The South Dakota women's basketball team is making moves once again, diving into the transfer portal to build a competitive 2026-27 roster. After a season defined by a wave of new faces—eight transfers who helped the Coyotes achieve a 26-10 record and a run to the WNIT Fab Four—head coach Carrie Eighmey is balancing continuity with fresh talent.

"I'm really excited about all three groups," Eighmey said, highlighting the returners, transfers, and incoming freshmen. "Our returners are good players with great chemistry. Our transfers fill specific needs and holes. And our freshmen class has the potential to create a strong core for the future."

The 2025-26 season was a story of adaptation, with Eighmey relying heavily on transfers to build her second-year team. While she emphasized that this isn't a sustainable long-term strategy, the results spoke for themselves. Now, as the Coyotes look ahead, six key returners—Molly Joyce, Jenna Hopp, Tori Schlagel, Alyssa Bartlett, Alex Flattery, and Kate Reyerson—will anchor the lineup. They're joined by four transfers and four incoming freshmen, replacing graduates Angelina Robles, Elise Turrubiates, Patience Williams, and Josie Hill, as well as four players who entered the transfer portal.

The incoming freshman class brings promising talent from across the region: Maȟpíya Lúta's Ashlan Carlow-Blount, Livi Downs from Mankato, Minnesota, Natalie Ramsey from North Liberty, Iowa, and Rowan Jacobi from Springville, Iowa. These newcomers will look to make an immediate impact and help shape the program's identity moving forward.

As the Coyotes gear up for another exciting season, fans can expect a mix of experienced returners and hungry newcomers ready to compete at a high level. Whether it's the chemistry of the veterans or the energy of the freshmen, South Dakota is building a roster that aims to keep them in the spotlight.