Over the last few months, Longhorns women’s basketball head coach Vic Schaefer has been hard at work on the recruiting trail. His efforts have paided off as the Longhorns‘ 2026 class has been ranked No. 1 by CBS Sports and the Dan Olson Collegiate Basketball Report. With more spots to fill, Texas is poised to go on a special run next year.
The 2026 class will be headlined by Brihanna Crittendon, Addison Bjorn, Lizzy Spaight, and Amalia Holguin. Three of the four are ranked in the top ten and bring unique skill sets to the Forty Acres. For Schaefer, it is a group he is excited to see in action.
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“I’m really excited about this group,” Schaefer told Texas Athletics. “There was a lot of hard work and dedication by my staff with this class. We have built great relationships with these kids and their families. All four of these kids are high character kids and are ultra competitive. All four of these kids have some swager to them. They are confident kids and have had mega success in high school and AAU. They are going to play and they are going to play right away.”
Currently, Crittendon is ranked as the eighth-best player in her class. During her junior season, the Colorado native averaged 28.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.9 steals per game. She also reset the record books, becoming the fastest player in her school’s history to score 2,000 points. On the national stage, Crittendon has continued to shine. The Longhorns recruit was named a finalist for the 2024 USA Women’s U-17 National Team.
Following Crittendon is Spaight, who is ranked as the ninth-best player in the 2026 class by ESPN. During her high school career, the Las Vegas native has been a human highlight reel. In 2024, for Bishop Gorman, she averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 4.4 steals per game. As Spaight shined offensively, she led her team to. a state title and was named Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year. Regardless of the opponent, Spaight found ways to score, which was a welcome sign.
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Rounding out the list is Bjorn, who is ranked No.10 by ESPN. Her stock has been on the rise after a stellar junior season in which she averaged 26.3 points and 2.7 steals per game. Due to her play the Missouri native was a 2025 Naismith High School All-America honor mention selection. During her high school career, Bjorn has records 38 double-doubles.
While Holguin is not ranked in the top ten, she is still highly regarded. The California native is ranked in the top 20 and seen as one of the best combo guards in the nation. During her junior season, Holguin was the MVP of the Redondo Union Tournament and the MVP of the Pacific Coast League. With Holguin leading the way, Sage Hill High has gone 72-27 over the last three years.
Although Longhorns will have to wait to see this team in action, they will be worth the wait. They have all excelled in high school and have the potential to put together a special run in Austin.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Longhorns women’s basketball recruiting class now No. 1 in nation
