Ole Miss Women's Basketball's Top Portal Class Adds Coveted Penn State Transfer

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women's basketball head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin completes her reload of the frontcourt, inking Rachael Okokoh, a forward from Penn State, on Saturday.

"Rachael's commitment has finalized our interior need," said McPhee-McCuin. "Her best basketball is ahead of her. She's athletic, skilled and has great basketball IQ. I expect Rachael to transition well to our league. She will impact us immediately."

Last season, Okokoh played in 25 games as a Nittany Lion, averaging 1.1 points on a 45.0 shooting clip from the field and 1.6 rebounds. Coming to Oxford as just a sophomore, the 6-foot-4 forward will look to become a highly valuable asset inside the paint for the Rebels, as Ole Miss is known for developing its transfer post players, such as Christeen Iwuala and Rita Igbokwe.

In high school, the Montreal, Quebec, native represented Canada in the 2024 U17 World Cup and the 2023 16U AmeriCup. Okokoh is a consistent member of Team Ontario in the Canadian Provincial Championships, earning All-Tournament recognition, and being named to the All-Canadian Biosteele team.

Ole Miss Rebels Basketball: Emily Howard. — Courtesy of Emily Howard via X.

Joining Maya Anderson, Talaysia Cooper, Knisha Godfrey and Emily Howard as the fifth addition for the Rebels out of the transfer portal, along with returners Desrae Kyles, Lauren Jacobs and Sira Thienou, Ole Miss currently has eight student-athletes on its 2026-27 roster with more to come.

The Headliner: Talaysia Cooper - Tennessee

"Talaysia is a key piece to this reload here at Ole Miss," said McPhee-McCuin. "I've known her since she was in 9th grade and I've always been a fan of her game. There's no doubt in my mind, Coop will thrive with a fresh start and reach her peak to compete at the highest level and prepare for her future as a pro."

Cooper is ranked as the fourth best transfer in the portal this off season, according to ESPN. This is the second season in a row in which McPhee-McCuin has secured a top-5 impact player in the transfer portal, signing 2026 SEC Newcomer of the Year in Cotie McMahon.

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Women's Basketball Among Schools to Watch for Starting LSU Tigers Transfer

Ole Miss Football Battling Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers For Top Tennessee Prospect

Ole Miss Football Recruiting Buzz: Rebels Poised for Massive Run of Commitments

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.