Taralyn Ollison, the SUU outfielder, is officially heading to UTEP, and let me tell you, that move is a major victory for the Miners! It’s the kind of early pickup that sets the tone for the absolute chaos that is the NCAA transfer portal, which just swung wide open with the 2026 season now in the books. Teams across the Mountain West and Pac-12 are navigating a whole new landscape, and moves are happening fast.
The Outgoing Tide: Teams Feeling the Burn
The portal is a wild beast, and some teams are definitely feeling the sting of losing key talent. Boise State, for instance, saw two pitchers, Charley Duran and Julianne Rose, make their exit. Duran, a freshman, entered on June 3rd and is now headed to Syracuse, while sophomore Rose entered back on May 12th before committing to Utah on June 26th. Ashley Hernandez Lofton, a sophomore right fielder, also left Boise State. Colorado State saw a trio of players bolt: pitcher Lily Russo, catcher Abby Edwards who’s off to Boston College, and second baseman Jac Smith.
Fresno State also faced a significant exodus, with a bunch of talent hitting the market. Olivia Hill, a sophomore left fielder, Nadia Rountree, a freshman third baseman, and Leila Dixon, a sophomore utility player, all entered the portal on June 1st or earlier. Utility player Alexa Brunetti found a new home at Appalachian State. Grand Canyon lost a few key bats and arms too, including Alina Satcher and Maggie Place who committed to Cal Baptist and North Texas respectively. Ellie Pond, a third baseman, also moved on to Utah Valley. Nevada’s Jessica McPartland, a pitcher, signed with Sacramento State, and pitcher Ainsley Berlingeri is now a Golden Bear at California. The movement is just nonstop, right?
Who’s Signing Firepower? The Other Side of the Frenzy
While some programs are losing big, others are making some seriously smart grabs. Fresno State, despite their outgoing players, was active on the receiving end too. They pulled in Kaelia Ricks, a sophomore designated player from Ohio State, and signed her on June 15th. Pitchers Samantha Lotus from Wagner and Delaney Wright from Utah Tech also joined the Bulldogs. Plus, they snagged center fielder Jordan McMahon from Weber State on June 22nd. That’s a serious haul of new talent for Fresno State! Colorado State wasn’t sleeping either, grabbing utility player Kylee Bauman from Santa Rosa JC.
It’s clear that teams are looking to reload fast. We’ve even got new developments like Gabby Terrones, a sophomore catcher from San Diego State, who entered the portal on June 18th and has already committed to UC San Diego by July 17th. Every single one of these moves shifts the landscape and shakes up rosters in major ways.
This is just the start, folks. With the portal wide open and teams navigating that wild Mountain West-Pac-12 split, every single move matters for next season. More players will enter, more will commit, and the rosters for 2027 are going to look a lot different. What’s next for all these programs? We’re all watching to see who lands where!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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