2024-25 SEC preview

Despite a roster featuring three elite freshmen—at the time—and two signature transfers united with six returners who were primed to take larger roles on the floor, Staley still felt like her squad was a bundle of novelty. She felt like she was in a dominion of her past, particularly to some of her early years when she was laying the foundation of the Gamecock basketball program.

However, after some early renditions of jaw-dropping finishes and assists from freshmen like MiLaysia Fulwiley—that include the now sophomore taking the college basketball world by storm in the Gamecocks’ massive win against Notre Dame in the season opener in Paris—supreme interior dominance in the paint from Kamilla Cardoso, veteran guard play and sharpshooting from the floor and beyond the arc, Staley’s “traditional” approach to building and bridging team identity transformed and disputed her early season prognostications.

Now, nearly seven months removed from the unblemished 2023-24 campaign, one that nearly came to a screeching halt by Tennessee in the semifinal round of the SEC Tournament—yet resulting in a Cardoso game-winning triple that will forever live in the minds of Rocky Top fans and women’s college basketball galore—resulted in South Carolina’s third national championship and a relentless journey and story that Staley still describes as similar to a magical fantasy. “It’s fairytale-ish,” Staley told PEOPLE.com shortly after winning the title in April. “It’s, to me, godly. … That’s my personal feeling on it because there’s no other way to explain it because it wasn’t supposed to be. Lose all your starters. … God is funny.

“We lose like we lost and then, he says, ‘Okay, you’re going to have to believe me. I’m about to take you through something that no one’s expected, not even you with a team that nobody thought would get back to the Final Four, let alone win the national championship and do it in an undefeated fashion.”

Regardless of if it was luck or divine intervention, the Gamecocks enter a new season with the same goal to win another championship, which would put South Carolina at four titles and in sole position of third place among schools with the most D-I women’s basketball national championships (behind UConn’s 11 and Tennessee’s eight). But in a women’s college basketball ecosystem beaming with talent and accelerated parity, growing popularity and media exposure (NIL), new threats coming for the SEC’s summit and growing league and non-conference adversaries striving to take the crown and reach the pinnacle of the sport, can the Gamecocks run it back? 

Only time will tell. With the SEC’s newest competitors in Oklahoma and Texas, they are hoping to add some obstacles along the Gamecocks’ journey as they embark on their journey in the conference. The Gamecocks are predicted to win the SEC again, followed by Texas, LSU and Oklahoma at No. 4, based on a panel of SEC and national media members. 

Although the games are won on the hardwood, SEC fans and women’s college basketball enthusiasts at-large are the real winners of this year’s incoming competition. Get ready for an action-packed, intense season. With the addition of the Longhorns and Sooners, the SEC opens the season with seven top 25 teams in the Associated Press preseason poll: South Carolina, LSU, Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama. The league also features seven teams in USA TODAY’s preseason women’s basketball coaches poll. 

As the season kicks off on Nov. 4, here’s what you need to know about all 16 teams:

Looking for a specific team? Click the links below to skip to your favorites.

South Carolina | Texas | LSU | Oklahoma | Mississippi | Alabama | Tennessee | Kentucky | Florida | Vanderbilt | Mississippi State | Auburn | Texas A&M | Georgia | Missouri | Arkansas

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South Carolina

2023-24 Record: 38-0, 16-0

Head Coach: Dawn Staley

Transfer madness (all transfers can be found here):

• In: Maryam Dauda (Arkansas)
• Out: Sahnya Jah (Arizona)

A year ago, the Gamecocks entered the season in unfamiliar territory, sitting at No. 6 in the preseason AP poll as a team that was taking on a new personality. A year later, following an unbeaten season, SEC regular season and tournament championships and the program’s third national title, South Carolina has re-established itself at the top of women’s college basketball. 

As the Gamecocks enter the season at No. 1, Staley isn’t as worried about her team’s persona as she is seeking new ways to elevate the program and helping her players achieve their goals. “If I wasn’t a pivoting coach, they [players] would have driven me out of this profession,” Staley said with a smile about the team’s personality from last season at SEC Tip Off. “This team, they’re really silly. … It used to get on my nerves, but they’ve changed me. There are things that a traditional, old-school coach would address, I don’t fight those battles anymore.”

Another year of dominance on the hardwood shouldn’t be a problem for a South Carolina team that recently crossed the 100-point threshold in a 106-63 exhibition win against Memphis in the St. Jude Tip Off Classic earlier this month. The Gamecocks return four starters: Chloe Kitts, Bree Hall, sharpshooting Te-Hina Paopao (12th best 3-point field goal percentage in the nation at 46.8%) and Raven Johnson (8.1 points per game, a team-leading 4.8 assists per game, second best assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.09). South Carolina also returns the electrifying MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.7 ppg) as well as nine letterwinners.

Staley also added Dauda (one of five players who averaged double figures in points and ranked in the top 25 in the nation in blocks per game for the Razorbacks) from the transfer portal while boasting the No. 2 recruiting class among ESPN’s top 100 women’s basketball players. That includes three top-30 signees in Joyce Edwards—who produced a double-double performance of 19 points and 12 rebounds in her Gamecocks’ debut—Madisen McDaniel and Adhel Tac. Although it will not be easy replacing dominant rim protector Kamilla Cardoso, Staley believes her bevy of forwards, with emphasis on Tac, will make up for Cardoso’s interior presence. “She [Tac] has the makings of what we’ve had for the past 10 seasons, which is a dominant big,” Staley said. “She reminded me of an Aliyah Boston [during exhibition game].”

With prolonged winning and popularity comes more national exposure and marquee matchups. The Gamecocks will face 12 teams in the preseason AP top 25, play 24 of 30 nationally televised games and already have three sold out home games this season against LSU (Jan. 23), Auburn (Feb. 2) and UConn (Feb. 16). 

Texas

2023-24 Record: 33-5, 14-4 (Big 12)

Head Coach: Vic Schaefer

Transfer madness:

• In: Laila Phelia (Michigan), Kyla Oldacre (Miami)
• Out: Khadija Faye (Pitt), DeYona Gaston (Auburn), Tionna Herron (Missouri), Gisella Maul (California), Amina Muhammad (Oregon)

The Longhorns begin their long-awaited journey into the SEC after calling the Big 12 home for 28 years, recording their most wins in a season since 1986 in the 2023-24 campaign and earning a berth into the Elite Eight for a third time in four seasons. Although entering a new frontier, Texas women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer is no stranger to the SEC. 

Schaefer served as an assistant (1997-00) and associate head coach (2000-03) at Arkansas and associate head coach at Texas A&M (2003-12) under the legendary Gary Blair before becoming the head coach at Mississippi State (2012-20), where the Bulldogs captured back-to-back SEC regular season titles (2018 and 2019), an SEC tourney title (2019) and made two Final Four appearances (2017 and 2018). Texas was projected to finish second in the SEC preseason poll and will be led by one of three SEC Players of the Year in Madison Booker and veteran guards Rori Harmon (second team All-SEC) and Shay Holle.

With Harmon tearing her right ACL last season, Booker emerged as the Longhorns’ star and shifted her position from the wing to point guard, playing and starting in 37 games in the 2023-24 campaign and becoming the first freshman to earn Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Although the 6’1 sophomore forward averaged 20.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists while shooting 48% from the floor as a guard, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year said she’s grateful for the opportunity to play off the ball again.

“I played guard a lot in high school, but playing point guard was a little new to me,” Booker told The Next. “But it feels amazing to be back at the wing. Playing at the guard spot helped me grow a lot and it is going to help me improve in my scoring from the wing because we have a veteran point guard back in Rory [Harmon].”

Despite Harmon playing in only 12 games a year ago, she registered a Longhorns’ record for assists (7.8) and averaged 3.1 steals per game, 12th best in the nation. Meanwhile, Schaefer considers Holle the “glue” to the team and will have the opportunity to become the winningest player in program history this season. Last season, Holle started in 26 of 38 games, earned Big 12 All-Defensive Team recognition and registered double figures in 13 contests last season. 

Beyond the trio, Schaefer navigated a slight roster overhaul that included the departure of five players while bringing in three top freshmen in the country—guards Bryanna Preston, Jordan Lee and forward Justice Carlton—as well as two significant transfers in Phelia (a former first team All-Big Ten player who led the Wolverines in points and minutes last season) and Oldacre, a 6’6 center. Schaefer envisions Phelia being a key piece in the program’s success this season. “She [Phelia] can score at all three levels,” Schaefer said. “She sees the floor extremely well, and she’s going to be a great complement to my other guards.”

Texas had no trouble accumulating points on the floor last season, finishing at No. 11 in total points per game (80.1). The Longhorns also sat in the top seven in offensive (111.6) and defensive rating (80.8) as well as fifth in field-goal percentage in the country. 

LSU

2023-24 Record: 31-6, 13-3

Head Coach: Kim Mulkey

Transfer madness:

• In: Shayeann Day-Wilson (Miami), Mjracle Sheppard (Mississippi State), Jersey Wolfenbarger (Arkansas)
• Out: Janae Kent (Texas A&M), Kateri Poole (Houston), Hailey Van Lith (TCU), Angelica Velez (Syracuse)

Although Angel Reese will no longer grace the sideline of the Pete Maravich Center or don a purple and gold uniform, LSU remains in the mix as one of the nation’s and the SEC’s best women’s college basketball teams. Tigers women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey enters her fourth season in Baton Rouge, coming off an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season.

LSU, a team celebrating 50 years of women’s basketball this season, was predicted to finish third in the preseason SEC poll rankings. Mulkey’s squad returns three starters from the 2023-24 campaign that includes SEC Players of the Year Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow.

“I don’t know in the history of basketball if I’ve ever seen three preseason [SEC] MVPs,” Mulkey said of Johnson and Morrow’s preseason honor at media day. “Look for [Morrow] to be one of our leaders and captains this year.” 

Johnson, the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, made significant strides in her sophomore season, registering increases in points (14.9 ppg), field goal percentage (50.4%), 3-point field goal percentage (38%) as well as assists (2.5) per game last season. Even more, in the NCAA Tournament, the Savannah, Ga. native averaged 20.5 points and 6.3 rebounds through four postseason contests. 

Morrow, who transferred from DePaul last season, enters the 2024-25 campaign ranked in the top five nationally for career points (2,178) and rebounds (1,229) among current players. Last season, the 6’1 senior guard started in 34 of 37 games and averaged a double-double with 16.4 points and 10 rebounds while snagging 93 steals, tied for third most in program history. Mikaylah Williams, the Tigers’ fourth-leading scorer (14.5 ppg), returns and is one of two shooters who clipped 38% from beyond the arc last season. Beyond the trio, LSU lost four people to the transfer portal that include Van Lith and Poole. 

However, with transition guard play being a key factor for Mulkey, she reeled in two dynamic guards in Day-Wilson (who led the Hurricanes in points, minutes, assists and finished second in her 3-point shooting percentage from beyond the arc and Sheppard (one of several players who earned double digit minutes in playing time for the Bulldogs) as well as Wolfenbarger, who Mulkey believes could be part of LSU’s rotation this season despite missing an entire year from the hardwood.

“Her [Wolfenbarger] size is a big part of my attraction to take her as a transfer,” Mulkey said of the 6’5 junior forward during media day. “She’s doing fine. … She’s got to get back in the flow of understanding what we’re trying to do offensively and defensively and relax and become comfortable instead of thinking too much.”

The Tigers also have several key returners in forward Sa’Myah Smith (who tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus in her right knee in the first month of the season), guard Last-Tear Poa and Aalyah Del Rosario (who saw expanded minutes after Smith’s season-ending injury), all of whom should see consistent minutes in LSU’s rotation this year. Smith and Poa started a combined 17 games last season while Del Rosario—who recently returned to the team after undergoing a procedure to clean out her ankle—was one of two players on the team to play in all of the Tigers’ games last season.

“The cleaning of her ankle set her back some as far as conditioning is concerned,” Mulkey said of the 6’6 center. “She hasn’t shrunk any. I’ll take that big height any day.”

Last season, LSU produced one of the most potent offenses in the nation, finishing second in points per game (85.2), top 10 in offensive (110.0) and defensive rating (81.4), third in net rating (28.7), eighth in pace (77.9) as well as fourth in total rebounds (46.2) and offensive rebounds (16.6) per game in the country.

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Oklahoma

2023-24 Record: 23-10, 15-3 (Big 12)

Head Coach: Jennie Baranczyk

Transfer madness:

• In: Raegan Beers (Oregon State)
• Out: Kayla Cooper (Southern Illinois), Kelbie Washington (Idaho)

Like Texas, Oklahoma makes its debut in the SEC and Sooners head coach Jennie Baranczyk is thrilled about the challenge. Aside from two players transferring out of the program, Oklahoma returns nearly its entire roster from a season ago that features 11 letterwinners and all five starters: forward Sahara Williams, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Payton Verhulst, guards Nevaeh Tot and Lexy Keys as well as Big 12 Player of the Year Skylar Vann.

The Sooners, who are hot off back-to-back Big 12 titles and three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll. Oklahoma averaged the second most points (76.5) and finished second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.25) per game in the Big 12 last season, while leading the league in combined rebounds (43.4) and assists per game (20.09). The success of the Sooners’ offense starts with the exceptional ball movement of the guards.

Verhulst, a first-team All-Big 12 selection, started in 32 games and averaged the second most points (12.6), assists (3.9) and rebounds (5.8) per game for the Sooners last season.

“Her passing, scoring ability, just her feel for the game … what an incredible leader she is for us,” Baranczyk said.

Tot led the team in assists (4.5) while tallying 6.6 points per game. Keys averaged 8.4 points per game while converting at a 39% clip rate on field goals beyond the arc last season. 

Vann, who received no offers to play Division I basketball out of high school, became OU’s first Big 12 POY since Courtney Paris in 2009. She started 32 of 33 games last season, averaging career highs in points (15.1), rebounds (7.0) and assists (2.4) and becoming the ninth player in program history to surpass 1,400 points and 750 rebounds. Despite Vann’s undeniable success, the two-time Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year said her journey keeps her humble. “Nothing’s given to me,” Vann said. “I have to earn every little thing. When Jenny [Baranczyk] came here, she really instilled a different confidence in me. So, to younger players, never give up. It might seem really hard and maybe not even possible but your dreams can [come true].”

Williams was one of three OU players to start in all 33 games as well as part of a trio—Vann and Verhulst—to register double figure point totals (10.3) last season. Baranczyk signed the nation’s top transfer in All-American Raegan Beers (Oregon State), who averaged 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game to go along with two other significant fifth-year seniors like forward  Liz Scott (missed season due to season-ending shoulder injury) and guard Aubrey Jones (played in 33 games and averaged the most minutes off the bench), the little sister to sharpshooting Ashley Joens (Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer).

“We’ve never had a Raegan Beers, we’ve never had a very dominant post,” Vann said. “It’s been an adjustment  for us, cutting to the basket but she communicates well and I think we’ve finally figured out how to get her the ball.”

Mississippi

2023-24 Record: 24-9, 12-4

Head Coach: Yolette McPhee-McCuin

Transfer madness:

• In: Starr Jacobs (Arkansas Pine Bluff), Christeen Iwuala (UCLA), Tameiya Sadler (Colorado)
• Out: Marija Avlijas (Columbia), Elauna Eaton (Memphis), Zakiya Stephenson (James Madison)

Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin (Coach Yo) enters her seventh season with eight returning Rebels, including second-team All-SEC guard/forward Madison Scott as well as guards KK Deans and Kennedy Todd-Williams. The Rebels, who are celebrating their 50th season, were picked to finish fifth overall after a 2023-24 season where the program made an appearance in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament and captured a program record 12 wins in conference play.

Scott, the 6’2 fifth-year senior, returns for her final season in a Rebels’ uniform, one that could solidify herself as one of the program’s greatest players. The Rebels leading returning scorer and defensive stalwart enters this season in the top 10 in program history for double-doubles, blocks, rebounds and total points after averaging 12.8 points, a team-leading 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 49.5% from the floor last season.

Deans returns for her second campaign in Oxford after a second torn ACL injury sidelined her six games into the season. The 5’8 guard averaged 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game prior to the devastating injury. However, for her career—one that spans a single season at Florida and three seasons at West Virginia—Deans is averaging 11.6 points while shooting 39.9% from the field. Now back and healthy, Deans will be a key component in Coach Yo’s vision for this team. “She’s the heartbeat of our team, an extension of me,” McPhee-McCuin said. “We had a lot of success last year, but she had a lot to do with that. She became a coach on the bench. She was a great ear for our players.”

Deans concurs: “I learned a lot about myself and became a student of the game,” she told the Next. “I watched a lot of film, I did everything I could to pour into my teammates, even though I couldn’t do it physically. I was a shoulder for them to lean on and I took on being a good vet.”

Todd-Williams, a walking bucket and massive contributor for the Rebels last season in the absence of Deans, started in 25 of 33 games and posted double digits in 21 contests. She averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in her first season in Oxford after spending her first three at North Carolina. While Mississippi lost three players to the transfer portal, Coach Yo added three transfers in Jacobs (who sat out last season at UAPB), Iwuala (played in 33 games last season) and Sadler, a player Yo expects to be a veteran ballhander and leader. “She [Saddler] was someone we needed,” Coach Yo said. “We needed maturity and another experienced point guard. We’re glad she’s here.” Ole Miss also welcomed four freshmen who are all international players in Heloisa Carrera (Brazil), Fatumata Djaló (Portugal), Jite Gbemuotor (Nigeria) and Sira Thienou (Mali). 

Alabama

2023-24 Record: 24-10, 10-6

Head Coach: Kristy Curry

Transfer madness: 

• In: Christabel Ezumah (Campbell), Zaay Green (Arkansas Pine Bluff), Diana Collins (Ohio State)
• Out: Loyal McQueen (Clemson), Meg Newman (DePaul), Del’Janae “Burger” Williams (signed with The Address UCC Glanmire Basketball Club)

Alabama enters this season with high expectations after finishing fourth in the SEC last season, despite being predicted to finish eighth. The Crimson Tide, which begin the season at No. 24 in the AP Poll for the first time since 1998, were picked to finish sixth this year in SEC play.

Head coach Kristy Curry, in her 12th season in Tuscaloosa, will lead a program that returns eight players—including four starters—from last year’s second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. For Alabama, that means 80% of its scoring, 83% of its rebounding, 68% of ball movement on assists, 95% of its ability to swat shots and 81% of generating steals returns to the court. Those starters include guards Sarah Ashlee Barker, Aaliyah Nye and Jessica Timmons as well as forward Essence Cody. However, Timmons will redshirt this season and remain out for the year after suffering a devastating knee injury in the 2024 SEC Tournament. Curry described Timmons’ injury as a “big blow” for the program. “She [Timmons] has done an unbelievable job on her comeback and recovery,” Curry said. “She’s far ahead of schedule. She won’t play. … I’m telling you right now, she will be one of the best backcourt leaders and guards in the country next year.”

Barker, 6′ guard, started in 33 games last season and averaged 16.8 points per game, a 10-point improvement from the 2022-23 campaign. With improved numbers, she led the Crimson Tide in scoring in 19 games and scored 20 or more points in 11 games last season. When Curry was asked about Barker’s substantial improvement, she credited her guard’s self drive to be great. “To go from 6.9 points a game to first-team All-SEC a year ago, I don’t think coaches can take credit for that. I think it’s a player’s energy, drive and determination.”

Nye, another 6′ guard, finished last season as the Crimson Tide’s second-leading scorer (14.8 ppg) and second in steals (1.8) per game behind Barker, while converting a whopping, team-high 47% of the shots from beyond the arc. The 3-point assassin notched 108 3-pointers, the second-most in a single season in SEC history while also leading the league in 3-point field goals and ranking third nationally. Although much of Nye’s attention is on her long-range shooting game, Curry expects a new dimension to her sharpshooter’s arsenal. “She’s [Nye] improved her ability to put the ball on the floor,” Curry said. “I think you’ll see her get to the free throw line a whole lot more. She’s the best returning shooter in the country because she gets in the gym and constantly shoots.”

Although Curry lost McQueen, Newman and Williams—who played in a combined 99 games last season—she brought in six newcomers including three dynamic transfers in Ezumah (offensive and defensive rebounding), Green (averaged 16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 27 games last season) and Collins (played in 18 games last season as a sophomore). Curry expects the trio to have an immediate impact for the Crimson Tide this season. “She’s [Ezumah] experienced, fifth-year, averaged near a double-double at Campbell,” Curry said. “She’s so aggressive and physical, tremendous screener. … She’s relentless on the glass. 

“[Zaay] is going to really improve our team because she’s a big guard, size, versatility, unbelievable on the ball. Has an unbelievable pace. We love to play fast. She fits perfectly, seamlessly to what we’re doing. … An incredible special talent, she’s improved her shot since June and listed on the preseason draft board along with Sarah Ashlee and Aaliyah [Nye].”

Tennessee

2023-24 Record: 20-13, 10-6

Head Coach: Kim Caldwell

Transfer madness:

• In: Samara Spencer (Arkansas), Ruby Whitehorn (Clemson), Alyssa Latham (Syracuse), Lazaria “Zee” Spearman (Miami), Rapuluchi “Favor” Ayodele (Pitt)
• Out: Karoline Striplin (Indiana)

First-year head coach Kim Caldwell begins her journey in the SEC. However, she is no stranger to success among coaches in the women’s basketball landscape. She led Marshall to its first women’s NCAA Tournament berth since 1997 last season and had eight years of sustained success—including two NCAA D-II Final Fours and a 2022 NCAA D-II National Championship—as the head coach at Glenville State. Prior to Glenville State, she worked as an assistant at Sacramento State and Ohio Valley.

Caldwell takes over a UT program that earned a berth in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament last season following the five-year tenure of Kellie Harper. The Volunteers, who finished fifth in last year’s regular season standings and a Cardoso 3-pointer away from competing in the SEC Tournament championship game, were picked seventh in the preseason poll. But Caldwell said she isn’t worried about the preseason selection. “No matter if we’re No. 1 or No. 16, we’re always going to play with a chip on our shoulder,” Caldwell said at media day. “That’s kind of our brand. That’s kind of what we want to be. We want to be blue collar, hard working, motivated all the way around.” 

With a new face running the show, Tennessee will also carry a new look to its roster with five players from the transfer portal with Power 4 experience, as well as eight senior or fifth-year players that include Jewel Spear and Sara Puckett as Caldwell seeks to initiate her hallmark, fast-paced offense and relentless pressure on defense. “I promise you it’s not going to be pretty,” Caldwell said Wednesday at Tennessee’s media day. “We want to play hard, we want to force the pace, we want to be all over the floor. We want to be the team somebody hates to play, but we are still going to make a lot of mistakes.”

Spear, a 5’10 veteran guard and the Vols leading returning scorer, and Puckett—a 6’2 forward—are the most experienced players from a season ago as the two started in all 33 games. Spear averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the field, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 84.3% from the charity stripe. In last year’s SEC tournament, she elevated her production in a major way, leading the Vols in scoring (18.3) while shooting 51.5% from the floor, 55.6% from three and finished perfect from the free throw line. Puckett enjoyed career highs in field goal (44.7) and 3-point percentages (35.2), clipping the third-most 3-pointers on the team last season.

“They’re two [Spear and Puckett] of the best leaders we have on our team,” Caldwell said. “They can score the ball. They have the ability to play fast. I’m so happy that they stayed because they have set our culture instantly.

“That’s not easy to do when you don’t know the coach, you don’t know what to expect, to step up and be a leader when it’s new to everyone.”

Other returning contributors include Tess Darby (5.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 44 3-pointers made), Jillian Hollingshead (4.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Destinee Wells (6.8 ppg, 3.5 apg while playing in 10 games before a lower right leg injury sidelined her the season) and Kaiya Wynn (4.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 1.6 apg), who will miss the entire season after tearing her right Achilles tendon on Oct. 18. Caldwell was “heartbroken” for the Nashville native, saying her absence will be a “big missing piece” for the team. “We are going to lose a downhill driver,” Caldwell said at the Vols’ media day. “We are going to lose somebody who would have the ball in her hands. We are probably going to lose our top defender — somebody who plays incredibly hard, who would go get rebounds and kind of sets the blue-collar culture that we want.”

While Tennessee lost one player to the transfer portal, Caldwell envisions her acquired talent from the portal will be huge assets for the Volunteers. Spencer, a 5’7 guard, averaged 13.9 points, 3.5 assists and notched 40 3-pointers at Arkansas. Whitehorn was Clemson’s third leading scorer (12.3 ppg) and rebounder (5.6) per game while nailing 25 3-pointers. Latham, a All-ACC freshman at Syracuse, averaged 8.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. Spearman (6.0 rpg) and Ayodele (6.2 rpg and secured 10 rebounds on nine different occasions last season) should help the Vols in crashing the boards.

“[Spencer] has been able to play at a pace that other people can’t,” Caldwell said at media day. “You can tell she has a background of pushing the ball up the floor as opposed to walking it. She’s been huge for us, and we make people keep up with her, which is big because she’s going to have the ball in her hands a lot.”

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Kentucky

2023-24 Record: 12-20, 4-12

Head Coach: Kenny Brooks

Transfer madness:

• In: Amelia Hassett (Eastern Florida State College), Georgia Amoore (Virginia Tech), Clara Strack (Virginia Tech), Teonni Key (North Carolina), Jordan Obi (Penn), Dazia Lawrence (Charlotte), Dominika Paurová (Oregon State), Gabby Brooks (Virginia Tech)
• Out: Ajae Petty (Ohio State), Maddie Scherr (TCU), Eniya Russell (Mississippi State), Amiya Jenkins (Pittsburgh), Brooklynn Miles, (Pittsburgh), Zennia Thomas (Howard), Nyah Leveretter (Georgia), Janae Walker (Rutgers), Jordy Griggs (Clemson)

After successful tenures at James Madison and Virginia Tech, including the Hokies’ Final Four run in the 2022-23 campaign, Wildcats women’s basketball head coach Kenny Brooks begins his SEC journey in the Bluegrass State.

The Wildcats, who compiled the second-worst record in former head coach Kyra Elzy’s four-year tenure last season, were picked to finish eighth in the SEC despite the roster overhaul. Saniah Tyler, a 5’6 junior guard, is Kentucky’s leading returning scorer. She averaged 10.2 points and 1.8 rebounds while playing in 32 contests last season. Cassidy Rowe, another junior guard and holdover from Elzy’s squad, averaged a little over 17.4 minutes per game while playing in 31 contests. Although the duo could have opted to enter the portal, Brooks said they wanted to be in Lexington and are adjusting to his system.

“They’ve been great; they’ve been working hard,” Brooks said. “Those two exude confidence.”

Kentucky lost three of its top scorers—Petty, Scherr and Russell—in the portal. However, Brooks also tapped into the portal and brought in eight transfers that include three former Hokies in Amoore, Brooks and Strack. Amoore, a 5’6 guard known for offensive playmaking ability and high-arching shot, averaged 18.8 points and 6.8 assists per game last season. The 2023-24 AP and Wooden Award All-American converted 41.9% of her shots from the floor, 85.9% of her free throws while notching 85 3-pointers, which ranked second in the ACC and 20th in the nation. Brooks redshirted last season while Strack played in 33 games and averaged 4.5 points in nearly 14 minutes of action.

“With the exception of Georgia and Clara Strack, no one else has ever played for me,” Brooks said at media day. “Those two are doing a tremendous job of just really helping coach up the other players.”

Aside from the VT trio, Brooks acquired Hassett (a third-team NJCAA D-I All-American), Key (appeared in 23 games last season as a redshirt sophomore at UNC), Obi (All-Ivy first team selection who averaged 13.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.9 apg in four seasons), Lawrence (eclipsed 1,000 career points at Charlotte) and Paurová, who earned Pac-12 All-Freshman team honorable mention selection. Brooks said having Lawrence in the mix and combining her with Amoore for one of the oldest backcourts in the country will be a huge boost for this year’s team. The two have played in a combined 217 career games, made 185 career starts and three conference titles.

“She’s [Lawrence] becoming more and more comfortable in her role as a leader on a team that she didn’t know,” Brooks said of the 5’8 guard. “Both [Amoore and Lawrence] are 23 years old. That’s going to benefit us very well, especially in a conference like this where there’s so many talented players. They’ll be able to be our calm within a storm.”

Florida

2023-24 Record: 16-16, 5-11

Head Coach: Kelly Rae Finley

Transfer madness:

• In: Alexia Gassett (Louisville)
• Out: Aliyah Matharu (entered transfer portal), Zippy Broughton (playing overseas with TK Hannover Luchse), Alberte Rimdal (Nebraska), Leilani Correa (playing overseas for Latin Basketball Team, Panteras de Aguascalientes), Faith Dut (playing overseas for C.B. Adareva Tenerife)

Finley enters her fourth season with the Gators, who were projected to finish ninth in the preseason poll. Florida is coming off consecutive seasons of missing the NCAA Tournament. Despite being predicted to finish at the top of the second tier of teams in the conference and league that features the Longhorns and Sooners, Finley believes her team has improved, especially on the defensive side of the ball and in the team’s versatility.

“We can play to a lot of different advantages,” Finley said at media day. “It’s [games] going to come down to one or two possessions every night. The mentality, grit, toughness, consistency and resolve is going to be key for us.” 

Finley will seek to elevate a program that brings back an assistant in WNBA’s Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard and a roster that features three McDonald’s All-Americans, the most in program history. The program also registered the 10th-best recruiting class in 2024 and the highest-rated recruit in program history in Liv McGill, a Minnesota product who Finley considers an “old-school point guard.”

“A floor general,” Finley said of the 5’9 freshman guard. “She’s got a steadiness to her game, a good pace. … Where she stands out the most right now is just in her demeanor on the court and her IQ and understanding the feel for the game as a whole.”

Laila Reynolds, the second of three McDAA, started in 31 of the Gators’ 32 games last season and averaged 7.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per contest. Me’Arah O’Neal, the third McDAA and daughter of Shaquille O’Neal, will look to make an immediate impact for Finley. Aside from the trio, senior guard Jeriah Warren led Florida in rebounds (164), combined for 61 steals and started in 19 of 32 games while shooting 46.5% from the floor and 38.5% from beyond the arc. In addition to Reynolds and Warren, the Gators returned five more players from last season, signed two other freshmen in Kylee Kitts and Daviane Mindoudi Ongbakahoumb (Spain) and brought in Louisville transfer Alexia Gassett, who played in 24 games as a sophomore in the 2023-24 campaign.

Vanderbilt

2023-24 Record: 23-10, 9-7

Head Coach: Shea Ralph 

Transfer madness:

• In: Leilani Kapinus (Penn State), Jane Nwaba (Pepperdine), 
• Out: Ryanne Allen (Villanova), Bailey Gilmore (Memphis), Bella LaChance (Furman)

Iyana Moore, a junior guard, is one of seven players on the Commodores’ roster that have started in 20 or more contests during their college career. The 5’8 floor general—who has started in 50 games—led Vanderbilt in scoring (14.2 ppg) last season, nailed 57 3-pointers and finished sixth in scoring (17.6 ppg)  among league play.

Head coach Shea Ralph enters her fourth season in Nashville, with Moore and eight other returners on a roster that earned its first women’s NCAA tournament appearance in a decade. Ralph said last season was a “huge stepping stone” for the players in her program.

“They understand that great things, it’s not like the world we live in, not like Amazon, I want something, it’s at your doorstep at 10 a.m. the next day,” Ralph said. “That’s not how this works. You have to put constant work into being a great athlete.”

Jordyn Oliver, another in the group of seven with 33 collegiate starts, started in 23 contests in the 2023-24 campaign, finishing second on the team in total assists (92) and averaging 5.3 points, 4.9 rebound while shooting 58% from the floor.

“Jordyn Oliver has one of the highest IQs I’ve been around in a long time,” Ralph said. “She’s an incredible playmaker. Jordyn is not the player that needs to shoot the ball 20 times. She doesn’t need the spotlight on her, all the attention. She wants to do whatever it takes for our team to win.”

The Commodores also welcome back other key contributors like Iyana Moore (50 career starts), Justine Pissott (28 career starts) and Jada Brown (22 career starts). Ralph lost three players to the portal but brought in former Nittany Lions forward Leilani Kapinus (1,000 point scorer while ranking ninth in Penn State history in steals and blocks per game and started 94 games) and Nwaba, who started in 64 games and tallied 11 career double-doubles at Pepperdine. Vanderbilt was projected to finish 10th in the preseason poll.

Mississippi State

2023-24 Record: 23-12, 8-8

Head Coach: Sam Purcell

Transfer madness:

• In: Denim DeShields (UAB), Chandler Prater (Oklahoma State), Eniya Russell (Kentucky), Kayla Thomas (Georgia Southern), Terren Ward (Georgia Southern)
• Out: Jasmine Brown-Hagger (Illinois), Nyayongah Gony (UTSA), Darrione Rogers (Miami), Mjracle Sheppard (LSU), Ramani Parker (Seton Hall)

Mississippi State lost 10 players (six transfers and four seniors) ahead of the 2023-24 season. This offseason, it was a similar story for the Bulldogs but not quite the mass exodus of players from a year ago under head coach Sam Purcell, who enters his third season leading the program. Despite losing five players and gaining five in this year’s transfer portal cycle, Purcell’s philosophy for roster construction and overhaul starts with his players maintaining a “fail fast, learn quick mindset.”

“We are doing everything possible in practice to create [positive] failure,” Purcell said. “One, what set are we going to need to run when the game’s on the line? Who are my dogs when we’re down five points that I’ve seen in practice when the lights come on I know who to go to? Who is going to take that shot that we need to get us the lead or be the one that’s going to be the game winner?

Purcell, who has compiled a 45-23 mark that includes the most wins, SEC victories and NCAA Tournament wins of any head coach in their first two seasons in program history, leads a Bulldogs’ squad that was picked 11th in the preseason poll. Mississippi State returns three players from last year’s team in Jerkaila Jordan (team-leading 16.2 ppg), Debreasha Powe (averaged 8.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg while shooting 41.1 percent from floor) and Quanirah Montague, who played in 32 contests and tallied the second most blocks (26) on the team last season.

Jordan, a 5’10 guard, is the only player who started at 35 games for the program in the 2023-24 campaign. When asked about Jordan’s impact for Mississippi State this season, Purcell didn’t shy away from stating that the media “made a mistake” in leaving her off the All-SEC teams.

In addition to landing five players from the transfer portal, Purcell revamped his staff, adding four new coaches that include former Bulldog great and current Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians, who was essential for his vision of the program going forward. “She’s the queen,” Purcell said. “I only know two queens in my life, one is Beyonce and one is Victoria. I was lucky to land Victoria on my staff. When you do this business, it’s more about winning games, it’s about impacting lives. That’s what Victoria does.”

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Auburn

2023-24 Record: 20-12, 8-8

Head Coach: Johnnie Harris

Transfer madness:

• In: Taliah Scott (Arkansas), DeYona Gaston (Texas)
• Out: JaMya Mingo-Young (graduated), McKenna Eddings (Georgia Southern), Sydney Shaw (West Virginia), Kionna Gaines (Clemson)

Fourth-year head coach Johnnie Harris is coming off a 2023-24 campaign where the Tigers earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance and their best mark in SEC competition (20-12, 8-8 in league play) since 2019. Before Harris became the Tigers’ coach ahead of the 2021-22 season, Auburn had only won five games. In Harris’ first season, she notched 10 wins and has increased her number of wins in each of the last two seasons. With two starters and nine letterwinners from a season ago, Harris feels that she can take another step in elevating the program to new heights.

“We have a group of players that got a taste of getting to the NCAA Tournament, and they want to get back,” Harris said. “They are embracing it. … I feel like last year was the first year I was really able to put my system in because I had players that really fit what I want to do. … Our seniors and our juniors are coming in paving the way.”

Taylen Collins and Savannah Scott are the two returning starters from last season. Collins, a 6’1 guard, led Auburn in rebounding and steals (52) and averaged 7.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 per game while shooting 43.7% from the floor. The Muldrow, Okla. native also started all 32 games last season, the only Tigers’ player to reach that milestone. Scott, a 6’4 center, started 19 games as a freshman and scored 50 points in Auburn’s first three contests. The sophomore averaged 4.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in nearly 16 minutes of action per game. 

In addition to seven other returners from a year ago, Harris welcomed Arkansas product Taliah Scott (led Razorbacks in scoring with 22.1 ppg and a team-leading 36.4 mpg) and Texas transfer DeYona Gaston (averaged 8.4 ppg 4.2 rpg while shooting 53.7% from floor), to the program from the portal. Harris described Gaston as a “pleasant surprise “ and a player who has a “voice” with the players on the team.

“She’s a leader,” Harris said. “She’s always on the court. She’s always doing extra. She has a voice with our players. She’s a competitor. Sometimes I have to pull her off the court because she’ll stay on the court the whole time. She’s running with the guards. She’s a post player that can shoot the 3 … shoot the pull-up jumper, she can get to the rim. She has back-to-the-basket moves, she can face the post. … I think I can create a lot of mismatches with her.”

Texas A&M

2023-24 Record: 19-13, 6-10

Head Coach: Joni Taylor

Transfer madness:

• In: Janae Kent (LSU), Amirah Abdur-Rahim (SMU)
• Out: Janiah Barker (UCLA), Sydney Bowles (Florida State), Kay Kay Green (Charlotte), Tineya Hylton (Cincinnati), Maliyah Johnson (Ball State), Kylie Marshall (SMU)

Head coach Joni Taylor enters her third season after increasing her win total by 10 victories last season and returning five players including three starters in Aicha Coulibaly, Sahara Jones and Lauren Ware. Despite losing six players to the transfer portal and sharpshooter Endiya Rogers (completed her eligibility and declared for the WNBA Draft in April), Taylor said she was excited about this year’s Aggies’ team, crediting her squad’s opportunity to practice in Italy this summer.

“We had time to gel as a team,” Taylor said about her team and the Italy experience. “That gave us a chance to get a sneak peek of who this team is. We are versatile, big, long, we’ve got the pieces. We have to stay healthy. We only have 11 on our roster. Honestly, I like having a smaller roster. Fifteen is a hard load to carry for us.”

Speaking of health, Taylor will have access to three players—Erica Moon, Kyndall Hunter and Jada Malone—after they missed the 2023-24 campaign due to season-ending injuries. Coulibaly, a 6′ guard, returns after pacing the team in scoring (13.6), field-goal percentage (52.4%), steals (2.3) and minutes per game (29.7) while starting in all 32 contests. The Mali native was also one of four players in the nation to average at least 13 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting above 50% from the field.

“She’s arguably our best defender, arguably our best rebounder,” Taylor said. “The stats say she’s our best player, our best scorer. … I think that’s what she does best.”

Ware, a 6’5 forward, started in 30 games and averaged 9.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 48.1% from the floor.

Taylor brought in freshman guard Taliyah Parker and two transfers in former LSU product Janae Kent (played in 32 games as a freshman) and former SMU Mustang Amirah Abdur-Rahim, a 6’3 forward who averaged 11.3 points (second among the American Athletic Conference) and 6.4 rebounds while registering 50 blocks (first in the AAC) and five double-doubles in her senior campaign.

“[Janae’s] a two-way player,” Taylor said. “She gets out in transition in the open court, she’s really dynamic there. Defensively she can guard positions one through four. … [Amirah] can post up, shoot it, she can drive it. Versatility at the forward position. Defensively is a rim protector, a great rebounder.”

Georgia

2023-24 Record: 12-18, 3-13

Head Coach: Katie Abrahamson-Henderson

Transfer madness:

• In: Roxane Makolo (USC), Nyah Leveretter (Kentucky)
• Out: Zoesha Smith (Georgia Tech), Stefanie Ingram (Florida Atlantic)

Head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson enters her third season with two returning starters, along with four freshmen among the nation’s top-100 players as well as a couple of transfers. Georgia was picked to finish 14th in the preseason poll.

Asia Avinger, a 5’7 senior guard, is the Bulldogs leading returning scorer. She averaged 7.8 points per game as the Bulldogs fourth-leading scorer from a year ago and 3.4 rebounds per game. Avinger also started in all 30 games in her first season at UGA, ranked fifth in the SEC in assists last season (131, 4.4 apg), tallied 10 double digit scoring efforts and led the team in steals (37).

De’Mauri Flournoy, another starter from the 2023-24 campaign, averaged 8.9 points per game while tallying 35 steals (second among UGA players) and 43 total assists in 29 games. UGA’s freshmen include a set of twins—Indya and Summer Davis from Michigan—Trinity Turner (Florida) and Mia Woolfolk (Virginia). The Davis sisters are the fourth set of twins to play for the Bulldogs.

“I’m a big foundation coach,” Abrahamson-Henderson said about signing younger players. “I really like to build the foundation.”

Abrahamson-Henderson replaced the two players she lost in the transfer portal with 5’10 guard Roxane Makolo (played in 23 games last season at USC) and 6’2 forward Nyah Leveretter, who did not play at Kentucky last season due to recovering from an ACL tear in her knee. Abrahamson-Henderson described Makolo as her team’s not-so “secret weapon.”

“Too bad she’s not our secret weapon anymore,” Abrahamson-Henderson said with a smile. “She’s really defensive-minded. She’s going to be on the front of our press. … Some of the first games you’re going to see why we brought her to Georgia. … Nyah [Leveretter], the basketball IQ is really big. We needed another post player on the floor. She’s bringing all kind of the same things that Roxi is bringing.”

Missouri

2023-24 Record: 11-19, 2-14

Head Coach: Robin Pingeton

Transfer madness:

• In: Nyah Wilson (New Mexico), Tionna Herron (Texas), Tilda Sjökvist (Presbyterian), Laniah Randle (Southern Illinois-Carbondale
• Out: Mama Dembele (South Florida), Sarah Linthacum (Missouri State), Skylah Travis (Louisiana Lafayette)

Projected to finish 15th in the SEC preseason poll, the Tigers will be led by two returning starters in sophomore guard Grace Slaughter and junior guard Ashton Judd. Missouri lost its last 12 games including its matchup against Florida in the SEC tournament last season under Tigers’ head coach Robin Pingeton, who enters her 15th season leading the program. The Tigers last win came on Jan. 18 in a 69-57 victory at home against Georgia. 

Despite Missouri’s struggles to secure wins, Pingeton has been consistent in winning over time, sitting as one of 28 D-I coaches with 500 or more wins and one of 13 leading a major conference. As Pingeton—who is in the final year of her current contract—seeks to record her 10th winning season with the Tigers, it will start with the play of Judd (a 2022-23 All-SEC freshman selection who averaged 13.4 ppg and 6.4 rpg while starting all 30 games) and Slaughter (a 2023-24 All-SEC freshman selection who recorded the fourth most points per game (11.5) among freshmen in the league).

“Ashton [Judd], to me she’s kind of got that ‘it’ factor,” Pingeton said. “A little bit of an alpha on the court. She plays really hard. She’s gritty. She’s tough. She’s really resilient. She’s been a really good leader for so many of our new players.”

Aside from Judd and Slaughter, Missouri welcomes back sophomore forward Hannah Linthacum (started in 19 games as a freshman), sixth-year forward Angelique Ngalakulondi (started first eight games, averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.7 rpg before suffered a season-ending injury and earning a medical waiver to play this season) and sixth-year guard De’Myla Brown (who is now eligible to play after sitting out a season for an NCAA transfer guidelines violation). Brown played for four other programs before landing in Columbia. Sophomore guard Abbey Schreacke (played in all 30 games), sophomore power forward Hilke Feldrappe (played in 27 games last season) and sophomore center Lucija Milkovic (played in seven games last season) will also be back for the Tigers.

Although Pingeton lost three players to the transfer portal, she acquired four that include New Mexico product Nyah Wilson (averaged 15.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 apg in 31.6 mpg), former Presbyterian guard Tilda Sjökvist (led the Blue Hose with 103 assists, ranking inside the top five in the Big South for assists), Texas talent Tionna Herron (played in 11 games last season) and Southern Illinois-Carbondale product Laniah Randle (averaged 18.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.2 spg in 30.8 mpg as the MVC Newcomer of the Year). Pingeton expects Wilson to have a significant role in the Tigers’ rotation this season.

“Nyah has been tremendous,” Pingeton said. “She’s got a great work ethic … great athleticism. She can push the ball in transition. She has the ability to guard 90 feet from the basket. She can play both the point and off-guard position.”

Arkansas

2023-24 Record: 18-15, 6-10

Head Coach: Mike Neighbors

Transfer madness:

• In: Kiki Smith (Hutchinson CC), Vera Ojenuwa (Barton CC), 
• Out: Taliah Scott (Auburn), Samara Spencer (Tennessee), Saylor Poffenbarger (Maryland), Sasha Goforth (medically retired, joined Razorbacks’ staff), Maryam Dauda (South Carolina)

Head coach Mike Neighbors enters his eighth season with the Razorbacks, who were projected to finish at the bottom of the league in the preseason poll despite ending last season above the last four teams in the conference standings. Neighbors, who has seen quite a few preseason polls in his coaching career, said he was unfazed by the prognosticators’ outlook on his squad.

“Have never one time finished where the poll predicted, 0-32 on that,” Neighbors said. “We’re going to focus on making sure we don’t finish where we’re predicted.” Neighbors will rely on Missouri/Arkansas State transfer Izzy Higginbottom for a significant portion of the Razorbacks production offensively.

While Higginbottom only averaged 6.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game at Missouri, she led Arkansas State in points (22.2, eighth best in the nation) while shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. Overall, the Razorbacks return five players with three—Karley Johnson (17.8 mpg), Carly Keats (22.1 mpg) and Jenna Lawrence (11.6 mpg)—having two or more starts last season. 

Other key returners for the Razorbacks include 6’1 sophomore forward Cristina Sánchez Cerqueira (Spaniard who appeared in 20 games off the bench last season, played in seven SEC games). Although Neighbors lost four players to the transfer portal, Arkansas signed Kiki Smith (2024 NJCAA D-I Women’s Basketball Player of the Year), freshman Jada Bates (No. 4 small forward in the GHSA girls’ player rankings) as well as four international players that include 5’9 freshman guard Phoenix Stotijn (Netherlands), 6’2 freshman forward Pinia Paananen (Finland), 6’4 sophomore forward Vera Ojenuwa (Nigeria) and 6’3 freshman center Danika Galea (Malta).

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