Women's college basketball recruiting: The early top 10 classes
The early signing period begins Nov. 8 and runs through Nov. 15 for NCAA Division I women’s basketball programs. Currently in the ESPNW top 100, 21 players have yet to announce their commitments. Eight of the top 25 players in the country have yet to choose a school, including five of the top 10.
As of today only one program has four top 100 commits (Iowa) while Texas UCLA and USC are the only three programs in the country with three recruits in the top 100. Elsewhere in the top 100, 14 programs currently have two commits, including bluebloods South Carolina, UConn and Stanford.
Taking a look into the future and the conference realignment moves into account, here are the number schools in each conference with at least one top 100 commit:
ACC (16), Big 10 (14), Big 12 (7), SEC (9), Big East (4), Missouri Valley (1), Atlantic 10 (1), Ivy League (2), American Conference (1), and Mountain West (1)
With the early signing window only a few days away, let’s take an early look at the current top 10 recruiting classes in the country.
Highest ranked commit: F Justice Carlton (No. 7)
Carlton is an active and aggressive forward on the glass, who is also comfortable putting the ball on the floor and creating in the face-up game or pushing the ball full court after defensive rebounds. She is able to stretch the floor on the offensive end because she is a threat in catch-and-shoot three-point opportunities. Her knack on the defensive end for getting her hands on the ball in passing lanes and using her physicality for an advantage makes her a tough matchup on both ends.
No. 8 Jordan Lee has a reputation for being a lock-down perimeter defender. Over the last couple of seasons, she has shown a steady improvement on the offense end — particularly in the areas of creating her own shot and a higher percentage 3.
Texas will turn to point guard Bryanna Preston, the No. 43 recruit in the 2023 class, in the backcourt. She is a quick guard who excels in defensive ball pressure, pushing the ball in the fast break while also breaking down defenses off the dribble and creating for teammates.
This is a very complementary class for the style of Coach Vic Schaefer and the Texas program. They all play with a defensive prowess and have a requisite physical toughness for their conference move to the SEC next season.
Highest ranked commit: F Kendall Dudley (No. 14)
UCLA coach Cori Close tapped into prep school Sidwell Friends for a couple more highly rated recruits in the 2024 class (Dudley and No. 26 Zania Socka-Nguemen). She also landed the homegrown Avary Cain and went all the way to Finland for Elina Aarnisalo, a 5-foot-9 guard who is tough with fundamental skills..
Dudley is an elite utility player who fills a lot of holes on the floor. Her approach and versatility as either a lead guard or a wing makes her teammates better. She has proven to be able to guard perimeter players as well as bigger forwards on the defensive end while her excellent passing and decision making shine on offense. She played with current star guard Kiki Rice in high school at Sidwell Friends in Washington D.C.
No. 24 Avary Cain is a 6-foot-1 guard who has been a steady riser over the last couple of years. The lefty, known as a shooter, has improved her ability to create her own shot and get to the rim and has excellent footwork and consistency in her shot prep and release.
Socka-Ngeuman is an athletic interior presence that does all the little things coaches of rugged active forwards love. She is a good finisher both left and right, is a physical rebounding presence and a great screener, and she makes an impact defensively with her motor, length and effort. Her skills have shown gradual growth particularly over the last calendar year. She and Dudley are long time teammates in both high school and club.
Highest ranked commit: G Allie Ziebell (No. 4)
Ziebell is a 6-foot guard who is a poised and calm competitor. She has an extremely fundamental base of skills — her shooting particularly stands out. Her dribble efficiently creates space for her own shot or to create opportunities for teammates. Beyond that, Ziebell is an excellent decision maker and reads the floor well. She was one of the youngest members of the U19 Women’s World Cup team that won gold in Spain over the summer.
Morgan Cheli, No. 18 in this year’s class, out of Archbishop Mitty in California is a utility wing that also raises the level of competitiveness when she steps in between the lines. She has a slasher game with a nice pull-up jumper and she has complemented that with an improving shot from long range.
Another year, another highly rated recruiting class of Geno Auriemma. They are in the mix for a couple more players in the top 20 as illustrated below.
Highest ranked commit: G Syla Swords (No. 11)
Swords is a player with experience playing all over the world at different levels of the Canadian National Team program. She plays an extremely challenging schedule with her Long Island Lutheran team and with her Kia Nurse EYBL team during the summer — her summer of 2023 was one of the best in recent memory. She is an all-around player, three-level scorer and brings a glue-like intangible to her teams and makes others better.
No. 15 Olivia Olson brings a versatility and an IQ to the floor that will allow her to play multiple positions at the next level. Comfortable at any position on the floor, she can play on the ball or off the ball with success. Olson’s game can be utilized in ball screens, post up situations, and also to space the floor with her ability to knock down the 3.
Four-star Mila Holloway is a shifty point guard who primarily creates for others and keeps everyone involved while three-star Te’Yala Delfosse is a 6-foot-3 forward with a lot of potential. She is long, crashes the glass, and has a respectable handle and 3-point ability.
Kim Barnes-Arico is bringing in four complementary and cohesive players to bolster her 2024 class.
Highest ranked commit: G Madisen McDaniel (No. 12)
McDaniel is extremely quick and practically gets to the paint at will. She is unafraid of physicality and relentless off the dribble with a shiftiness that is hard to guard. She has improved in her shooting and finishes extremely well with contact.
Adhel Tac (No. 33) is one of the most coveted post players in the country despite missing the majority of the last year with a foot injury. She was not very public about her recruitment process, despite the attention she received from programs across the country. Tac is long and can move well laterally and run the floor. She has shown flashes of being a very good passer. This could be a sneaky good commitment by Dawn Staley and South Carolina because of Tac’s major upside.
South Carolina is still in the mix for Kennedy Smith out of Etiwanda High School in California as well.
Highest ranked commit: G Lexi Blue (No. 41)
Kenny Brooks’ recruiting class brings a gem from Portugal in 6-foot-6 post player Clara Silva. If she was a player in the US, she’d safely land in the top 10 in the recruiting rankings. She is mobile with a nice touch, smoothly moves without the ball, and has an array of footwork and finishing around the rim. She will be a nice replacement as they finish their last season with WNBA projected lottery pick Elizabeth Kitley.
Blue is a big guard with serious range on her 3. She has grown in her game incrementally throughout her prep career and, since the summer, has proven to have a quicker release while really locking into the finer points of being a scoring threat on the floor.
Three-star Myah Hazelton is a long 6-foot-4 forward/post who runs the floor well and has shown a defensive prowess altering shots in and around the paint.
Highest ranked commit: G Avery Howell (No. 23)
Howell is an ultra-competitive, multi-positional player who leaves it all on the floor. She has long had the reputation as a hard-nosed defender and rebounder, but over the course of the last year expanded her offensive game to well beyond the 3-point line. She also brings a leadership intangibility to the locker room that is coveted everywhere.
Guard Rian Forestier (No. 52) is a shooting specialist, especially from 3. Her team-first mentality brings a glue quality to the program and she has a fundamental base of skills that allows her both to facilitate and score.
No. 86 Laura Williams is an active and athletic forward with an upside. She is a physical defensive presence and cleans things up around the paint offensively. She is mobile and can run the floor and guard multiple positions.
Lefty Brooklyn Shamblin, a three-star guard from Southern California, can knock down the 3 and facilitate on offense.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb landed multiple top 100 commits in the 2023 class and follows up with the same in the 2024 class. The Trojans are in the mix for a few more as well.
Highest ranked commit: F Ava Heiden (No. 36)
Heiden is a very fundamental post player with strong base and very good skills. She can play out of the post or on the perimeter and helps with the flow of game plans and schemes while making others better. Her patience and poise lends itself to a good understanding of the game.
Aaliyah Guyton (No. 57) is a combo guard with a reputation for scoring the ball, but her point guard abilities immediately standout as well. She is solid in the pick-and-roll and proved this summer that she can make others better. Defensively, she is always in stance and does a nice job of keep the ball in front and understanding help rotation.
No. 64 Teagan Mallegni, who is crafty with the dribble and strong on the boards, and No. 88 Taylor Stremlow are both knock down shooters in this group. Stremlow plays well within herself and has a great understanding of the game overall.
Callie Levin is a tough, quick three-star guard out Solon High School in Iowa. She should be a skilled perimeter player for the Hawkeyes.
Lisa Bluder has a system that rewards skills, shooting, and ball movement and these players can do all of that.
Highest ranked commit: G Leah Harmon (No. 30)
Harmon is a combo guard who is a major threat in catch and shoot 3-point situations. She has also proven to be an excellent passer when her focus is facilitating and running a balanced attack. She has a strong base and a tight handle and has played a lot of elite basketball to prepare herself for the next level.
No. 37 Ahnay Adams is a dynamic playmaking guard from New Hampshire that had a great run with her club this summer She has the ball on a string and a knack for scoring the ball.
Four-star guard Simone Pelish is a crafty guard who thinks the game and has all the answers fundamentally.
Coach Katie Meier has played a multiple guard lineup several times in the past and this class follows that philosophy as they are all very perimeter oriented.
Highest ranked commit: PG Zamareya Jones (No. 17)
Jones is a small quick playmaking guard who can create with the best in the country. She is dynamic and shifty off the bounce and knocks down the 3-ball with range. Defensively, she is tough on the ball and has great instincts as she reads the floor.
No. 47 Devyn Quigley is a sharp shooting wing with a good frame and size. She is a crafty scorer and a solid perimeter defender.
Lorena Awou is a center out of Illinois who stands at 6-5 and is long with a strong base. She finishes with a high release point with her right and left hands, rim runs and clogs the paint.
Top 2024 recruits yet to sign
(Schools considered)
1. Sarah Strong (UConn, LSU, North Carolina, UCLA, South Carolina)
2. Joyce Edwards (South Carolina, LSU, Texas A&M, Clemson, Stanford, Maryland, USC)
3. Jaloni Cambridge (Ohio State, Florida, LSU, Baylor, Louisville)
5. Kennedy Smith (USC, UCLA, Duke, South Carolina, Louisville)
10. Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt, Stanford, Indiana, UCLA)
19. Arianna Roberson (UConn, Duke, Utah, USC)
21. Mackenly Randolph (Notre Dame, Michigan State, Louisville)
22. Kiyomi McMiller (Temple, Ole Miss, James Madison, UCF, Florida State, Rutgers, George Mason, Louisville)
27. Kayleigh Heckel (USC, Tennessee, Stanford, Alabama)
28. Britt Prince (Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Iowa State, Creighton)
32. Me’Arah O’Neal, announcing Nov. 12 (Tennessee, Arizona State, Florida, Kentucky, Cal, LSU, Georgia Tech)
39. Eris Lester (Mississippi State, Alabama, Georgia, Florida)
53. Vivian Iwuchukwu (Texas A&M, Florida, Arizona, USC, Georgia, USC)
56. Tayla Thomas (Georgetown, Missouri, Northwestern, Penn State, Seton Hall)
70. Caya Smith (Oklahoma, Florida, Houston)
73. Trinity Turner (Mississippi State, Georgia, UCF, Arizona State)
76. Zahra King, announcing Nov. 3 (Cal, UCF, Penn State, Wisconsin, Harvard, Marquette)
77. Jamia Woolfolk (Georgia, East Carolina)
80. Tabitha Betson (Maryland, Colorado)
84. Harper Peterson (Florida State, Washington, Stanford)
96. Destiny Agubata (Georgetown, Cal, West Virginia)
