South Carolina up, UCLA down: How the transfer portal impacts the women's Way-Too-Early Top 25

Even without any games played, so much has changed in women's college basketball rosters over the past two weeks. The transfer portal will do that.

The top three players in the portal chose new programs, and ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings felt the impact. After adding Ta'Niya Latson, South Carolina moves to a familiar spot at No. 1. Former Ohio State star Cotie McMahon led a group of seven transfers headed to Ole Miss, which went from unranked in our initial top 25 on April 6 into the top 16. TCU didn't quite break into rankings with the addition of Olivia Miles, but the Horned Frogs got close.

UCLA went in the other direction after losing six players. The Bruins' core remains and they are still a 2026 Final Four favorite, but they are no longer atop the rankings.

More shifts await as more top transfers decide where they're headed. As players move, so do their teams. But for now, here is ESPN's updated look at the top 25 teams for next season.

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FSU's: Ta'Niya Latson: 'I still have a lot to accomplish'

Ta'Niya Latson recounts her journey to Florida State and some of her most impactful games for the Seminoles.

The loss of MiLaysia Fulwiley to the transfer portal hurts, but the addition of Ta'Niya Latson from Florida State is a net positive for the Gamecocks. Latson is the best backcourt scorer Dawn Staley has ever had in Columbia and provides the dimension that this season's team lacked: a bona fide go-to bucket getter.

With Raven Johnson back at the point and Tessa Johnson as a third guard, Staley has backcourt players who complement each other to go with the talented frontcourt of Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards that should also be bolstered by the return of Ashlyn Watkins from a knee injury. Previous rank: 2

In Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, the Huskies have two probable first-team preseason All-Americans. That's a good place to start for a repeat title even with the loss of Paige Bueckers. KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade appear primed for bigger roles, and the level that Jana El Alfy reached in the NCAA tournament despite modest numbers indicates she could be much more productive next season. Expect a portal addition or two to provide a third veteran scorer and restore the Huskies' depth. Previous rank: 3

Losing this season's entire freshman class, plus Janiah Barker (Tennessee) and Londynn Jones (USC) to the transfer portal, significantly hurts the depth that gave the Bruins an edge over the other top teams in the country. However, the Lauren Betts-Kiki Rice pairing gives UCLA one of the best post-point guard combos in the country. Gabriela Jaquez could be an emerging star, and Charlisse Leger-Walker, the best player in Washington State history, will be ready to go after missing this season with a knee injury. Previous rank: 1

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Lauren Betts joins elite company with 31-point, 10-rebound double-double

Lauren Betts tallies 31 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the third player in the past 25 seasons with multiple 30-point, 10-rebound games in a single NCAA tournament.

The recent news that Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda entered the transfer portal could hurt because she was playing the best basketball of her career at the end of the season, but having 6-foot-4 Arizona transfer Breya Cunningham already secured should mitigate that loss. Of course, having Madison Booker and Rori Harmon back lays the groundwork for a return to the Final Four. If Laila Phelia and Aaliyah Moore can come back healthy, Vic Schaefer will once again have significant depth. Previous rank: 4

Coach Kim Mulkey offset the frontcourt transfer portal losses of Sa'Myah Smith, Jersey Wolfenbarger and Aalyah Del Rosario by adding 6-5 Kate Koval from Notre Dame and 6-2 Amiya Joyner from East Carolina. Flau'jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams remain the foundation of the Tigers, but with two top-10 recruits and another expected portal addition or two, LSU will have plenty of depth to make a Final Four run and compete with South Carolina and Texas at the top of the SEC. Previous rank: 6

A fourth-place finish, the program's first Sweet 16 in 12 years and 27 victories was a great inaugural SEC season for the Sooners. They could be even better in 2025-26 with many of the key contributors back, led by Raegan Beers, Sahara Williams and Payton Verhulst. And now Jennie Baranczyk can pair exciting sophomore-to-be Zya Vann with the nation's No. 3 recruit, Aaliyah Chavez, in what could be a dynamic young backcourt. Previous rank: 7

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Beers speaks on Sooners being 'relentless' on rebounds

After grabbing the most rebounds by a Sooner in an NCAA tournament game since 2007, Raegan Beers describes the tenacious mentality Oklahoma carries in the postseason.

Despite no Lady Vol playing more than 25 minutes per game in Kim Caldwell's system, the program did not suffer a significant loss in the portal. The core of Talaysia Cooper, Zee Spearman and Ruby Whitehorn appears set to return. Bringing in Janiah Barker from UCLA and Nya Robertson, a SMU transfer who averaged 18.5 points per game in the ACC, only makes Tennessee deeper. Caldwell also landed four top-50 recruits, led by No. 9-ranked Mia Pauldo from New Jersey. Previous rank: 8

Some of the good feeling of the Blue Devils' ACC tournament title and Elite Eight run has subsided with Oluchi Okananwa (Maryland) and Vanessa de Jesus entering the transfer portal, which is why Duke dropped a few spots from our initial top 25. But Ashlon Jackson, Toby Fournier, Delaney Thomas, Taina Mair and Jadyn Donovan still form a core that should have Duke near the top of the ACC. Previous rank: 5

Despite the graduations of Aziaha James, Saniya Rivers and Madison Hayes, this should not be a rebuilding year in Raleigh. Young guards Zoe Brooks and Zamareya Jones demonstrated in the NCAA tournament they would be ready for bigger leadership roles. Steady inside play was the biggest area missing this season, but growth from 6-6 freshman Tilda Trygger and 6-5 freshman Lorena Awou will give the Wolfpack more balance. Previous rank: 10

Courtney Banghart's early success in the portal lessened the sting of the losses of Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng and Lexi Donarski. UCLA transfer Elina Aarnisalo gives the Tar Heels versatility in the backcourt and should fit well with Reniya Kelly and Lanie Grant. Nyla Harris from Louisville adds some physicality and rebounding to the size of 6-4 Ciera Toomey and 6-5 Blanca Thomas. Previous rank: 14

Iyana Moore's entry into the transfer portal breaks up the Commodores' big three, but the highest-scoring duo in the country, Mikayla Blakes (23.3 PPG) and Khamil Pierre (20.4 PPG), is back to try to improve upon the past season's 8-8 SEC finish. Vanderbilt hasn't advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament since 2013 but should be in position to do so if Shea Ralph can rebuild the Commodores' depth. Adding 6-6 LSU transfer Aalyah Del Rosario should help and give the Commodores size they didn't have this season. Previous rank: 11

Brenda Frese reloading Maryland through the portal is no longer a question of if, but when. With her starting backcourt of Shyanne Sellers and Sarah Te-Biasu out of eligibility, Frese found replacements immediately. Yarden Garzon, Indiana's leading scorer and 3-point shooter, and Oluchi Okananwa, the ACC tournament MVP at Duke, are now Terps. Add 17.9 PPG scorer Kaylene Smikle, Saylor Poffenbarger (9.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG) and the hopes for a healthy Bri McDaniel, and Maryland will have one of the deepest guard rotations in the country. Previous rank: 21

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has turned Ole Miss into a prime destination for transfers. After seeing four transfers who helped transform the program exhaust their eligibility, she added seven new faces during this portal season. Cotie McMahon from Ohio State is the headliner, but 6-4 Latasha Lattimore (Virginia), 6-0 Jayla Murray (Wichita State) and 5-9 Kaitlin Peterson (UCF) were all double-digit scorers this season. If top-100 recruit Lauren Jacobs can take hold of the point guard job and sophomore-to-be Sira Thienou takes the next step, this could be McPhee-McCuin's best team in Oxford. Previous rank: NR

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Highlight: 5-seed Ole Miss drops Sweet 16 matchup vs. 1-seed UCLA

Despite 14 points from Tameiya Sadler and 13 apiece from Kirsten Deans and Kennedy Todd-Williams, the Rebels came up short in a 76-62 loss to the Bruins.

Audi Crooks has scored nearly 1,500 points over the past two seasons. She is the cornerstone of the program along with Addy Brown. Bill Fennelly also acted quickly to replace veteran point guard Emily Ryan by landing Arizona transfer Jada Williams. Her quickness could add another dimension to the Cyclones' offense. Previous rank: 13

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Audi Crooks, Addy Brown lift Iowa State past Princeton into Round of 64

Audi Crooks and Addy Brown combine for 49 points as Iowa State beats Princeton to earn a matchup with Michigan in the NCAA tournament.

Often the biggest improvements players make come between their freshman and sophomore years. If that happens in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines will have three all-conference-caliber players in Olivia Olson, Syla Swords and Mila Holloway. If the production of 6-3 Bucknell transfer Ashley Sofilkanich (19.7 PPG) can translate from the Patriot League to the Big Ten, Michigan has Sweet 16 potential. Previous rank: 16

Adding Taliah Scott and Yuting Deng from Auburn gives Nicki Collen a scorer and a point guard to fill in the holes around Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Bella Fontleroy, laying the foundation for Baylor to be a top-three team in the Big 12. Kiera Pemberton, who averaged 16.7 points per game at North Dakota this season, might be the key to giving Baylor much-needed depth. Previous rank: 9

After losing seven players from this past season's team, Jeff Walz hit the portal strategically. Skylar Jones (Arizona) and Reyna Scott (Oklahoma) should fill holes in the backcourt and complement Tajianna Roberts. Recent addition Laura Ziegler, a Saint Joseph's transfer who ranked fifth in the country with 20 double-doubles, has the potential to give the Cardinals more offensive punch in the frontcourt than they have had the past few seasons. Previous rank: 15

The portal losses of Olivia Miles and Kate Koval were significant, not to mention the graduations of WNBA draft picks Sonia Citron, Maddy Westbeld and Liatu King. But Hannah Hidalgo returns, and Niele Ivey has added 6-3 Malaya Cowles (Wake Forest) and 6-4 Gisela Sanchez (Kansas State) to give the Irish some size. Ivey still has only six scholarship players on the roster, so expect some more work in the transfer portal to come. Previous rank: 17

The uncertainty over the timetable around JuJu Watkins' recovery from knee surgery makes the Trojans the biggest wild card in the country. If she were to return midseason, such as in January, this projection would jump significantly. If Watkins misses the entire season, USC might struggle to stay in the top 25. The arrival of Jasmine Davidson, recently elevated to the top recruit in the country according to HoopGurlz, and the addition of Georgia Tech transfer Kara Dunn and Londynn Jones from UCLA, should help with Watkins' absence and balance the transfer losses of Avery Howell and Kayleigh Heckel. Previous rank: 12

After winning the first NCAA tournament game in program history, the Spiders could be primed for more in 2025-26. Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Maggie Doogan, who averaged 17.0 points and 7.1 rebounds and scored a combined 57 against Georgia Tech and UCLA in the tournament, is back for her senior year. Rachel Ullstrom (15.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG), another All-A-10 first-teamer, also returns, giving Richmond one of the country's most productive veteran duos. Previous rank: 20

Some other programs have gotten more attention, but the Cowgirls quietly have made significant gains in the transfer portal. Jacy Hoyt added three potential starters in Amari Whiting (BYU), Haleigh Timmer (South Dakota State) and Achol Akot (UCF). They join returning leading scorers Stailee Heard and Micah Gray, giving Oklahoma State its best chance at reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014. Previous rank: 22

Coach Jan Jensen needs to find a true point guard. The loss of Aaliyah Guyton to Illinois still stings. But the talent elsewhere led by Hannah Stuelke and the emerging Ava Heiden, plus veterans Taylor McCabe and Kylie Feuerbach, should make the Hawkeyes competitive in the Big Ten. Previous rank: 18

Robyn Fralick needed to restock around Grace VanSlooten and Theryn Hallock and the portal helped her accomplish that. Jalyn Brown (Arizona State) was the fifth-leading scorer in the Big 12 at 18.0 points per game, and Rashunda Jones (Purdue) gives the Spartans a point guard familiar with the Big Ten who can step in right away. Marah Dykstra was first-team All-Big Sky at Montana State and joins Michigan State as a junior. Previous rank: 19

One of the best shooting teams in the country (12th at 37.0% on 3-point field goals) got better with the addition of Avery Howell from USC. Yulia Grabovskaia, a 6-5 Michigan transfer, provides much-needed size to help veterans Elle Ladine, Sayvia Sellers and Hannah Stines lead the Huskies deeper into the NCAA tournament than this season's First Four. Previous rank: 24

With the return of six of the top seven players in her rotation, Carla Berube should have the Tigers atop the Ivy League for the fifth time since she became head coach in 2019. Add a healthy Madison St. Rose back into the mix to join Skye Belker and Ashley Chea, and Princeton will also have one of the 15 or 20 best backcourts in the country. Previous rank: 23

Also considered: TCU Horned Frogs, Ohio State Buckeyes (previously No. 25), Kentucky Wildcats