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Examining the Winners, Losers from Volleyball's First Transfer Window

Nebraska has sat out the chaos of the transfer portal so far, but it's been a busy offseason for many schools
Lincoln Arneal|
Florida outside hitter Aniya Madkin hits the ball against Texas middle blocker Ayden Ames and opposite Whitney Lauenstein last season. Both Texas players entered the transfer portal after the season. Ames transferred to Creighton while Lauenstein will play her final season with Penn State.
Florida outside hitter Aniya Madkin hits the ball against Texas middle blocker Ayden Ames and opposite Whitney Lauenstein last season. Both Texas players entered the transfer portal after the season. Ames transferred to Creighton while Lauenstein will play her final season with Penn State. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Nebraska CornhuskersNebraska CornhuskersSMU MustangsSMU MustangsTexas A&M AggiesTexas A&M AggiesPenn State Nittany LionsPenn State Nittany LionsPittsburgh PanthersPittsburgh PanthersCreighton BluejaysArizona State Sun DevilsArizona State Sun DevilsKentucky WildcatsKentucky WildcatsSan Diego TorerosSan Diego TorerosWisconsin BadgersWisconsin BadgersFlorida GatorsFlorida GatorsTennessee VolunteersTennessee Volunteers

As we enter the second full week of January, the chaos of the transfer portal is giving way to the calm of roster clarity. 

More than 600 Division I players have entered the transfer portal since the beginning of December. Many of those student-athletes have found new homes as the second semester begins. However, once an athlete is in the portal, they do not have a deadline to find a new home. The academic calendar and personal preference dictate their timeline. 

Even though the number of transfers was still massive, the transfer season lacked the pizzazz of the last few years, as the movement lacked the high-end talent changing programs. Overall, only five All-Americans (and three honorees from the past season) changed schools. It was a good time to be looking for a new setter, as many quality quarterbacks of the volleyball court opted for a change of scenery. 

Nebraska has been quiet on both the coming and going fronts. No player entered the portal at the end of the season for the second straight season. However, the portal reopens at the beginning of May for two weeks, and the Huskers might see some movement during that window. 

Here’s a list of the biggest winners from the transfer portal and a few teams that came out on the short end — so far. (All players are listed by their eligibility for the 2026 season.) 

Winners:

SMU 

Added: OH Suli Davis, sophomore, from BYU; OPP Gabi Placide, senior, Ole Miss; S Ava Sarafa, junior, Kentucky; L Victoria Harris, junior, South Carolina. 

Lost: OH Kennedi Rogers, sophomore, to Tennessee. 

SMU needed to find a few plug-and-play pieces after losing six players from last year’s team, which included 11 freshmen and sophomores. Once again, the Mustangs hit the portal hard to fill in the roster holes.

Davis was one of the biggest prizes in the portal. However, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year wasn’t really on the market as she entered the portal with a “Do Not Contact” tag and ended up with her hometown Mustangs. The Euless, Texas, native was a second-team All-American this past year and offers long-term potential as she reunites with several other players she played club volleyball with at TAV in the Metroplex.

In addition to Davis, the Mustangs added three undervalued SEC players. Placide was fifth in kills per set and third in points per set at Ole Miss. Harris was fourth in the SEC in digs per set for the Gamecocks and had a 54.6 good pass percentage. Sarafa got beat out by freshman Kassie O’Brien, the AVCA National Freshman of the Year, as the starting setter at Kentucky and will compete with Hannah Beauford for the job at SMU. 

Texas A&M

Added: OH Natalie Ring, senior, Marquette; MB Kaia Castle, sophomore, Ohio State; MB Eliza Sharp, sophomore, Boise State. 

Lost: None. 

The Aggies needed to boost their roster after losing nine seniors and three All-Americans from the national championship-winning team. They also needed to bridge the gap before a pair of 2027 Top 10 prospects (OH Isabel Incinelli and S Sophee Peterson) arrive on campus next year. 

The highlight of the group is Ring, who earned All-American honors at Marquette last season. She’s a proven arm and averaged 4.60 kills per set while hitting .274. She’ll pair very well with tournament breakout star Kyndal Stowers on the left pin. 

The other area of need for A&M was the middle blocker position after the graduation of Ifenna Cos-Ipkalla and Morgan Perkins. The Aggies signed Sharp, the Mountain West Freshman of the Year, and Castle, who flashed her potential in an otherwise dreadful season at Ohio State and broke the OSU school record with 15 blocks against Troy. 

Penn State

Added: S Alexis Stucky, senior, from Florida; MB Ryla Jones, junior, Pitt; OH/RS Whiteny Lauenstein, senior, Texas

Lost: S Izzy Starck, junior, to Pitt; OH Karis Willow, senior, uncommitted; MB Catherine Burke, junior, Wake Forest; OH Marin Collins, sophomore, Georgia.

After Starck left the team in September, the Nittany Lions’ biggest need was a setter. The need was amplified later in the fall when 2026 signee Danielle Whitmire suffered a knee injury during her final prep season. PSU got the answer from Stucky, who will reunite with her former Gator teammate Kennedy Martin for their final collegiate season. Stucky also suffered a knee injury in her second year at Florida after earning All-American honors as a freshman, but has remained one of the top setters in the country, which should elevate the Nittany Lions’ offense. 

Jones should step in at middle to fill the absence of Maggie Mendelson and Jordan Hopp. She hit .404 as a freshman with 1.14 kills and 1.03 blocks per set, but lost playing time this past year to freshman Abbey Emch. Lauenstein adds more firepower to the offense, but doesn’t do much to solve one of PSU’s biggest weaknesses from last year: passing. She likely won’t displace Martin, so she will join a crowded group on the left pin that includes fellow former Nebraska opposite Caroline Jurevicius, along with Emmi Sellman, Alexis Ewing and freshman Finley Krystkowiak. 

Pittsburgh

Added: S Izzy Starck, junior, from Penn State; MB Jordyn Daily, junior, Kentucky; 

Lost: MB Ryla Jones, junior, to Penn State; MB Dalia Vîrlan, junior, Oregon; S Kiana Dinn, sophomore, South Carolina. 

It was no secret that Stark was entering the portal after she left the Nittany Lions in September. She didn’t leave Pennsylvania and will team up with two-time reigning Player of the Year Olivia Babcock. Starck is an elite talent, having been an All-American, the National Freshman of the Year, and a key contributor to Penn State’s 2024 national title. Stark is listed as a junior on the Panthers’ roster. If she has contemporaneous medical documentation from the past year, she could be granted a medical hardship and receive an additional year of eligibility. 

Pitt’s other big need was at middle blocker. The Panthers lost Bre Kelley to graduation, and then two other reserves left via the portal. They added Dailey, who can also play opposite, and should pair well with Abbey Emch. 

Creighton

Added: S Katie Dalton, senior, from Kansas; MB Ayden Ames, junior, Texas; OH Trinity Shadd-Ceres, junior, Wisconsin

Lost: OH/OPP Sophia Wendlick, junior, uncommitted; S Emersen Strain, junior, Jacksonville.

The Bluejays didn’t miss a beat in Brian Rosen’s first year at the helm. Creighton returned to the Elite Eight but faces another challenging task in replacing three All-Americans. The Bluejays hope to have their next great setter in Dalton, who led Kansas to the regional semifinals. She will follow in the footsteps of Kendra Wait and Annalea Maeder. Ames started 55 of 57 matches in her two years at Texas and should slide in seamlessly to the starting lineup for All-American Elise Goetzinger. Finally, Shadd-Ceres doesn’t get much court time at Wisconsin, appearing in 13 matches over two seasons, but she oozes athleticism and potential.

Arizona State

Added: OH Aniya Clinton, senior, from Kansas State; OH Una Vajagic, junior, Wisconsin; MB Aurora Papac, sophomore, Kansas; MB Tosia Serafinowska, sophomore, Wisconsin; S Isabella Costantini, senior, UTRGV. 

Lost: L Bella Faria, junior, uncommitted

The Sun Devils lost six seniors following the 2025 season but reloaded through an international-flavored portal shopping spree, with four coming from outside the United States. Clinton and Vajagic (Serbia) added instant offense as they look to build on their roles as the second-best attackers on their respective teams last year. Costantini (Brazil) was a two-time Southland Setter of the Year. Papac (Croatia) recorded 107 blocks at Kansas. Serafinowska (Poland) appeared in five matches in two years at Wisconsin. 

Best single-player additions

Kentucky — The national runners-up needed to replace Eva Hudson at the left pin and found a capable candidate in Morgan Gaerte. The junior outside hitter averaged 4.64 kills for Notre Dame last season and earned All-ACC honors. 

San Diego — The Toreros returned to the NCAA tournament last year and then increased their odds of returning with the addition of former Washington Kierstyn Barton. The All-Big Ten outside hitter averaged 3.57 kills and 1.96 digs per set for the Huskies last year. 

Wisconsin — The Badgers were a mixed bag. They got the best middle blocker available in Florida’s Jaela Auguste, who should lessen the departure of seniors Carter Booth and Alicia Andrew. Auguste was an All-American last year for the Gators after putting up 2.69 kills on a .368 hitting percentage. On the downside, Wisconsin lost six other players to the portal, including rising sophomore outside hitter Una Vajagic. Her departure caught UW coach Kelly Sheffield off guard, as she was expected to take a bigger role in the offense next year. The other transfers were primarily young reserves, including setter Addy Horner to TCU. Overall,  Wisconsin should be fine as it brings in four Top 25 recruits to bolster its ranks. 

Also under consideration: S Marina Crownover from Missouri to Oregon; MB Brooke Bultema from Kentucky to Louisville and OPP Jovana Zelenovic from Kansas to Miami (Florida).

Mixed Bag: 

Florida

Added: OH Kamryn Chaney, senior, Vanderbilt; OH Selena Leban, junior, Kansas; S Bri Denney, senior, Baylor; MB Bri Holladay, sophomore, Virginia Tech

Lost: S Alexis Stucky, senior, to Penn State; MB Jaela Auguste, junior, Wisconsin; MB De’Andrea McMillian, sophomore, TCU

The Gators lost two of their top players from this past season in Stucky and Auguste. Junior setter Taylor Parks should soften the blow of Stucky’s departure, but losing an All-American at middle blocker hurts. McMillian redshirted this past year. Chaney and Leban should help breakout star Jordyn Byrd on offense, and Holladay showed potential in her one year at Virginia Tech. 

Tennessee

Added: OPP/S Jalyn Stout, senior, from Coastal Carolina; OH Kennedi Rogers, sophomore, SMU; OH Nia Hall, senior, South Carolina; L Marta Lazzarin, sophomore, Georgia State. 

Lost: S Izzy Mogridge, sophomore, to Utah; OPP Paityn Chapman, junior, Illinois; S Camdyn Stucky, sophomore, Kansas State; OPP Starr Williams, senior, Grand Canyon; OH/OPP Sydney Jones, junior, Houston; OH Cate Schnell, junior, uncommitted; MB Zoë Humphrey, sophomore, Georgia Tech; MB Kiki Granberry, senior, Indiana.

The Lady Vols saw a mass exodus as eight players hit the portal shortly after their season ended. Those players combined to start 50 matches, so they won’t lose much in production, but it’s never a good sign when that many players leave. Eve Rackham Watt will have a roster reset with that much player turnover. 

The one victory for UT was that 2023 All-American setter Caroline Kerr decided to stick around Knoxville. The Lady Vols added Rogers to the mix, who showed out in her first year with SMU, as well as triple-double machine Jalyn Stout to the roster, although with Kerr still running the offense, Stout will likely be limited to just attacking. 

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Lincoln Arneal
LINCOLN ARNEAL

Lincoln Arneal covers Nebraska volleyball for HuskerMax and posts on social media about the Big Ten and national volleyball stories. He previously covered the program for Huskers Illustrated and the Omaha World-Herald and is a frequent guest on local and national sports talk shows and podcasts. Lincoln hosts the Volleyball State Podcast with Jeff Sheldon.

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