Colorado Women's Basketball Lands Talented Transfer Portal Addition

Even before the Colorado Buffaloes entered another voracious transfer portal cycle, they knew they needed dynamic guard play. Mission promptly accomplished.

Former Tulane Green Wave guard Mecailin Marshall has committed to coach JR Payne's Buffs, she told Colorado Buffaloes On SI before announcing on Saturday. Last season, Marshall was Tulane's second-leading scorer and was named American Conference Freshman of the Year.

MeCailin Marshall Commits To Colorado

Dec 17, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Tulane guard Mecailin Marshall (8) grabs a loose ball in front of Alabama guard Jessica Timmons (23) at Coleman Coliseum. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Marshall is Colorado's first transfer addition of the offseason, likely to make up a class of five or six. The 5-10 incoming sophomore started her college career hot, earning four freshman of the week honors for scoring outbursts before earning the annual award.

Over 31 games, Marshall averaged 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and one assist. The native of Lubbock, Texas, shot 38.4 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from 3 and 84.1 percent on free throws. While the Green Wave placed near the bottom of the American, she was arguably their brightest spot.

She serves as a textbook replacement for guard Desiree Wooten, another former American Conference guard who led the Buffaloes in scoring and was an All-Big 12 honorable mention last season before entering the portal. Marshall primarily came off the bench but had a slew of high-impact scoring performances, registering five appearances with 20 or more points.

Against East Carolina on Feb. 10, Marshall erupted for a career-high 34 points. She shot 11-for-20, 4-for-10 from 3 and 8-of-9 at the free throw line. At the time, it was the sixth-best single-game total by a freshman in the country last season and was the highest Tulane freshman or bench player this century.

On Jan. 20, she logged her first of two double-doubles against North Texas with 20 points and 10 rebounds. She later posted 18 points and 11 boards against USF.

Nov 17, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers guard Jada Richard (30) battles for the ball against Tulane Green Wave guard Mecailin Marshall (8) during the first half at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

And no moment was too big. In just her fourth college game, Marshall led Tulane with 20 points against perennial power and No. 5-ranked LSU. In the Wave's lone postseason contest, the American Conference Championship's first round, she scored 25 in an overtime loss to Temple.

She made two other appearances against Power Five competition, scoring 10 points against Alabama and seeing limited action against Missouri in Tulane's second game of the season.

At Abernathy (Texas) High School, Marshall caught college eyes after scoring 55 points in a game. She was a multi-sport athlete who won co-MVP of the Texas High School Coaches Super Elite Team.

How Mecailin Marshall Fits With Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Jr. Payne yells out during the second round game of the Big 12 Tournament inside T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday, March 5, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Marshall is taller for her position, provides explosive scoring potential and should fit well in a backcourt that will return guards Zyanna Walker and Kennedy Sanders. While not hailing from a winning program, her instincts and versatility

She can play either guard spot, rebounding well for her size and getting buckets from all three levels. Marshall wasn't the most efficient scorer, but Payne's quickly materializing foundation should allow her offensive game to open up.

With a scorer grabbed, Colorado can focus on adding additional shooting and production, especially in the frontcourt. The graduations of forwards Jade Masogayo and Anaëlle Dutat opened up space for the Buffs to acquire size

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