois Edwardsville signee Meegan Fahy getting buckets 💪 🏀 pic.twitter.com/rj8nF7zhbJ

— (CHE) Jerald Davis (@ChiHoopsExpress) December 18, 2023Portal departures

Lili Krasovec, C

Easily the most impactful of PFW’s transfer departures, Krasovec followed Marchesano to Butler after her one standout season in Fort Wayne. 

The Hungarian junior, who transferred to PFW from Boston College, was immediately a centerpiece on both ends of the floor for the Mastodons, averaging 11.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.9 blocks in 23.3 minutes per contest. She was efficient, as well, shooting 57% from the field, which would have ranked second in the conference if she had enough attempts to qualify.

The 6-3 Krasovec started all 35 games for the Mastodons. She scored 24 points on 11-for-14 shooting in a win over a solid Robert Morris team in January and posted one of her best games in her final appearance in a PFW uniform: 22 points on 10-for-15 shooting with 10 rebounds in a WNIT loss to Arkansas State, one of her two double-doubles on the season.

She also posted 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting in a 68-67 upset of Purdue at the Gates Center in November.

Mobile with good hands and toughness, Krasovec could have been one of the best players in the Horizon League next season, but she will get a chance to anchor a high-major program in her final season of eligibility instead.

Lili Krasovec with the and-one! Nika Lokica notched her fifth assist on the entry pass.#FeelTheRumble #HLWBB pic.twitter.com/xjBpAVcifq

— Purdue Fort Wayne WBB (@MastodonWBB) January 3, 2026

Destiny Macharia, G

The second of two former Mastodons to follow Marchesano to the Big East, Macharia was part of an excellent PFW freshman class this past season. The 5-6 Maryland native averaged 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per contest in her first season of college basketball.

Her role grew down the stretch of the season and she broke out with 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting in a February loss to Youngstown State. She followed that with nine points on 3-for-4 shooting and three assists in a Horizon League tournament quarterfinal drubbing of IU Indy.

Destiny Macharia triple. You’ll fit in well here.#FeelTheRumble #HLWBB pic.twitter.com/hyGxxF92IO

— Purdue Fort Wayne WBB (@MastodonWBB) November 4, 2025

She will have three seasons of eligibility at Butler.

Rylee Bess, G

The best of PFW’s four freshmen, the 5-6 guard was an instant-impact player in Fort Wayne and grabbed a starting spot by the middle of the season, replacing the more veteran Nika Lokica.

Bess averaged 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 assists while shooting nearly 38% from beyond the arc. She earned Horizon League All-Freshman honors and turned in a performance for the ages in an overtime win over Northern Kentucky in January: 27 points on 8-for-14 shooting and a 4-for-9 mark from 3-point distance. She also worked her way to the line seven times in the game and made all seven.

Arguably her most memorable moment came in the win over Purdue, when she hit a leaning 3-pointer on a kickout from Krasovec to turn a two-point deficit into a program-defining victory with 5.7 seconds left.

This week’s Toyota Play of the Week: @MastodonWBB Rylee Bess’ game-winner over Purdue (obviously).All the angles, plus the radio call from Derek Decker and TV call from John Nolan. What more could you want?#FeelTheRumble #HLWBB pic.twitter.com/A6SBoc8vhE

— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (@GoMastodons) November 18, 2025

Bess was in the portal even before Marchesano departed and found a new home at High Point, joining Feldman.

Hillary Offing, F

The 5-11 Offing joined the Mastodons from non-NCAA Penn State-Lehigh Valley during the 2024 offseason and redshirted in 2024-25 before stepping into a reserve role this past season.

The South Carolina native appeared in 27 games in her first Division I season and averaged 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in just 8.6 minutes per game while shooting 53.5% from the field.

Her role expanded substantially in February and she provided a glimpse of a potential future standout with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting in 27 minutes against Cleveland State in February.

Offing has two seasons of eligibility left.

Hillary Offing through the double team!#FeelTheRumble #HLWBB pic.twitter.com/17C3sVcFE9

— Purdue Fort Wayne WBB (@MastodonWBB) January 22, 2026

Ella Riggs, G

The 5-9 Riggs started her career at Furman and joined the Mastodons as a redshirt sophomore during the 2024 offseason. She played sparingly in 2024-25, but was a key reserve this past season, appearing in all 35 games and playing 15.6 minutes per contest while shooting 35.8% from the field and 31.5% from long distance.

The Cincinnati native posted 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting in a non-conference win over Southern Illinois and averaged 9.5 points and 3 rebounds in back-to-back Horizon League victories over Milwaukee and Wright State in December.

Ella Riggs with the three, on a nice look by Bailee Duck. #FeelTheRumble #HLWBB pic.twitter.com/Fe4V7Dgpsv

— Purdue Fort Wayne WBB (@MastodonWBB) December 7, 2025

Riggs has one season of eligibility left. She attended Peterson Abiad’s introductory press conference along with a handful of other players and could return to the Mastodons.

Local products/old friendsMen

Jaxson Fugate: Indiana Tech › Southern Illinois

The Fort Wayne native and former North Side star transferred to Division I after playing two seasons for the Warriors.

The 6-6 Fugate was the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Player of the Year this past season, averaging 20.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steals while shooting 57.1% from the field and 31.6% from 3-point range. He helped the Warriors to a 22-8 record, a second-place finish in the league and a berth in the NAIA National Championship tournament.

For his effort, Fugate was named a second-team NAIA All-American.

Jaxson Fugate – 6’6 G/FTwo years of eligibility WHAC Player of the YearAll-WHAC Defensive Team20.7PPG | 8.4RPG | 1.7BPG 11 Double-Doubles40 points on 13-20 FG, 3-5 3PT, and 11-12 FT vs Lawrence Tech https://t.co/ijH3XN5EJe pic.twitter.com/r6YgdgXeLr

— Kenton Aubrey (@Kenton_Aubrey) March 19, 2026

With the Salukis, Fugate will join a Division I program that is entering its third season under coach Scott Nagy, who previously led South Dakota State and Wright State to the NCAA Tournament a combined five times in 16 seasons.

Southern Illinois went 16-16 this past season and is looking for its first March Madness appearance since going six seasons in a row from 2002 to 2007.

Jaxon Pardon: Bowling Green › Indiana Tech

The former Carroll basketball star and Fort Wayne native was with the Falcons for two seasons, playing in nine games as a freshman in 2024-25 and then sitting out this past season because of an injury. In that freshman campaign, he had five points on 2-for-6 shooting, five rebounds, a steal and an assist in 24 minutes on the floor.

With the Chargers, the 6-foot-4 Pardon was a three-time All-SAC pick and earned second-team All-Northeast Indiana honors from the Journal Gazette following his senior season in 2024. He helped Carroll to its first sectional title in five years in 2021 and scored more than 1,000 career points.

🟠🟤 AY ZIGGYYYYYY — MAKE ROOM!Congratulations to 2024 Jaxon Pardon (@JaxonPardon) on his commitment to the Bowling Green Falcons (@BGSUMBB) today!Special thanks to @CoachTsimon, @bv_martin, @CoachGSrulovich and the entire Falcons program for making this SO SPECIAL for Jax! pic.twitter.com/skEGM8B3m3

— Ohio Buckets (@OhioBuckets) August 4, 2023

With Indiana Tech, he joins a team that went 22-8 this past season and reached the Opening Round of the NAIA National Championship. His brother, Briggs Pardon, who helped Blackhawk Christian to a Class 3A sectional championship this past season, is set to play for Tech starting in 2026-27.

Kaden Johnson: Huntington › Eastern Michigan

Johnson, a first-team All-Crossroads League center for the Foresters, will play his final season of eligibility at Eastern Michigan, he told Arman Jovic.

Johnson averaged 17.2 points and led the Crossroads League in rebounding (11.4 per contest) and field-goal percentage (63.6%) this past season, helping the Foresters to the NAIA National Championship tournament.

He will join a program that went 10-21 this past season.

Caedmon Bontrager: Indiana Wesleyan › Tulane

Bontrager, a Fort Wayne native and former Leo star, was named an NAIA first-team All-American after averaging 20.7 points on 56.9% shooting and 9.3 rebounds for Wesleyan.

The 6-7 big man was the Crossroads League Player of the Year and led the Wildcats to a 28-6 record and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NAIA National Championship tournament.

In the Crossroads League Tournament title game against perennial power Grace, Bontrager had nine points, 11 rebounds and two steals in just 20 minutes, though the Lancers won the game and the title, 84-82.

In joining the Green Wave, he became the third Crossroads Player of the Year in a row to move up to NCAA Division I, following in the footsteps of Grace’s Elijah Malone (2024) and Ian Scott (2025), who went to Colorado and Indiana State, respectively.

With Tulane, Bontrager joins a team that went 18-15 this past season and is looking for its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1995.

In high school, Bontrager led the Lions to back-to-back regional championships in 2021 and 2022, the only regional crowns in program history. In ’21, Leo won a semistate title and lost to Silver Creek and future Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn 50-49 in the Class 3A state championship.

Luke Almodovar: Southeast Missouri State › Memphis

Almodovar began his collegiate career at Saint Francis and played two seasons in Fort Wayne, helping the Cougars to the NAIA National Championship second round in 2025. 

In that 2024-25 campaign, the Noblesville native averaged 20.0 points on 49.7% shooting and 41.4% 3-point shooting to go along with 3.6 rebounds per contest. He earned first-team All-Crossroads League honors and scored more than 1,000 points in his USF career.

This past season, Almodovar transferred to SEMO, where he was an immediate standout, earning All-Ohio Valley recognition and starting 23 games for a team that went 20-13 and finished third in the conference. He was the team’s leading scoer at 14.1 points per game on 42.4% shooting. 

He scored 24 points and added three steals in a narrow loss to NCAA Tournament-bound Missouri and added 15 on 6-for-9 shooting in a loss to Iowa, which went on to the Elite Eight.

SEMO guard Luke Almodovar (@lukealmo) has a crazy combo combination of shotmaking and athleticism. Currently averaging 14.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 43.9% FG, 33.3% 3FG. pic.twitter.com/4zH7RZoEUt

— Rising Ballers Network (@dylan_lutey) February 8, 2026

Those performances (and some highlight-reel dunks) caught the eye of coach Penny Hardaway and Memphis, which went 13-19 this past season after seven 20-win seasons in a row. Almodovar will try to follow the path of Ben Humrichous, who started at Huntington, got his Division I shot at Evansville, then transferred again to Illinois, where he played a key role on a Final Four team this past season.

Isaiah Malone: Florida Gulf Coast › Central Florida

Malone was the other first-team all-conference pick on that 2024-25 Saint Francis team with Almodovar, when he averaged 16.2 points, led the conference in shooting percentage at 67.3% and added 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest.

The 6-8 LaGrange native got his Division I shot at FGCU and made the most of it, averaging 10.5 points on 59.2% shooting while adding 5.8 rebounds per contest and blocking a league-best 1.9 shots per game in just 22.5 minutes per contest. His 9.9% block rate was 15th nationally.

Offseason Tape 🎬Isaiah Malone (Sr, 6’8”) – 10.5 PPG | 5.8 RPG | 1.9 BPG | 59.2 FG% | UCF (transfer) | LaGrange, INElite rim protector who leverages his timing and athleticism to alter shots. ASUN DPOY with a strong national presence—ranked top 30 in both total blocks (64)… pic.twitter.com/bAnMSnKu6X

— Matt (@HoopHound5) April 12, 2026

For his effort, Malone was named Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year. He will get his high-major opportunity in the Big 12 with a Knights team under coach Johnny Dawkins that this past season went 21-12 and made the NCAA Tournament for just the second time since 2005.

Malone will be the second in his family to go from the Crossroads League to the Big 12: His older brother, Elijah Malone, the 2024 NAIA National Player of the Year, has spent the last two seasons at Colorado. The elder Malone is also in the transfer portal, though it is unclear if he has eligibility left.

Women

Ayanna Patterson: Connecticut › Kentucky

Patterson, a Fort Wayne native and former Homestead superstar, has had a star-crossed college basketball career, appearing in games in only two of the four seasons she spent at Connecticut and dealing with knee and shoulder injuries. Because of those injuries, she still has two seasons of eligibility left and should find a bigger role on a team that does not have AP Player of the Year Sarah Strong in the frontcourt with her.

In all, the 6-foot-2 Patterson appeared in 60 games with the Huskies, averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.6 minutes. Her averages of 13.7 points on 51.5% shooting and 11.1 rebounds per 40 minutes this past season provide an indication of how much she might be able to blossom with more playing time.

AYANNA PATTERSON AT THE BUZZER!(via @UConnWBB) pic.twitter.com/hbjwkO7bJd

— UConn Women’s Basketball Videos (@SNYUConn) February 28, 2023

“Yanna, from the time that she got here as a freshman, has always been one of the best people to have as a teammate, because she engages with everyone,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in February. “She works exceptionally hard. She’s no maintenance.”

In Kentucky, Patterson will join a program that has been a top-five seed in the NCAA Tournament each of its two seasons under coach Kenny Brooks. The Wildcats went 25-11 in 2025-26, reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade and finishing 14th in the AP poll.

Kentucky’s frontcourt was mostly laden with seniors, giving Patterson a chance. She will be paired with 6-5 center Clara Strack, a two-time All-Southeastern Conference pick in what could be one of the better frontcourt duos in the league.

Patterson will certainly have former UConn teammates rooting for her at her new stop. She owns a national championship ring from the Huskies’ 2024-25 season.

“I just wanna talk about how Yanna is one of the hardest workers on our team, every single day,” Huskies All-American Azzi Fudd said in February. “In practice, in the weight room, it doesn’t matter where it is. … We can rely on her to get that rebound, to get that loose ball, the hustle play we need.

“No matter how many minutes she gets, she comes in and gives her all. I just want to make that public announcement because she doesn’t get the attention she deserves, but she is one of the best teammates to play with because she’s going to run through a wall for you.”

Patterson was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class, ranked the No. 4 player in the country by ESPN. She was a McDonald’s All-American that year and in high school helped Homestead to four sectional championships in a row.

As a senior, Patterson became one of two Miss Basketball winners from Homestead, joining Karissa McLaughlin. She led the Spartans to a 23-2 record that season with 25.8 points per game on 60.4% shooting to go along with 11.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per contest.

She is also one of six two-time winners of the Tiffany Gooden Award, given to the outstanding SAC basketball player of the season (boys or girls), since the award was first handed out by The Journal Gazette in 1994.

Johnea Donahue: Bowling Green › Georgetown

The Fort Wayne native and former Snider standout was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year this past season as a sophomore.

She led the MAC with 4.2 steals per game, setting a program record, and ranked third in conference history with 118 thefts overall. The 5-foot-8 guard also averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 37.3% from the field. Her steals total was No. 2 in the country behind only Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame.

🏀 Player of the Week 🏀 Johnea Donahue posted 19 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and three triples, to lead the Bowling Green to a 73-69 MAC-opening win over Kent State last Saturday.@BGSUWBB | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/QK77QK93sk

— MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2025

In a game against Wisconsin in November, she kept the Falcons within striking distance in a narrow loss, scoring 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting to go along with six rebounds, six assists and six steals. She followed that with 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting against her future Big East foe Marquette.

She has two years of eligibility left and joins a Hoyas program that went 14-17 this past season and is trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.

Addison Baxter: Butler › Miami (Ohio)

Baxter, Columbia City’s all-time leader in scoring assists and steals, has three seasons of eligibility left after spending her freshman season with the Bulldogs. There, she played in 23 games, started six and averaged 5.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 19.0 minutes per contest while shooting 43.6% from the field.

At Miami, she will play for coach Glenn Box, a former Indiana assistant under head coach Teri Moren. Box led the long-moribund RedHawks to a program-record 28 wins this past season, his third leading the program, and Miami’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.

Box may have gotten a scouting report from Moren, who saw Baxter post four points, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes in a 72-53 Hoosiers win over the Bulldogs in November. Baxter added 10 points on 2-for-4 shooting, four assists and a steal against Final Four-bound Connecticut in December.

Addison Baxter for ✌️ pic.twitter.com/3S6GIHEEzd

— Butler Women’s Basketball (@ButlerUWBB) November 20, 2025

She finished fourth in Indiana Miss Basketball voting in 2025 and was an Indiana All-Star after leading Columbia City to its first sectional and regional titles in 25 years.