Rookie seasons in women’s college basketball can be unpredictable. Sometimes overhyped players can disappoint, while under-the-radar recruits can breakout and make folks take notice. Every season though, the freshman class seems to produce new star power for the sport.
Last year was no different. Mikayla Blakes made Vanderbilt must-watch by the end of the season after twice surpassing the 50-point mark and powering the Commodores to the NCAA Tournament. Sarah Strong continuously reminded fans why she was the No. 1 recruit in her class at UConn, displaying her versatile do-it-all skillset and playing a key role for the Huskies as they captured the national championship. BYU’s Delaney Gibb quickly established herself as one of the best guards in the Big 12, Syla Swords shined in moments for Michigan, and Tilda Trygger helped N.C. State pivot the course of its season after she entered the starting lineup.
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Freshmen will again play a role in how the upcoming season takes shape. They’ll force narratives to shift, they’ll shock and surprise, and they’ll capture our attention.
Ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, here’s a quick list of the rookies you should definitely pay attention to:
Jazzy Davidson, USC
Davidson helped Team USA win gold at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup this summer, averaging 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.1 steals per game across seven starts. She’s a skilled and versatile 6-foot-2 guard, and she’s a big reason why folks expect USC to remain in contention for the Big Ten crown this season even with JuJu Watkins sidelined.
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Sienna Betts, UCLA
Like Davidson, Betts was a key contributor to that U19 team this summer too, averaging a double-double in 27 minutes per game. Betts was also a starter on the Team USA squad that won the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup. While she’s shorter than her All-American sister Lauren, Betts is more versatile as a scorer and still has a knack for rebounding and shot-blocking. The 6-foot-4 rookie will be a big boost to a UCLA squad aiming to get back to the Final Four.
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
A 5-foot-11 guard from Texas, Chavez had pretty much every contending Division I program lining up for her services. She scored 4,796 points across four years of high school ball, averaged north of 35 points per game as a senior, was named MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic, and was tabbed as the National High School Player of the Year by Gatorade, Sports Illustrated and MaxPreps. Despite growing up in the shadow of Texas Tech in Lubbock, Chavez picked Oklahoma over offers from the Red Raiders, South Carolina, LSU, UCLA and Texas. With Chavez aboard and players like Payton Verhulst and Raegan Beers entering their senior seasons, the time to win is now for the Sooners.
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Emilee Skinner, Duke
Skinner might be the best point guard Kara Lawson has ever had since becoming the head coach at Duke. She comes to Durham after being named a McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American, and Skinner also featured on that Team USA U19 team with Betts and Davidson. A 6-foot native of Utah, Skinner possesses excellent court vision, quickness and creativity as a ball-handler and shot-maker, and is a solid rebounder for her size and position. She chose Duke over offers from Iowa, TCU, Notre Dame and UCLA.
Nyla Brooks, North Carolina
Brooks is a 6-foot-1 guard from Waldorf, Maryland and was ranked 13th in ESPN’s top 100 recruits for 2025. She’s a product of Bishop Ireton High School and led it to a state championship as a senior while averaging 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. She’s a player that UNC head coach Courtney Banghart is already very excited about, and she went head-to-head with Chavez in that Jordan Brand game, piling up 28 points and 10 boards. Brooks had initially committed to Tennessee, but reopened her recruitment when the Volunteers fired former coach Kellie Harper. She committed to UNC in August 2024, and the Tar Heels have been anticipating her debut ever since.
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Addie Deal, Iowa
A 6-foot, 5-star guard from California’s Mater Dei High School, Deal is ranked as the 23rd best recruit in her class by ESPN, but some services had her rated as high as the fifth-best overall prospect in the class. Deal was a highly sought after recruit, holding offers from the likes of Tennessee, North Carolina, Baylor and UCLA before signing with the Hawkeyes. As a senior at Mater Dei, she was a McDonald’s All-American, a finalist for the Naismith High School Player of the Year, and surpassed 2,000 points for her career. She could be Iowa’s next star at combo guard, capable of creating good looks for her teammates and knocking down 3-pointers with ease. Sound familiar?
Dee Alexander, Cincinnati
This 6-foot-1 guard could be someone who changes the trajectory of the Bearcats’ women’s basketball program. Tabbed as the 11th best player in her class by ESPN, Alexander is Cincinnati’s highest-rated recruit in program history and chose to stay in her hometown instead of going to Ohio State or Illinois. She also held offers from big-time programs like South Carolina, North Carolina, USC, Notre Dame, LSU and UConn, among others. Simply put, Alexander could have played just about anywhere she wanted to, but chose to stay in the city where she became a three-time Ms. Ohio Basketball. The only other player in the history of the award to win it three times is Kierstan Bell, who became an All-American at Florida Gulf Coast before embarking on a WNBA career. The Bearcats have improved under Katrina Merriweather, but they haven’t made an NCAA Tournament since 2003. Cincy fans hope that Alexander can change that. Her high school team, Purcell Marian, had a 105-10 record with Alexander on the court.
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Inés García Monje, Davidson
The 6-foot-2 native of the Canary Islands could create some real matchup problems for opposing defenders in the Atlantic-10. Since leaving her home at the age of 13 to pursue a career in basketball in Barcelona, Monje has featured for the Spanish national team at several levels, including at the 2024 U17 World Cup where she led Spain in scoring in a victory in the bronze medal game. She averaged 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game throughout that tournament, catching the attention of several Power 4 programs. The power forward who rocks rec specs had committed to Wisconsin last fall, but reopened her recruitment after the departure of former Badgers’ coach Marisa Moseley. She signed with Davidson in April, adding more international flair to the Wildcats’ roster.
Also watch…
Aaliyah Crump (Texas), Agot Makeer (South Carolina), Grace Knox (LSU), Mia Pauldo (Tennessee), Lara Somfai (Stanford), Brynn McGaughy (Washington), Nastja Claessens (Kansas State), Lena Girardi (Oklahoma State), Jasmine Nivar (Campbell), Nylah Wilson (Pitt)
