LSU Women's Basketball Transfer Portal Update: Where the Departing Tigers Landed

Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers continue navigating a pivotal offseason in Baton Rouge with the staff reconstructing the roster ahead of the 2025-26 season.

The program will have four returning players from last year with Flau'Jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams, Kailyn Gilbert and Jada Richard set to be back in the purple and gold.

Mulkey and Co. have seen six players from the 2024-25 roster make the decision to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason in search of new homes.

Now, all the departing Tigers have found new homes after short stints in the free agent market.

Where are the ex-Tigers heading for the 2025-26 season?

LSU Transfer Portal Update: The Departures

The First Entry: Sa'Myah Smith [Forward]

LSU redshirt-sophomore Sa'Myah Smith entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on March 31 after three seasons in Baton Rouge.

After suffering a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in her knee early in the 2023-24 season, Smith bounced back for the Kim Mulkey's program late in the Tigers' recent season.

She posted averages of 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game this year, but her production skyrocketed in the tournament after posting double-doubles in both the Round of 32 and Sweet 16.

Smith joined the LSU Tigers during Mulkey's second season at the helm of the program where she earned limited minutes during LSU's 2023 National Championship run.

Now, after three seasons in Baton Rouge, Smith is headed to join the Virginia Cavaliers, she announced.

Psalm 27:3🙏🏽5️⃣#woohoonation🧡💙

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow". pic.twitter.com/r4iuBllBs1
— Sa'Myah Smith (@samyahsmith5) April 14, 2025

The Second Entry: Last-Tear Poa [Guard]

Poa, a member of Kim Mulkey's 2023 National Championship squad, has played a pivotal role for the Tigers across her trio of seasons in the Bayou State.

During the 2024-25 season, Poa appeared in 30 games and made 15 starts for LSU.

She averaged 2.0 points and 1.9 assists across 12.8 minutes a night while playing a role in the Tigers' run to the Elite Eight.

Poa joined LSU ahead of the 2022-23 season after transferring in from Northwest Florida State as a JUCO prospect.

She has since signed with the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered 🔱

Last-Tear Poa is officially a Sun Devil! pic.twitter.com/hNC3HzkXbk
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) April 26, 2025

Poa will exercise an extra year of eligibility due to the new JUCO ruling the NCAA passed recently.

The Third Entry: Aalyah Del Rosario [Forward]

The former five-star prospect in the 2023 Recruiting Cycle showed flashes during her freshman campaign with the Tigers, but was unable to take that next step in her second year.

The 6-foot-6 frontcourt piece averaged 4.7 points per game with 3.5 rebounds during the 2023-24 season.

Fast forward to this past year and Del Rosario averaged 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds a night on 41.7 percent shooting in six minutes per game.

She has since signed with the Vanderbilt Commodores and will remain in the Southeastern Conference.

#anchordown⚓️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0byf9gGGwF
— Aalyah Del Rosario (@del_aalyah) April 21, 2025

The Fourth Departure: Jersey Wolfenbarger [Forward]

Wolfenbarger entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in April after spending one season with the purple and gold.

The 6-foot-5 forward recently wrapped up her first season in Baton Rouge as a rotational piece for Mulkey and the Tigers after transferring in from Arkansas.

In her first year with the program, Wolfenbarger served primarily as a backup center for LSU with averages of 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game with 24 blocks in total on the season.

She played 13.2 minutes per game with nine starts after handling minutes behind both Aneesah Morrow and Sa'Myah Smith.

Wolfenbarger has since signed with the Tennessee Volunteers.

Go Lady Vols🧡🧡 #Committed pic.twitter.com/bPGtIHc9sp
— Jersey Wolfenbarger (@JerseyWolf4) April 23, 2025

The Fifth Departure: Mjarcle Sheppard [Guard]

Sheppard made the move to Baton Rouge last offseason after playing her true freshman campaign with the Mississippi State Bulldogs the season prior.

The Kent (Wash.) native played in 32 games for the Tigers with two starts after helping lead the LSU program to an Elite Eight appearance.

Sheppard averaged 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game on the season with 32 steals and 21 total assists on the year.

Now, after stints with Mississippi State and LSU, Sheppard will head to her third school in as many years after committing to the Cal Bears on Wednesday.

The 5-foot-10 sophomore will make the move back to the West Coast where she will be closer to home for the 2025-26 season.

The Sixth Departure: Amani Bartlett [Forward]

In April, backup forward Amani Bartlett revealed her intentions of hitting the free agent market for her final season of eligibility.

Bartlett, a reserve piece for Kim Mulkey and the Tigers during her time with the program, suited up in 17 games last season as a senior.

A member of Mulkey's first roster in the Bayou State, Bartlett became the first player to play four years under her at LSU.

Out of high school, Bartlett was labeled as the No. 3 player out of Texas by Premier Basketball and had a 93-scout grade from ESPN HoopGurlz as well.

Bartlett has since signed with the Houston Cougars.

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