More than 1,300 players entered the transfer portal this offseason, and ESPN has ranked the 20 moves most likely to shift the balance of power in women’s college basketball for 2026-27. The list is topped by a scoring machine who left a Big 12 rival for a rebuilding program, and it includes a reigning national champion retooling its roster after a wave of senior departures.
The rankings measure which transfers change not just a box score but a program’s trajectory, from conference-title contenders to teams simply trying to replace what they lost. Here is a breakdown of the top names ESPN identified, along with the context behind each move.
1. Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State (25.8 Points Per Game Last Season)
Audi Crooks, a 6-3 senior center, left Iowa State for Oklahoma State after finishing second nationally in scoring at 25.8 points per game. Her departure has Iowa State picked to finish 11th in the Big 12 this season.
Oklahoma State had lost nine players before coach Jacie Hoyt landed Crooks, and the addition now makes the Cowgirls a Big 12 favorite. A conference title would be Oklahoma State’s first since 1991.
2. Addy Brown, UCLA (13.6 Points, 8.1 Rebounds, 5.2 Assists Per Game Last Season)
Addy Brown, a 6-2 senior forward, transferred to UCLA from Iowa State after averaging 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game despite missing 11 games to injury. Coach Cori Close brought her in to help lead a title defense after six seniors departed the reigning national championship roster.
Brown’s all-around production, spanning scoring, rebounding and playmaking, gives UCLA a versatile piece to replace the experience it lost. Her health will be a factor worth tracking given last season’s absences.
3. Dani Carnegie, Iowa (17.8 Points Per Game At Georgia)
Dani Carnegie, a 5-9 junior guard, moves to Iowa from Georgia after averaging 17.8 points per game with the Bulldogs and 12.9 points as a freshman at Georgia Tech. She reunites with former Georgia Tech teammate Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright in Iowa City.
The addition puts Iowa in position to contend at the top of the Big Ten. Carnegie’s scoring has climbed at each stop, and Iowa fans have already seen the program draw national attention this fall around Caitlin Clark’s return for a College GameDay appearance.
6. Jordan Lee (SEC-To-SEC Move)
Jordan Lee landed at No. 6 on ESPN’s list after moving between SEC rivals. The conference swap keeps her inside one of the sport’s deepest leagues, a factor ESPN weighed in its impact grading.
9. Mia Woolfolk, Vanderbilt (Post Player Addition)
Mia Woolfolk, a 6-3 junior forward, joined Vanderbilt as a post player who adds a new dimension alongside star guard Mikayla Blakes. Pairing an interior scoring option with Blakes gives the Commodores a different look than last season.
What’s Next: South Carolina’s 2027 Class Takes Shape
While this season’s transfer list reshuffles rosters immediately, South Carolina is already building for the future. Five-star combo guard GG Banks, the No. 4 overall player and top-ranked player at her position in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2027 class, committed to coach Dawn Staley’s program over Texas and LSU.
Banks is the second 2027 commit for Staley, following fellow guard Taylor Brown, and joins a pipeline that already landed the No. 2 class nationally in 2026 with four five-star prospects. South Carolina has won national titles in 2017, 2022 and 2024 under Staley.
“From my first time meeting Dawn, to Coach [Jolette Law] and the staff making me feel right at home, I knew this was where I belonged,” Banks said, according to Bleacher Report. “They never just recruited me as a player, they recruited me as a person, and they were honest with me about what it would take to get where I want to go. I want to compete for national championships, and I want to be pushed every single day.”
Banks also won a gold medal with the United States at the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup and took part in the Shooting Stars competition at WNBA All-Star Weekend alongside the Washington Mystics’ Shakira Austin and Elena Delle Donne. Her commitment will not affect rosters until 2027, but it signals South Carolina’s continued pull even as rivals rebuild through the portal this season.
For full details on all 20 transfers ESPN ranked, including how each fits specific team needs, check the complete ESPN impact transfer rankings. Programs like Ohio State, which retained most of its roster, offer a contrast to the extensive turnover seen at Iowa State, UCLA and elsewhere this offseason.
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