Purdue WBB Post Player, 2-Year Starter First Boiler Planning to Enter Transfer Portal
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A post player and two-year starter at Purdue has become the first member of the Boilermaker women's basketball program to plan on entering the transfer portal.
Lana McCarthy, a rising junior, reportedly intends to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from Talia Goodman of On3. She was a member of Purdue's 2024 recruiting class, spending two years in West Lafayette. The 6-foot-4 forward will have two years of eligibility remaining.
McCarthy completed her sophomore campaign averaging 7.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. She provided the Boilermakers with a good presence down in the post, along with fellow sophomore forward Kendall Puryear.
McCarthy had some strong performances for Purdue down the stretch. She scored at least 10 points in each of the team's last three games. In the Boilermakers' Big Ten Tournament loss to Oregon, she finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.
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As a freshman during the 2024-25 campaign, McCarthy averaged 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
In two seasons at Purdue, McCarthy played in 56 games and made 40 starts. She started in 26 games her freshman season then 14 during her sophomore season. She split time in the starting lineup along Puryear.
McCarthy cannot officially enter the NCAA transfer portal yet. The window for women's college basketball players does not open until April 6.
Purdue concluded its 2025-26 campaign with a 13-17 record. It earned the No. 14 seed in the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament.
Purdue had depth in the frontcourt
The loss of McCarthy is a blow to Purdue's depth in the frontcourt. Last season, the Boilermakers had three post players, with McCarthy and Puryear getting most of the playing time. 6-foot-7 freshman Avery Gordon also worked her way into the rotation.
McCarthy was the top scorer and rebounder of the trio, as Puryear averaged 6.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and Gordon accounted for 4.7 points and 2.1 boards per contest.
That trio still had plenty of work to do, but it provided the Boilermakers with a strong presence in the post. Purdue will need to find someone who can replace McCarthy's production, especially on the offensive end.
With the portal not opening for a few weeks, there could be more players from Purdue's 2025-26 roster who enter the portal.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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