Gators Women's Basketball Roster Overhaul After Portal Exodus

New coach Tammi Reiss faces rebuilding task with 10 players transferring out

Apr. 19, 2026 at 5:49pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in navy, orange, and white, depicting the disarray of a women's basketball game, conceptually representing the roster upheaval at the University of Florida.A cubist interpretation of the chaotic roster overhaul facing the Florida Gators women's basketball program.Alachua Today

Tammi Reiss is entering her first season as the Florida Gators women's basketball head coach with an almost entirely new roster. Of the 12-player 2025-26 roster, one player has exhausted her eligibility, 10 have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, and only one player remains on the team. Reiss has already added three new players from the transfer portal and will need to add more to rebuild the program.

Why it matters

The mass exodus of players from the Florida women's basketball program highlights the challenges new coaches face in rebuilding a team, especially with the increased mobility of players through the transfer portal. Reiss must quickly assemble a competitive roster to be successful in her debut season.

The details

The Gators have lost several key players, including Liv McGill, a former five-star recruit who averaged 19.2 points per game over the last two seasons, Layla Reynolds, who averaged at least 10 points per game the last two years, and Shaquille O'Neal's daughter, Me'Arah O'Neal, who was one of the top recruits in the 2024 class. Reiss has already added three new players from the transfer portal, including Butler forward Mallory Miller, Rhode Island's Vanessa Harris, and former TCU guard Taliyah Parker.

  • On April 14, Me'Arah O'Neal became the 10th Florida player to enter the transfer portal.
  • On April 13, Reiss signed Butler forward Mallory Miller.
  • On April 14, Vanessa Harris joined the program after playing under Reiss at Rhode Island.
  • On April 17, Taliyah Parker signed with the Gators after transferring from TCU.

The players

Tammi Reiss

The new head coach of the Florida Gators women's basketball program, tasked with rebuilding the roster after a mass exodus of players.

Liv McGill

A former five-star recruit who averaged 19.2 points per game over the last two seasons at Florida before entering the transfer portal.

Layla Reynolds

A Florida player who averaged at least 10 points per game in each of the last two seasons before entering the transfer portal.

Me'Arah O'Neal

The daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, she was one of the top recruits in the 2024 class before entering the transfer portal on April 14.

Mallory Miller

A forward from Butler who Reiss signed on April 13, citing her versatility and fit in the Gators' system.

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What they’re saying

“After a lot of thought and intentionality with my next steps, I've made the tough decision to enter the transfer portal. With faith and high expectations, I'm ready to power forward and embrace wherever God takes me next.”

— Me'Arah O'Neal

“Mallory checks every intangible box for me —work ethic, coachability, competitiveness, and hunger to improve her game through player development. Mallory has multiple years to develop her game with our staff and I cannot wait to watch her grow and help rebuild our program!”

— Tammi Reiss, Florida Gators Women's Basketball Head Coach

“To say I am excited that Vanessa and her family chose to join our Gator family is an understatement. I have loved coaching this young lady and watched her game grow before my eyes. She had such an immediate impact on our program at Rhode Island, and helped lead us to another A-10 regular season championship, a second NCAA Tournament berth and our first A-10 Tournament championship in program history.”

— Tammi Reiss, Florida Gators Women's Basketball Head Coach

What’s next

Reiss will continue to scour the transfer portal and recruit new players to rebuild the Florida women's basketball roster ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The takeaway

The mass exodus of players from the Florida women's basketball program highlights the challenges new coaches face in rebuilding a team, especially with the increased mobility of players through the transfer portal. Reiss must quickly assemble a competitive roster to be successful in her debut season.