Nebraska native Doneelah Washington (center).
Transfer portal forward Doneelah Washington has committed to head coach Yolettt McPhee-McCuin and the Ole Miss Rebels. Washington was in Oxford last week for her official visit.
The 6-1 standout helped lead Illinois State to the WNIT championship this past season. Washington will have two years of eligibility in the Rebel Red and Blue.
She was named the Missouri Valley Conference’s most improved plater during the 2025-26 season, averaging 16 points, eight rebounds and shooting 50 percent from the field.
Washington is one of the nation’s most efficient offensive players.
“When I just went on my visit, it felt the most like home to me,” Washington told OleMiss365.com. “I felt like Coach Yo’ and her coaching staff did a good job of laying everything out on the table and mking me feel welcomed to their community.”
Washington is from Lincoln. Neb.
Last season, Washington was a major difference maker, earning All-MVC First Team, All-MVC Defensive Team, All-MVC Most Improved Player and WNIT All-Tournament Team honors She tallied 11 double-double performances on the year, including a career-high 31-point, 12-rebound effort in a win over Belmont.
Her freshman season, she was named to the All-MVC All-Freshman Team, appearing in all 37 games, averaging 4.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on a 49.0% shooting clip from the field. Washington became the only freshman in program history with 150+ rebounds and 30+ blocks in her rookie campaign.
“Doneelah is a two-way player rated as one of the most efficient portal prospects this year and is not even close to reaching her ceiling as a player,” said McPhee-McCuin. “She comes from an incredible basketball family, following in the footsteps of her mom and aunt, who were elite college players, and her cousin, Aneesah a former SEC star. Doneelah will make an immediate impact on our team, and our Oxford community will absolutely love her.”
Washington believes all parts of her game will translate from Illinois State to the SEC and Ole Miss.
“I’m fully committed. As committed as the coaches seem to be to me, I’m going to give them that same energy, so we’re both going to give each other a hundred percent,” said Washington.
“I do feel like I’m capable of running with these girls in the SEC. It’s going to be some different competition for me, but I’m fully committed to doing it.”
Washington will arrive in Oxford in early June.
So far this portal season, Ole Miss women’s basketball has received commitments from Washington, Jada Richard (LSU), Maya Anderson (San Jose State), Jaida Civil (Tennessee), Talaysia Cooper (Tennessee), Knisha Godfrey (Florida), Emily Howard (Boise State) and Rachael Okokoh (Penn State). That makes eight portal commitments for the Rebels along with returners Desrae Kyles, Lauren Jacobs and Sira Thienou. Ole Miss currently has 11 student-athletes on its 2026-27 roster with more portal commitments expected.