Ranking top 10 players in women's college basketball ahead of March Madness
Ranking top 10 players in women's college basketball ahead of March Madness
Cydney Henderson, USA TODAYWed, March 4, 2026 at 1:08 PM UTC
0
The 2025-26 women's college basketball regular season is over for the Power 4 conferences and a handful of players rose to the top ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
The reigning champion UConn Huskies finished the regular season with a perfect 31-0 (20-0 Big East) record, where they bulldozed competition wining by a average of 38 points. Senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong have powered UConn's high-scoring offense and stout defense as the Huskies look to become the first back-to-back champions in a decade.
Strong and Fudd are among the top players set to tipoff March Madness later this month. USA TODAY Sports ranked the top 10 players in women's college basketball ahead of the conference tournaments that begin Wednesday, March 4, for the Power 4.
10. Joyce Edwards, South Carolina | So. F -
2025-26 average: 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals, 59.0 FG%, 22.2% 3PT (31 games)
Joyce Edwards has taken a large step this season. The 6-foot-3 forward slid into the starting lineup after senior forward Chloe Kitts was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury in her right knee. Edwards has powered South Carolina to the third-best scoring offense in the nation (87.2 points per game). She's averaging a team-high 19.8 points in 31 starts, up from 12.7 points and one start her freshman year. Her stat line is rounded out by 6.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards and the Gamecocks have the third-best scoring offense in the nation.9. Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State | So. G -
2025-26 average: 23.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.9 steals, 50.1 FG%, 36.8% 3PT (30 games)
Jaloni Cambridge has arrived! The sophomore guard is in midst of a breakout season. She upped her points per game from 15.4 last season to 23.4, which leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the nation. Her field-goal percentage also increased by nearly eight points. She's scored double-digit points in every game this season and became the 40th Buckeye to surpass 1,000 career points on Feb. 8 against Oregon. She's only the fifth Ohio State player to record 700 points in a season.
Jaloni Cambridge became the 40th Buckeye to surpass 1,000 career points.8. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame | Jr. G -
2025-26 average: 25.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 5.6 steals, 47.7 FG%, 24.0% 3PT (29 games)
Notre Dame has faltered this season, losing seven games in a 12-game span, but Hannah Hidalgo has been sensational. Hidalgo turned in career highs in points, steals, rebounds, field-goal percentage and made ACC history by winning both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Hidalgo set an NCAA record with 16 steals in a game and scored a school-record 44 points in Notre Dame's 85-58 win over Akron on Nov. 12. She leads the nation in total steals (162), the second most in ACC history and steals per game (5.59). Hidalgo is three steals short of breaking Donna Holt's single-season ACC record set in 1987 at Virginia.
7. Olivia Miles, TCU | Sr. G -
2025 average: 20.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.9 steals, 48.3 FG%, 34.9% 3PT (31 games)
Miles' transfer from Notre Dame to TCU has been seamless if you look at her stat line. Miles is the centerpiece of the Horned Frogs' offense and has upped her scoring average from 15.4 points last season to a career-high 20.1 points. Miles tops the nation with five triple doubles and is the only player to record 600 points, 200 assists and 200 rebounds so far this season. She has done so efficiently, setting career highs in field goal (49.3%) and free throw percentage (84.3%). Miles was named Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, following in the footsteps of Hailey Van Lith. Miles can be a liability on the defensive end, however, which dropped her rating slightly.
6. Lauren Betts, UCLA | Sr. C -
2025 average: 16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 blocks, 55.8 FG% (28 games)
Betts' stats are slightly down from last season, but she's no less dominant. She leads UCLA in points (16.3), rebounds (8.8) and blocks (2.0) per game and has 11 double-doubles, second-best in the Big Ten. Betts' 8.8 rebounds also leads the Big Ten. Her efforts earned her Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first player in Big Ten history to earn both in the same season.
Advertisement
5. Azzi Fudd, UConn | Sr. G -
2025 average: 17.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals, 49.0 FG%, 45.1 3PT% (31 games)
Azzi Fudd is shooting lights out from the 3-point line. She's averaging a career-high 45.1% from beyond the arc and her 96 3-pointers rank first in the Big East and second in the nation. Her field goal percentage is not too shabby either at 49.0%, another career-high. Fudd has also helped anchor UConn's top-ranked scoring defense. She's one of three Huskies to have at least 78 steals this season, joining Sarah Strong (97) and KK Arnold (86). Fudd is also flirting with the 50-40-90 stat line — 50% from the field, 40% from the 3-point line and 90% from the free throw line.
Azzi Fudd is one of three Huskies to have at least 78 steals this season, joining Sarah Strong (97) and KK Arnold (86)4. Audi Crooks, Iowa State | Jr. C -
2025-26 average: 25.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks, 65.1 FG% (29 games)
Audi Crooks ended the season with a bang, dropping 41 points and 13 rebounds against Kansas State — shooting an efficient 16-of-19 from the field. That marked Crooks' fourth 40-point game of the season and 12th double-double. Crooks has scored in double digits every game this season, extending her streak to 96 straight career games — the longest active streak in the nation. She became the fastest player in Big 12 history to reach 2,000 points on Jan. 28 and picked up an unanimous first-team All-Big 12 nod.
Iowa State's Audi Crooks (55) celebrates a basket.3. Madison Booker, Texas | Jr. F -
2025-26 average: 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.3 steals, 50.7 FG%, 27.7% 3PT (31 games)
Booker has reached new heights this season earning first-team All-SEC after recording career highs in points (18.8), steals (2.3) and field goal percentage (50.7%), which she raised from 46.1% last season. Booker leads the Longhorns in scoring and has been in double-digits for all but two games this season. She's only a junior, but she's already climbed to No. 7 on Texas' all-time scoring list with 1,813 career points.
Madison Booker is No. 7 on Texas' all-time scoring list with 1,813 career points.2. Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt | So. G -
2025-26 average: 27.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.9 steals, 46.6 FG%, 36.1% 3PT (30 games)
Blakes was named the SEC Player of the Year after leading Vanderbilt to its first 27-win regular season in program history. Blakes leads the nation in scoring, averaging 27.1 points per game including to 12 games of 30 or more points. Ten of those 12 games came in conference play. Blakes has recorded double-digit points in every game this season and is currently riding a 49 game double-digit scoring streak, the longest active streak in the SEC and third longest in NCAA Division I women's basketball. Blakes is the second Vanderbilt star to win SEC Player of the Year and the first sophomore since South Carolina's A'ja Wilson in 2016.
1. Sarah Strong, UConn | So. F -
2025-26 average: 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.2 steals, 59.5 FG%, 40.7 3PT% (30 games)
It's hard to believe Sarah Strong could top her record-breaking freshman season after she was named an AP second-team All-American and WBCA Freshman of the Year, but she's one-upped herself. Strong has career highs in points (18.6), assists (4.3), steals (3.2), field goal percentage (59.5%) and free throw percentage (88.1%). She leads UConn in nearly every statical category, including points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Expect Strong to have a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament. She set the freshmen points record in an NCAA Tournament (114) last season.
UConn forward Sarah Strong leads the Huskies in nearly every statistical category.
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Azzi Fudd among top 10 players in women's college basketball
Source: “AOL Sports”
