Cowgirls Continue Portal Success, Add UCF Transfer Forward

Oklahoma State’s offseason has had a great start, and it continued with another portal addition.

On Friday, OSU announced that it has signed UCF transfer forward Achol Akot. Over the past few days, the Cowgirls have signed transfers Tyla Heard and Haleigh Timmer to go with Amari Whiting, who signed in March.

With an already talented crop of transfers incoming, Akot only adds to an OSU roster that could compete for a Big 12 title next season. With OSU coach Jacie Hoyt signing an extension, this offseason has only added hype for next season.

The Cowgirls have been in need of adding some size with the departure of Tenin Magassa, and Akot should add some key frontcourt depth. At 6-foot-1, Akot doesn’t necessarily have the same inside presence, but her skillset could prove to make her a reliable option on both ends in the post.

"Achol is an instant upgrade in terms of athleticism for us,” Hoyt said. “Her length and versatility will be a great addition on both ends of the floor because she can play around the rim and 15-foot range offensively. She can guard just about any position on the floor defensively. She will give us some much needed rebounding as well. I love her selfless attitude and hunger to be a part of a winning program and culture..”

Akot spent the first two seasons of her career playing with UCF. Across her two years, she played in 57 games and started 36. Averaging 25 minutes per game last season, Akot was a key player for the Knights in a down season.

As a sophomore, Akot averaged 6.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Although she rarely shoots from beyond the arc, she still shot just shy of 50% from the field and was a 67.6% free-throw shooter.

With OSU already having some clear scoring and ball-handling options, finding the missing pieces is a critical part of this portal period. Akot fills a hole the Cowgirls needed to address and should be a seamless fit in Hoyt’s system.