Maryland lands highly coveted prospect from Duke out of transfer portal

The Maryland women's basketball program picked up a huge piece out of the transfer portal on Friday. Sophomore guard Oluchi Okananwa committed to the Terps after playing two seasons with Duke. She averaged 9.7 ppg during her freshman campaign and increased that production to 10.1 ppg for his sophomore season.

Standing at 5-10, the Boston native was one of the most productive contributors for Duke last season. In fact, Okananwa finished her sophomore campaign as the team's third leading scorer and the leader in steals per game (1.8).

Big pickup for the Lady Terps as Oluchi Okananwa becomes the latest commit. She averaged 10.1 Pts and 5.3 Reb this year at Duke.@DushawnLondon1 first pic.twitter.com/8W5Ackng2h
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) April 18, 2025

“What led to my decision was a deep trust in Coach Frese and the coaching staff to help nurture me into the player I know I can become,” Okananwa told On3. “At Maryland, they put an emphasis on skill development and that was something at the top of my list through this process. I like the pace and style that they play and feel like it would allow for a smooth transition for me.”

Additionally, Okananwa told On3 that she felt Maryland gave her the best shot at winning a championship.

“The goals for next season are to win. Who isn’t looking to win a Big Ten championship and make a deep run in the tournament? This program sets me up to achieve this goal due to the roster put together. I’m just so excited to be a part of it. I also have a goal of just all around improving. I feel like I have so much more room to grow as a player and student of this game and I know that can be achieved here.”