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Ranking the 10 Best College Softball Transfer Portal Classes of 2026

Nicole Reitz|
Isa Torres was the hottest name in the transfer portal.
Isa Torres was the hottest name in the transfer portal. | Texas Athletics

The college softball transfer portal officially closed in June, but a few additions to rosters are still being made.

Who has totally owned the 2026 offseason? So far, the Lone Star State is crushing the game. 

Here’s a look at 10 programs that made the best pick-ups in hopes of making the most noise in 2027. 

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Transferred In: 

  • Kasidi Pickering, OF, Oklahoma
  • Jaysoni Beachum, OF, Florida State 
  • Jayden Heavener, LHP, LSU
  • Moriah Polar, OF, Purdue 
  • Hailey Maestretti, LHP, Utah 
  • Zoie Bernard, OF, Michigan State
  • Bradi Gallaway, INF, Louisiana Tech 

Transferred Out: 

  • Samantha Lincoln, LHP, Texas
  • Angelyna Conde, INF, Louisiana
  • Timber Hensley, INF
  • Brianna Hinson, INF, Houston
  • Makayla Garcia, OF, Arizona State
  • Mia Richards, C/UTL, UTEP
  • Cimone Edge, INF, Drexel

There’s no shock here that the Red Raiders have taken the transfer portal by strom yet again. After a second-straight runner-up appearance at the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) that said goodbye to ace NiJaree Canady, head coach Gerry Glasco is rebuilding with some of the hottest bats in the game. 

Pickering, Beachum, and Polar are all All-American hitters, while Heavener and Maestretti will be great on the mound behind rising senior Kaitlyn Terry. 

2. Texas Longhorns 

Transferred In: 

  • Isa Torres, INF, Florida State 
  • Samantha Lincoln, LHP, Texas Tech 
  • Samantha Swan, C, Arizona State 

Transferred Out: 

  • Cambria Salmon, RHP, UCLA 
  • Shylien Brister, INF, Tulsa

The back-to-back national champions grabbed arguably the best player from the transfer portal, Torres, and added Swan to fill the loss of Reese Atwood at both backstop and in the lineup, and Lincoln, who can greatly help behind ace Teagn Kavan. 

Torres, the ACC Player of the Year, is coming off one of the best seasons in NCAA history, as she broke FSU school records for batting average (.530), runs scored (78), slugging percentage (.978), and on-base percentage (.591). Her .530 average ranks in the top 15 in league history.  Her production at the plate and her skill at shortstop can easily take the Longhorns to a third-straight title. 

3. Texas A&M Aggies 

Transferred In: 

  • Atalyia Rijo, INF, Arkansas
  • Madison Azua, LHP, Texas State 
  • Maddox McKee, UTL, LSU 
  • Kennedy Miller, C, Arkansas

Transferred Out: 

  • Kate Munnerlyn, LHP, Arkansas 
  • Piper White, INF, FAU
  • Larisa Perez, INF, Houston

After failing to make it out of its own NCAA Regional, Texas A&M has loaded up with top-of-the-line bats and exquisite defenders. 

The biggest get has been pitcher Azua, who polishes off a nice rotation between Sidne Peters and Sydney Lessentine. She enters College Station as the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year with a 1.95 ERA.

Meanwhile, Rijo is coming off her best season yet at the plate, hitting .342 with 50 hits and could be successful at either shortstop or second base next to KK Dement. Miller is a seasoned SEC catcher, while Texas A&M can give McKee the opportunity to blossom as a player, as she saw the majority of her junior season at LSU as a pinch runner. 

4. Arkansas Razorbacks 

Transferred In: 

  • Ava Zachary, INF, Notre Dame 
  • Kate Munnerlyn, P, Texas A&M
  • Katelyn Wetteland, INF, Nevada 
  • Kendall Yarnell, OF, UCF
  • Grace Hornbuckle, P, Omaha
  • Kylie Doherty, OF, Boston University 

Transferred Out: 

  • Atalyia Rijo, SS, Texas A&M 
  • Kennedy Miller, C, Texas A&M 
  • Jayden Ramos, INF, Fresno State 
  • Kasey Wood, UTL, Minnesota 
  • Ashtyn Reichardt, OF, Utah 
  • Cam Harrison, P/UTL, Arizona State 
  • Lexi King, P, Charlotte
  • Ava Carter, OF, North Alabama 

Losing eight players to the transfer portal after making a first-ever trip to the WCWS could be a red flag, but head coach Courtney Deifel recovered with these portal picks to pair with key returners  Ella McDowell, Brinli Bain, Payton Burnham, Saylor Timmerman and Lillie-Faye McWhorter.

Doherty became the Patriot League Player of the Year after ripping 27 home runs in 2026, Wetteland became the Mountain West Freshman of the Year after hitting .400, Zachary led the Fighting Irish with a .406 batting average, and Yarnell had a breakout campaign at UCF. 

5. Florida Gators 

Transferred In: 

  • Tori Edwards, UTL, LSU 
  • Kairi Rodriguez, C, Duke

Though a small transfer class this year, the Gators got one of the best names in the portal. Edwards led the LSU lineup with 12 homers, 45 RBIs, and 48 walks while hitting .284 with 44 hits and 39 runs scored. She has all the potential to become the offensive replacement for Jocelyn Erickson, who graduated at the end of the 2026 season. 

Behind the dish, Rodriguez is the perfect backup behind Ella Wesolowski and can be a leader at the plate. She has a career .277 batting average with 21 homers and 80 RBIs.

6. UCLA Bruins

Transferred In: 

With ace Taylor Tinsley gone, the Bruins desperately needed to fill up their bullpen, and they did just that in the transfer portal. 

Salmon took on less for Texas in 2026, throwing just 39.2 innings with a team-leading ERA of 2.12. She ended the season with a 5-0 record, seven starts, and an opponent's batting average of .239.  Her freshman season saw a 7-2 record with one save and threw over 62 innings, striking out 66 batters. The righty maintained a .248 ERA, which was second-best on the team behind Tegan Kavan.  

Lauppe threw 121 innings for ASU in 2026 with 65 strikeouts for a 14-4 overall record. 

7. Oklahoma State Cowgirls

Transferred In: 

  • Delainey Everett, P, Mississippi State
  • Madison Hartley, UTL, Houston 
  • Payton Kennedy, P, Ole Miss
  • Kennedy Proctor, C, Utah 
  • Kendra Lewis, UTL, Wisconsin 

Transferred Out:

  • Preslee Dowling, North Texas
  • Elle McCloskey, NC State

Heading into the 2026 season, head coach Kenny Gajewski acknowledged that things needed to change for his team to be successful, and we are still seeing those beliefs carry into the offseason. 

With Ruby Meylan gone, Everett and Kennedy are in a position to be the next aces of the program, but will need to get used to the amount of innings quickly. Kenney didn’t see much action in her freshman season at Ole Miss, and Everett has only thrown 126 innings in three seasons. However, Everett enters with WCWS experience under her belt. 

As for the plate, Proctor and Harley are both off breakout years, and Lewis had a phenomenal freshman season in 2025. 

8. LSU Tigers

Transferred In: 

  • Madison Pickens, OF, Louisville
  • Mackenzie Pickens, INF, Ole Miss
  • Mickey Winchell, OF, Notre Dame 

Transferred Out: 

  • Jayden Heavener, LHP, Texas Tech 
  • Tori Edwards, UTL, Florida 
  • Maddox McKee, UTL, Texas A&M 
  • Gradie Appling, UTL, Georgia Tech 
  • Jada Phillips, C
  • Jadyn Laneaux, OF, Arizona State

LSU was another program looking to be a red flag as the transfer portal season heated up. Two of the best players Tori Edwards and Jayden Heavener entering could have been disastrous, but Beth Torina found perfect replacements. 

The Pickens twin sister duo easily replaces Edwards’ offensive production. Madison is an All-American and Mackenzie brings SEC experience from Ole Miss. Winchell comes from Notre Dame, holding a batting average of .335 and led the team with 59 hits. 

9. Arizona State Sun Devils 

Transferred In:

  • Ava Bradshaw, P, Duke 
  • Anneca Anderson, P, North Texas
  • Cam Harrison, P/OF, Arkansas
  • Tia Milloy, UTL, Oklahoma
  • Kylee Magee, P, Nebraska 
  • Makayla Garcia, OF, Texas Tech 
  • Hadyn Laneaux, OF, LSU
  • Dakota Potter, OF, South Carolina 

Transferred Out: 

  • Samantha Swan, C, Texas
  • Meika Lauppe, P, UCLA   
  • Mary Peyton Hodge, P
  • Avery Montroni, INF, Cal Baptist
  • Takyla Davis, INF, Delaware
  • Nehanda Lewis, INF, Michigan State

After a stunning WCWS run, head coach Megan Bartlett is taking that momentum into 2027 and shooting for a higher outcome. The pitching staff will now be entirely revamped with Harrison, Magee, and incoming freshmen, while Milloy and Potter will be new in the outfield. 

Milloy comes from Oklahoma, where she collected 35 RBIs, while Potter has the opportunity to showcase her talent at the plate, as she spent much of her freshman year at South Carolina as a pinch runner before suffering an injury at the end of the season. 

10. Arizona Wildcats 

Transferred In: 

  • Elizabeth Moffitt, C, North Texas
  • Madison Conley, OF, North Texas
  • Kaylan Yoder, LHP, Liberty 
  • Ryley Harrison, P, South Alabama 

Transferred Out: 

  • Jenna Sniffen, INF, Ole Miss
  • Emma Kavanagh, C, Virginia Tech 
  • Anyssa Wild, UTL, UCF

Graduating two of your heaviest hitters, Sydney Stewart and Grace Jenkins, is never easy to say bye to. But, Madison Conley and Elizabeth Moffitt can easily step up to the occasion. 

The North Texas sluggers combined for 25 doubles, 28 homers, and 89 RBIs in 2026. 

As for pitching, Ryley Harrison enters to assist Rylie Holder. Harrison finished the 2026 season with her best numbers yet. She put up a 2.41 ERA across 206 innings, striking out 204. 

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Published | Modified
Nicole Reitz
NICOLE REITZ

Nicole Reitz graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree in sports journalism in 2022 and has been writing about softball and baseball since 2018 .Her work has been published in various publications like Softball America, the Indianapolis Star, and SoxOn35th.

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