Ronnie Porter pulls name from transfer portal, will return to Wisconsin women’s basketball for senior season

MADISON – At a time of the year when teams are adding players from the transfer portal, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team retained a key piece of its program.

Ronnie Porter, a 5-foot-4 junior point guard, pulled her name out of the portal and will return for her senior season, the team announced Tuesday.

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Porter played in 29 of UW’s 30 games last season. She started every contest and led the team in minutes for the second straight season.

More: UW women’s basketball transfer portal tracker. The latest: Two 2025 recruits land at other programs

Porter entered the portal March 20, 11 days after Marisa Moseley resigned as coach. On March 25, Robin Pingeton was hired and shortly after she settled into the job she met with the players who put their names into the portal.

“What  coach wouldn’t want to keep great players in their program,” Pingeton said after her introductory press conference April 1. “(The portal) moves so quick, but I’ve really enjoyed the openness. They welcomed me with open arms and we’ve had some really good conversations. It’s been fun to get to know them and their stories.”

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Porter’s story is one of a walk-on who went on to earn a scholarship and receive All-Big Ten distinction.

She played in 27 of 30 games as a freshman and averaged 6.8 minutes per game. As a sophomore, Porter’s first on scholarship, she started 32 games and averaged 35 minutes per contest, the second-highest total in the Big Ten. She also averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game and received honorable mention on the Big Ten all-conference team.

This past season she averaged 8.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and a career-high 5.1 assists per game. Those numbers make her the team’s top statistical returner in each category.