The Big East enters the 2025-26 season with its usual heavyweight at the top—UConn's quest for another national championship—but the league's middle and lower tiers have been radically reshaped by the transfer portal. While Geno Auriemma and UConn grabbed most of the headlines with the Serah Williams deal, these under-the-radar additions could prove equally transformative for their new programs.

In an era where roster continuity has become a competitive advantage (just ask Marquette), the teams that hit on their portal picks often separate themselves from the pack. Here are five transfers flying under the national radar who could significantly boost their teams' fortunes…and perhaps even shift the conference hierarchy.

1. Teneisia Brown, Providence (via Fairleigh Dickinson/Merrimack)

A well-credentialed 6-foot-2 graduate senior forward, Brown posted monster averages of 15.1 points and 9.7 rebounds last season after starting the collegiate career at Merrimack. The Two-time All-NEC First-Team selection (2024, 2025) led FDU to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. 2025 NEC Defensive Player of the Year. NEC All-Tournament Team and NEC Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2025). Fewer than two fouls per game last season. It’s tough to find a better scouting report based on CV alone.

2. Daniela Abies, St. John’s (via Miami/Wichita State)

Few around the league seem to realize how impactful Abies could be in Queens. A third-team All-AAC forward two years ago last season, she logged 11 double-doubles and ranked among the nation’s top rebounders per 40 minutes. At Wichita State, she often carried the frontcourt alone (13.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals). Abies joins a retooled roster featuring fellow transfers Sa’Mya Wyatt (12.8 points, 5.6 assist) and Shaulana Wagner (9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists). Abies’ relentless motor and physicality address the Red Storm’s biggest weakness: frontcourt scoring and rebounding. Expect nightly double-doubles while anchoring Joe Tartamella’s defensive rebirth now that Albies is healthy.

3. Kate Vovik, DePaul (via Morehead State)

A creative and proven playmaker (13.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.5 steals), Novik is tasked with orchestrating DePaul's offense. Her ability to create for others and herself, combined with being a willing defender, suddenly gives the Blue Demons a backcourt that can pressure opponents for 40 minutes. Novik is the engine that could accelerate DePaul's rebuild from the conference basement to a .500 team that pulls off surprising upsets. However, this spot needs to be split with Aizhanique Mayo (8.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals). Novik was woeful (21%) from beyond the arc last season. Mayo has been money (37% career 3PA) for years.

4. Nevaeh Jackson, Butler (via Valparaiso)

Austin Parkinson landed a gem in Nevaeh Jackson. While playing at Valparaiso, Jackson showcased a versatile and stat-sheet-stuffing game, averaging 13.8 points while also racking up 62 steals and 22 blocks and shooting 35% from three. Her combination of size, defensive versatility (guarding multiple positions), and offensive capability is exactly the prototype Parkinson is building around. While Butler isn't expected to contend, Jackson’s two-way impact will be the foundation of their new identity and could be the key to them pulling off more than a few upsets as the new-look roster gels.

5. Jordan Meulemans, Marquette (via Butler)

Marquette returns all 12 players from last season's 21-win squad, giving coach Cara Consuegra the rarest commodity in modern college basketball: continuity. Adding Meulemans (42% 3PA) to a lineup already featuring elite shooter Lee Volker (also 42%) and versatile guard Skylar Forbes (15.8 PPG) creates a spacing nightmare for opponents. Imagine defenses trying to account for Volker, Forbes, and Meulemans (8.1 PPG) on the perimeter while Halle Vice (11.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG) dominates inside. This redshirt junior could be the final piece that pushes Marquette from "good" to "legitimate threat to UConn."

Injury-Shelf Honorable Mention:

Grace Boffeli, Creighton (via Northern Iowa)

Boffeli averaged 16.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists as a sophomore. Her junior year was just as good. Last season was a wash (3 appearances) due to an ACL injury. Creighton’s chances to upstage UConn as a follow-up to last year’s second-place finish grow exponentially if Boffelli is back to that All-Conference form to start the season. Once she gets going, it’s all “smoothies and ice cream” for Creighton’s stars.

Clearly, the transfer portal has democratized talent distribution, turning every season into a high-stakes poker game. The teams that identify the right fits and not just the biggest names will separate themselves from the pack. These five overlooked additions might not grab SportsCenter highlights now, but by March, they could be the difference between Selection Sunday smiles and postseason disappointment.