With college basketball season right around the corner, let's take a look at the players who have been raising the bar in recent years.

From UConn's Sarah Strong to USC's JuJu Watkins, or rising stars like Mikaylah Williams, the list spans proven champions and emerging talents.

Per 94 Feet WBB's X post, these are the best players in women's college basketball at the moment.

Tier 3: Prove It

Joyce Edwards 

Securing back-to-back First-team All-SEC honors in the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons, Edwards has turned out to be the standout forward for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Edwards led South Carolina to back-to-back title-game runs, establishing herself as the cornerstone under head coach Dawn Staley.

Mikaylah Williams 

Williams has got the clutch genes. Over three seasons at LSU, her all-around game has truly flourished. The 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year has one of the best midrange games. She has already surpassed 1500 points and, under head coach Kim Mulkey, has a long way to go. 

Olivia Olson 

Scoring 553 total in her first season, Olivia Olson has totally lived up to the hype she had coming out of Benilde-St. Margaret's. The Michigan Wolverines guard leads her team in points (19.2), rebounds (6.2), and steals (1.8) per game. Earning Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in the 2024–25 season and achieving AP All-American third-team honors as a sophomore in 2025–26, Olson has developed into one of the premier players in women's college basketball.

Tier 2: Right there

Madison Booker 

Texas Longhorns’ Madison Booker is widely regarded for her prolific mid-range game. The Texas’ first-ever three-time Associated Press (AP) All-American, Booker also became the first freshman to ever win the Big 12 Player of the Year. The 6-foot-1 junior forward is a force to reckon with. 

Mikayla Blakes 

Many will argue Blakes is already up there at the top. The Vanderbilt Commodores shooting guard broke the NCAA Division I sophomore single-season scoring record with 918 points. In fact, she led the entire nation in scoring during her sophomore season.  The 2025 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year’s consistency is one of her standout traits. 

Tier 1: Unanimous

JuJu Watkins 

Star senior guard for the USC Trojans, Watkins has proven to be a dominant force in college basketball. Like Strong, she swept the highest honors after her sophomore season. She received the 2024–25 Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, and AP National Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2 star will now make her return after an ACL tear sidelined her for the entire 2025–26 campaign.

Hannah Hidalgo 

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a powerhouse in Hannah Hidalgo. The premier two-way player in women's college basketball racked up the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year and the WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year earlier this year. Her versatility, anchored by the NCAA single-season steals record, is unmatched. Along with that, Hidalgo is the fastest player in ACC history to reach 2,000 career points. All eyes will be on her during the 2027 WNBA Draft. 

Sarah Strong 

There’s no doubt that Sarah Strong is THE premier player in women’s college basketball at the moment. She has turned out to be the standout forward for the UConn Huskies women's basketball team. UConn’s leading scorer, rebounder, most skilled passer, and best defender during her sophomore season, Strong swept all five major National Player of the Year awards. 

Written by

Avishek Sarkar