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Sun Devil WBB’s transfer portal signings ranked among the nation’s best

USA Today Portal Raking: 4 ESPN Way too early top 25: ASU No. 23
Sun Devil WBB’s transfer portal signings ranked among the nation’s bestSun Devil WBB’s transfer portal signings ranked among the nation’s best
Sun Devil Athletics

Coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2019-20 season, the Sun Devil women’s basketball team figures to be a part of the national conversation early, often and throughout the 2026-27 season.

Not only did ESPN.com have the Sun Devils ranked No. 23 in its Way-too-early Top 25, the website also recognized the transfer portal class Molly Miller and her staff brought to ASU – Ayanna-Sarai Darrington, Rashunda Jones, Averie Lower, Ella Ryan and Ruby Whitehorn – as one of the best in the nation.

USAToday.com was in lockstep with ESPN's high assessment, ranking ASU's transfer portal class No. 4 in the nation. 

"We’re really excited about the group we brought in through the portal,” Miller said. “I thought our staff was intentional in finding players that fit how we want to play, but more importantly fit our culture and who we want to be every day in our program. We recruited competitors, toughness, players that want to work and grow and people who want to be part of building something special at Arizona State.

“I think this class compliments a great group of core returners and gives us experience, depth, and a lot of talent on both ends of the floor. There’s real excitement around where this roster can go together and I can’t wait for year two."

Read below to learn more about each of the five players.

Ayanna-Sarai Darrington

Junior | Forward | 6’2” | Lexington, Kentucky 

2025-26 (Central Michigan) 

  • Played in 28 games (26 starts) and earned All-MAC Second Team honors.
  • Posted CMU’s first 20-point, 20-rebound game (12/31/25 vs. Ohio: career-high 27 points and career high-tying 21 rebounds) since 2/20/19 (Reyna Frost). The 21 rebounds against Ohio tied for sixth all-time at CMU and was the only 20-rebound game in the MAC in 2025-26.
  • Led the MAC in shooting (56.7 percent/21st in NCAA), good for seventh all-time in CMU single-season annals.
  • Also led the MAC in offensive rebounding (3.57 per game), was seventh in both scoring (14.9 ppg) and double-doubles (seven), tied for seventh in 20-plus point games (seven with six in MAC play) and eighth in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and 10-plus rebound games (seven with six in MAC play).
  • Teammate of fellow incoming CMU transfer Madison Morson.

2024-25 (Central Michigan) 

  • Played in 29 games (16 starts, including 15 of last 17 games) and finished second in the MAC in field goal percentage (56.5).
  • Scored in double-digits 17 times and posted eight double-digit rebounding performances.
  • Collected 21 rebounds against Ball State (2/26/25), the most by a freshman in NCAA DI in 2024-25 and most by any MAC player.
  • Finished 12th in the nation and led the MAC, with 4.20 offensive rebounds per game.
  • Was t-3rd in the MAC with a nine-for-nine game from the field at Toledo (3/1/25), a contest in which she scored a season-high of 23 points.
  • Was sixth in the MAC and second on the team with 7.3 rebounds per game and also sixth in the MAC in double-doubles (seven).
  • Led CMU in scoring in four times and in rebounding nine times.

Rashunda Jones

Senior | Guard | 5’8” | South Bend Indiana

2025-26 (Michigan State) 

  • Averaged 11.7 ppg, 3.4 apg and 2.2 spg, posting double-digit scoring efforts 19 times.
  • Jones was an integral part of Michigan State’s success – the Spartans made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament – starting in 28 of 32 games.
  • Was named to the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist in addition to earning All-Big Ten All-Defensive recognition (media).
  • In her Spartan debut, scored 15 points with four steals against Mercyhurst.
  • Against Eastern Michigan (11/9), tied for the team lead with 15 points, adding five steals and five assists.
  • Registered her first Spartan double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds at No. 23 Washington.
  • Earned Big Ten Honor Roll notice after scoring a season-high 23 points to go with five steals against Oregon along.
  • Scored 20 points in NCAA second round game vs. Oklahoma.
  • Similar to Molly Miller’s start in Tempe last year, Jones helped lead the Spartans to the best start in program history going 17-1.

 2024-25 (Purdue)

  • Started 17 of 29 games and led the team in assists (3.7 apg) and finished second in scoring (9.9 ppg) and steals (1.1 spg).
  • Scored in double figures 12 times, including a career-high 32 points at Penn State (Feb. 27).

2023-24 (Purdue)

  • Earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors for a season in which she appeared in 30 games (three starts) and averaged 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and nearly 1.0 steal per game.
  • Ranked fourth in the Big Ten in freshman scoring, sixth in league play at 6.7 points.
  • Reached double figures in 11 games with a pair of 20-point outings, most by a Purdue freshman since 2016-17.
  • Became the first Purdue freshman to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week since 2017-18 after dropping 20 points against Texas A&M (Nov. 16).
  • Came off the bench and scored 22 points off the bench against Valparaiso (Dec. 3).
  • Posted a season-best 23 points at Penn State (Jan. 18). In that contest, hit 10-of-12 free throws, most made free throws by a Purdue freshman since 2010.

Madison Morson

Junior | Guard | 5’8” | Canton, Michigan

Central Michigan (2024-2026)

  • Earned both the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year (2026) and Mid-American ConferenceFreshman of the year (2025) awards, the first player in program history to accomplish the feat.
  • Was also a two-time all-MAC selection (2026 first team, 2025 second team).
  • Started 29 of 30 games in 2025-26 and led the team in points per game (20.1), 3-pointers (49) and free throws made (135), was second in 3-point field goal percentage (39.2), free throw percentage (83.3)and steals per game (1.3) and third in field goal percentage (45.3).
  • Had 16 game with 20 or more points as a sophomore.
  • Scored a season high of 31 points against Georgia Southern.
  • Set the program record for most points by a freshman (511) in 2024-2025.
  • Will be reunited with teammate Ayanna-Sarai Darrington in Tempe after playing together for two years at Central Michigan.

Ella Ryan

Sophomore | Guard | 5’8” | Brentwood, Tennessee 

2025-2026 (Quinnipiac University)

  • Played in 34 games (33 starts) and earned MAAC All-Rookie honors for a season in which she led the team in 3-point field goal percentage (41.2), was second in 3-pointers per game (2.0), third in scoring (10.4 ppg) and fourth in rebounds (4.1 rpg).
  • Was named MAAC Rookie of the Week three times.
  • Helped lead her squad to the second round of the WBIT.

Ruby Whitehorn

Senior | Guard | 6’0 | Detroit, Michigan

Tennessee (2024-25)

  • Started 28 of 34 games and averaged 6 ppg., 4.0 rpg. and 1.7 apg. in her first season in Knoxville.
  • Shot percentages of 3 from the field, 29.8 from beyond the arc and 73.5 from the free-throw line.
  • Whitehorn was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List, ahead of her junior season.
  • Led UT in scoring and blocks seven times, in steals and assists four times and in rebounds three times. 
  • Tied for second with 23 games scoring in double figures, including 12 with 15 points or more and three with 20+.
  • Paced the Lady Vols with 14 points while adding four rebounds versus Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament.

2023-24 (Clemson)

  • Started 29 of 31 contests for the Tigers and averaged 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
  • Scored in double figures 21 times, had two 20+ scoring efforts and carded a pair of double-doubles.
  • Pulled down eight or more boards in seven of her last 11 games.
  • Drained 25 three pointers and also collected 173 rebounds, 45 steals and 14 blocks.
  • Fired in a season-high 26 points on 12-of-16 accuracy vs. Boston College in the regular-season finale.
  • Posted a career-high 14 rebounds and tossed in 18 points at Florida State on March 3 in the last game of the regular season.
  • Snagged 10 boards and tallied 17 points at Notre Dame on Feb. 22.
  • Nearly had a third 20-point effort and third double-double on Feb. 1 vs. Boston College, notching 19 points, eight boards and four steals vs. the Eagles.

2022-23 (Clemson)

  • Earned ACC All-Freshman recognition for a season in which she started 33 of 35 games and averaged 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
  • Also added 63 assists, 13 blocks and 37 steals.
  • Scored in double figures 17 times, with two efforts of 20-plus points.
  • Finished just shy of 10 rebounds on three occasions.
  • Named to Paradise Jam All-Tournament team after scoring a career-high 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting against Northern Arizona.
  • Nearly had a double-double in her collegiate debut, carding 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks vs. Gardner Webb on Nov. 7.
  • Produced 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed six caroms vs. Auburn in the WNIT Second Round.
  • Flashed a career-best eight assists and added seven points and six rebounds vs. Western Carolina on Dec. 10.

In her first season as head coach of Sun Devil Women’s Basketball, Miller led ASU to a 24-11 record, the most wins in program history by a first-year head coach. Her first Sun Devil squad also set the program record for the best start in school history (15-0) and tied the school standard for the longest winning streak (15 games).

The five-member transfer portal class and three incoming freshmen signed last November, will join five players returning from last season's squad, including two starters: All-Big 12 third-team standout McKinna Brackens and Heloisa Carrera, whose strong second half of the season helped propel the Sun Devils into the NCAA Tournament.