MARCH MADNESS TO APRIL MAYHEM: Transfer Portal in WBB
The 2025-2026 NCAA Women's basketball season has come to a close with UCLA winning their first national championship with a 79 - 51 victory over South Carolina. Following 3 weeks of upsets, buzzer beaters and players finishing their careers in good and not so good fashions, we are now entering “Portal Season”.
The NCAA Women's Basketball transfer portal officially opens on Monday, April 6th and closes Monday, April 20th. During this 15 day period, players can declare formally to the compliance department their intent to transfer. The Portal is an NCAA-wide application database and compliance tool covering all three NCAA divisions.. In 2018 the transfer portal launched and in 2021 there were regulations adopted to allow players in Division I football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey and baseball to transfer without sitting out a year. UCLA Women's basketball showed that if you are able to recruit the right players from the portal and mix them with high school recruits that you can reach the highest goal in NCAA basketball. Two of the UCLA starters were recruited from high school and spent all four years in the program, four of the top six players that led the team to this championship came from the transfer portal. The six UCLA seniors that make up the major player rotation accounted for all 130 points that were scored in the final four and championship game.
There are three key areas in which NCAA Division I coaching staffs and administrators utilize the transfer portal. The goal is to identify the right players and construct a roster to make a deep run in NCAA March Madness to hopefully win it all. Following the 2024-2025 season there were over 1,300+ players entered into the portal; there are already 740 players set to enter the portal as of tomorrow. Finding the right players for your system and next season's success is key over the next 15 days.
Three Key Areas of Focus:
ROSTER CONSTRUCTION
Strategically selecting players to fit the team needs and upside.
Matching young talent on roster with select veterans.
Depth and roster size are important.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Revenue sharing resources available to players on the roster.
Corporate partnerships that help with NIL deals.
Strong social media platforms with following.
RECRUITING PIPELINE
Strong relationships with high school coaches and AAU/Club directors.
Identification of top players in-state and bordering states.
Player evaluations to identify skill set and upside.
The NCAA transfer portal is an integral part of a team's success. When you look at the starters from the 2026 Final Four teams you see the trend. Texas had one starter from the portal that started for them in the Final Four, UConn had one starter from the portal, South Carolina had two starters from the portal; and National Champion UCLA had three starters and one key reserve that came from the NCAA transfer portal. The ability to identify talent and bring in the “missing piece” for your program truly makes a difference for your team's success.
The landscape of recruiting within college basketball has changed significantly. Colleges and Universities need to recruit the best talent out of high school and make sure they build great relationships. The college coaches may be disappointed in a player choosing another school, but hopefully the relationship is strong enough that if the student enters the portal, it will lead to a second opportunity. These next two weeks will help to determine the winner of the 2027 National Championship. Proceed with caution or reckless abandon, both can work to your advantage.
Happy Portalling.
Written by:
Peter London
Carolina Girls Hoops Report