In the new world order of college basketball, the most important recruiting for coaches no longer takes place at AAU tournaments or in high school gyms. Their best work must come in the transfer portal. Players changing schools immediately affects a program's trajectory. And nothing changes the perception of a team more than how it does in March.
Kentucky and TCU were the two best turnaround stories of the 2024-25 season. The Wildcats -- back in the NCAA tournament after missing out the past two years -- and Horned Frogs -- who had to forfeit two games and hold open tryouts last season when they were decimated by injuries -- improved largely on the backs of transfers. USC and Texas -- both of which are No. 1 seeds -- have spent much of the season ranked in the top five but wouldn't have been without their transfers.
Now it is time to find out how that translates to the women's NCAA tournament.
ESPN looks at the 10 transfers who will have the most influence on March Madness.
Georgia Amoore, Kentucky Wildcats
Kenny Brooks leaving Virginia Tech for Kentucky was a huge boost to a struggling Kentucky program. Brooks getting Amoore to come with him was even bigger. She completely changed the outlook for the Wildcats' season and likely accelerated Brooks' rebuild. The transition from the ACC to the SEC didn't slow down Amoore. In fact, she had her best season, hitting career highs with 19.8 points and 6.9 assists per game, the latter ranking third in the country.
Amoore made Kentucky into a top-20 team -- and, as the No. 4 seed in the Spokane 4 Regional, a host for the first and second round -- and the Wildcats can't make a splash in the NCAA tournament without the point guard leading the way.
NCAA tournament opener: Friday at home vs. 13-seed Liberty Flames (noon ET, ESPN)
2. Hailey Van Lith, TCU Horned Frogs
No one on this list has played in more NCAA tournament games than Van Lith's 17. Prior to her tough 2024 run with LSU, Van Lith was at her best in March. In nine NCAA tournament games in 2022 and 2023, she averaged 21.4 points, helping Louisville to a Final Four and an Elite Eight.
She has found that kind of success again this year with the Horned Frogs, averaging 17.9 points and 5.3 assists per game on her way to Big 12 Player of the Year and helping TCU to a No. 2 seed in the Birmingham 3 Regional.
NCAA tournament opener: Friday at home vs. 15-seed FDU Knights (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
3. Kiki Iriafen, USC Trojans
At times last season, especially in the final month, Iriafen was Stanford's No. 1 offensive option. That was never going to happen with JuJu Watkins leading the charge at USC, but Iriafen has lived up to the billing as the ideal running mate for the nation's best player. Amoore is the only NCAA tournament-bound transfer to average more than Iriafen's 18.2 points per game.
With Iriafen at the top her game, the top-ranked Trojans (Spokane 4 Regional) will have the top duo in the country. Without Iriafen at her best, USC becomes very Watkins-dependent.
NCAA tournament opener: Saturday at home vs. 16-seed UNC Greensboro Spartans (3 p.m. ET, ABC)
Rebecca Lobo, Charlie Creme, Carolyn Peck and Andraya Carter give their storylines to watch in the women's NCAA tournament.
4. Raegan Beers, Oklahoma Sooners
Already with a taste of NCAA tournament success as a key to Oregon State's surprise Elite Eight run a year ago, the 6-foot-4 Beers was considered the missing piece for an Oklahoma team that needed size with the move to the SEC. She delivered. The Sooners finished in a tie for fourth place, with Beers as their leader in points (17.5 PPG), rebounds (8.9 RPG) and blocks (1.1 BPG). She shot 66% from the field to lead the conference. Oklahoma is the No. 3 seed in the Spokane 4 Regional.
NCAA tournament opener: Saturday at home vs. 14-seed Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
5. Clara Strack, Kentucky Wildcats
Amoore has been the catalyst to Kentucky's turnaround, but it wouldn't have happened without Strack either. The SEC defensive player of the year, who ranks 10th in the country with 2.4 blocks per game, also averaged 15.2 points and 9.7 rebounds. This comes only one year after Strack played spot minutes as Liz Kitley's backup at Virginia Tech. Her rim protection is vital to the Wildcats postseason success.
NCAA tournament opener: Friday at home vs. 13-seed Liberty Flames (noon ET, ESPN)
6. Kyla Oldacre, Texas Longhorns
When Aaliyah Moore's season was done after 19 games, the 6-6 Oldacre's role expanded. She became the second post player alongside 6-4 Taylor Jones, and the two formed one of tallest duos in the country. Her 9.3 points per game are nearly double what she scored a year ago at Miami, and she is big reason why Texas is second in the country in offensive rebound rate and the top seed in Birmingham 3.
NCAA tournament opener: Saturday at home vs. 16-seed High Point Panthers/William & Mary Tribe winner (9:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
7. Liatu King, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
King's status for the Irish -- the No. 3 seed in the Birmingham 3 Regional -- might be something to watch early in the NCAA tournament. A great season for the former Pittsburgh star ended in a whimper with a 0-point, 2-rebound output in only 17 minutes against Duke in the ACC tournament semifinals. Otherwise, King was exactly what Niele Ivey had in mind when she reached into the portal.
King is averaging 11.2 points and a team-leading 10.4 rebounds. She has nearly twice as many offensive rebounds as any of her teammates, and her ability to keep plays alive and create extra possessions are key to Notre Dame's success.
NCAA tournament opener: Friday at home vs. 14-seed Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
8. Lucy Olsen, Iowa Hawkeyes
At the beginning of the season, Olsen was identified as the player replacing Caitlin Clark. Those comparisons are long gone as Olsen has established her own identity. She's shooting at a higher percentage (44.1%) and has more assists (4.9 APG) than she ever did at Villanova, where she played in five NCAA tournament games.
Olsen, who is averaging 20.2 points over Iowa's last nine games, is playing her best basketball of the season. Not coincidentally, so are the Hawkeyes, who are the No. 6 seed in Spokane 4.
NCAA tournament opener: Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma, vs. vs. 11-seed Murray State Racers (noon ET, ESPN)
9. Aaronette Vonleh, Baylor Bears
Consistency was an issue with Vonleh for much of the season, but she is playing the best basketball of her college career as Baylor heads into its 21st straight NCAA tournament, where it's the 4-seed in Spokane 1. She hit career highs in points (14.6 PPG) and rebounds 5.6 (RPG), but those numbers jump to averages of 22.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in Baylor's last five games, including a 37-point effort, willing the Bears to the Big 12 tournament championship game.
NCAA tournament opener: Friday at home vs. vs. 13-seed Grand Canyon Lopes (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
10. Kaylene Smikle, Maryland Terrapins
Perhaps the most underrated transfer all season, Smikle led Maryland in scoring (17.7 PPG) and was the only Terp to start all 30 games. After a season and a half of solid production at Rutgers, but without ever reaching the postseason, Smikle quickly established herself the Terps' most consistent player. She was the best of five transfers that saw regular minutes in Brenda Frese's rotation, falling short of scoring in double figures only three times.
NCAA tournament opener: Saturday at home vs. vs. 13-seed Norfolk State Spartans (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)