Purdue women's basketball is on the board in the transfer portal market, as Northern Arizona combo guard Taylor Feldman announced her commitment to the Boilermakers on Sunday. The commitment comes over a week removed from her official visit to West Lafayette. She chose the Boilermakers over Arizona State, Colorado State, and others.
Feldman was the first transfer to visit West Lafayette this off-season and now becomes the first commitment for Gearlds and company, outside of the return of Madison Layden-Zay. The 5-foot-8 combo guard broke out for Northern Arizona as a junior this season, averaging career-highs in points (16.4), rebounds (3.0), assists (3.9) and shooting a career-best 40% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Feldman was top three in the Big Sky in points and assists per game.
Those marks earned the standout junior 2024-25 Big Sky Women's Basketball First Team All-Conference honors this season. Feldman comes to Purdue with a track record of winning, being a key part in Northern Arizona's two winningest seasons in program history during her time with the Lumberjacks, which saw head coach Loree Payne go to Santa Clara after the end of the season.
Purdue now adds an experienced guard to lead the backcourt in West Lafayette, which lost starters Destini Lombard to graduation and Sophie Swanson and Rashunda Jones to the transfer portal this off-season. Feldman could emerge as a trusted ball handler for the Boilermakers, joining incoming freshman Keona Douwstra as the two true guards on the roster at this time.
Feldman becomes the second addition of the off-season for Gearlds and the Boilermakers, who also welcomed back Madison Layden-Zay. The new tandem shot north of 36% from three-point range in their most recent seasons, (Layden-Zay's coming in 2023-24). Purdue now has a pair of shooters entering the mix ahead of next season, as well as veterans with over 100 games of experience apiece.
The Boilermakers will look to continue adding to what will be a revamped roster in the coming weeks, with former Wisconsin point guard Ronnie Porter and former Memphis wing Tanyuel Welch expected to take official visits to West Lafayette next week.
