Coach Katie Gearlds is enhancing the Purdue women's basketball team through the NCAA transfer portal, securing a commitment from guard Taylor Henderson, who played three seasons at UNC-Wilmington. Henderson marks the fifth offseason addition for the Boilermakers via the portal, joining Madison Layden-Zay, Taylor Feldman, Kiki Smith, and Nya Smith.

During the 2024-25 season, Henderson started 31 of 32 games, averaging 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. She scored in double figures in 22 games and ranked fifth in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in free throw attempts, with 146. In her redshirt freshman year (2023-24), Henderson earned CAA All-Rookie honors, averaging 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals. After recovering from an injury, she did not play in the 2022-23 season. Over two seasons at UNC-Wilmington, Henderson accumulated 807 points, 369 rebounds, 147 assists, and 107 steals, showcasing her ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line.

Purdue remains the only Big Ten women's basketball program to have won a national championship, a distinction highlighted after UCLA's defeat by UConn in the Final Four. The Boilermakers achieved this title in the 1998-99 season, finishing with a 34-1 record, including a 16-0 conference record. Coached by Carolyn Peck, Purdue dominated the NCAA Tournament, winning all six games by double digits, including a 62-45 victory over Duke in the championship game.

In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Big Ten had high hopes, with USC and UCLA earning No. 1 seeds. USC won the regular season title, while UCLA secured the Big Ten Tournament crown. A record 12 Big Ten teams participated in the tournament, with three reaching the Sweet 16, and UCLA advancing to the Final Four. USC's JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending injury in the second round, impacting the Trojans' title chances, as they lost to UConn in the Elite Eight. Despite UCLA's strong performance, led by Lauren Betts and Cori Close, they were unable to overcome UConn.

The Big Ten remains a top conference in women's college basketball, evidenced by the high number of tournament participants. However, Purdue's national title banner is currently the only one for the conference. It remains to be seen whether that will change in the upcoming season.