College Head Coaching Shakeups Begin

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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. The College Coaching Carousel Is Spinning 🎠

With the NCAA season having ended for most programs, the annual coaching shuffle is officially underway. In the past week alone, schools like Arizona State, Missouri, and BYU announced head coaching changes. Some moves were planned with retirements or resignations, while others were clearly not the coach’s choice.

👉 Track every coaching change here via The Next

WHY IT MATTERS: In college hoops, coaching is a high-stakes, win-or-go-home job. There are only 350 Division I positions, and competition for landing those roles is intense. Case-in-point: Robin Pingeton resigned from Missouri to take over at Wisconsin, and Kellie Harper—who was fired by Tennessee despite a 108–52 record over five years—quickly stepped into the Missouri role after a season away. The carousel isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

2. SEC Tournament Brings in Record $18M for Greenville 💰

The city of Greenville, South Carolina is seeing green, thanks to women’s basketball. The city generated an estimated $18 million in local economic impact from hosting this year’s SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament—making it the largest single-event boost in city history. (Greenville City Economic Development Corp)

WHY IT MATTERS: It’s not just fans tuning in to women’s basketball on TV—people are showing up in person and spending their hard-earned cash. Much is said about the financial incentives for the athletes and participants directly involved in the game, but this report is a reminder that the impact runs deeper. With outcomes like this, it’s not hard to imagine more cities vying for hosting opportunities in the future.

3. Transfer Portal Opens—and 800+ Players Enter Day One 🔁

The NCAA Division I transfer portal opened Tuesday, and the floodgates have already opened. More than 800 athletes entered on Day 1 alone. (On3)

WHY IT MATTERS: That’s nearly 16% of all active DI players this season exploring a move. The impact is sweeping, affecting programs across Power 4 and mid-major conferences alike.

One of the biggest surprises so far: two-time All-Big Ten forward Cotie McMahon has entered the portal, transferring away from Ohio State for her final year of eligibility. Her decision comes after back-to-back second-round NCAA Tournament exits and a candid postgame remark in which she said she was “very frustrated” with the team’s finish.

Whether players are seeking more playing time, better NIL opportunities, or a fresh start, this wave of portal activity signals a wild offseason ahead—and we’ve only just begun.