On3's preseason Big Ten Women's Basketball power rankings
The Big Ten has always been a powerhouse, but even more so now with the additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington. From JuJu Watkins to Lauren Betts to Lucy Olsen, some of college basketball’s biggest stars are in the Big Ten.
Here’s On3’s breakdown of the conference heading into the fall.
1. USC
It all starts with sophomore sensation JuJu Watkins (27.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg), but the Trojans also add an incoming class of freshmen and transfers that is widely considered the most impressive in the country.
The Trojans added former Stanford post player Kiki Iriafen (19.4 ppg, 11 rpg) as well as ex-Oregon State guard Talia von Oelhoffen (10.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.1 rpg). USC’s freshman class is absolutely loaded with six rookies all ranked in the top 100, highlighted by No. 6-ranked wing Kennedy Smith and No. 13-ranked point guard Kayleigh Heckel.
This is a team with plenty of meshing to do. It may take some time, but on paper, this is the most talented team in the Big Ten by a long shot.
2. UCLA
Although the Bruins lost Charisma Osborne to the WNBA, they return one of the best post players in the country in junior Lauren Betts (14.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2 bpg), and also bring back point guard Kiki Rice (13.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.5 apg) – who will start for the third straight season.
The Bruins made three key transfer additions: Former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Charlisse Leger-Walker (Washington State – 13.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.1 apg), 6-foot-3 forward Timea Gardiner (Oregon State – 11.6 ppg, 7 rpg) and former top-three recruit Janiah Barker (Texas A&M – 12.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg).
That trio will all be expected to see significant minutes, and the Bruins also bring in a freshman class that includes three top-30 recruits – Kendall Dudley (No. 14), Avary Cain (No. 24) and Zania Sockwell-Ngueman (No. 27).
3. Ohio State
Junior guard Cotie McMahon (14.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg) is back and that would likely be enough to keep the Buckeyes at this No. 3 spot. But if that wasn’t enough, they also return Taylor Thierry (11.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and added the No. 2 freshman in the country in floor general Jaloni Cambridge.
Along with that, the Buckeyes hit the portal early and made a couple of under-the-radar acquisitions: Oregon transfer Chance Gray (13.9 ppg), who will likely slot into the role Jacy Sheldon served in past years, and Kentucky’s Ajae Petty (14.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg) who’s a much-needed post threat for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will miss the likes of Sheldon (17.8 ppg), Celeste Taylor (10.1 ppg) and Rebeka Mikulášiková (9.4 ppg) who all graduated, but the Buckeyes have enough veteran talent to remain atop the Big Ten.
4. Maryland
Maryland is a team that I think will be severely underrated heading into this season. There’s a lot of newness on this roster and the Terps underachieved last season, but the additions that head coach Brenda Frese made during the off-season left me with little doubt that this roster will come together.
Maryland brings back some of their best talent in Shyanne Sellers (15.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.5 apg) and Bri McDaniel (12.6 ppg), who combined for 28.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and three steals last season. They lost a decent amount of their bench pieces, but they added a haul from the portal.
Between Arkansas transfer Saylor Poffenbarger (10.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg), VCU point guard Sarah Te-Biasu (16 ppg), Rutgers’ Kaylene Smikle (16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and UConn transfer Amari DeBerry, the Terps were making big-time moves all spring. Chemistry is the biggest concern, but there are a lot of positives to be taken from this Maryland roster.
5. Indiana
The Hoosiers lost their best player in power forward Mackenzie Holmes (19.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg), but their guard play will keep them at the top of the Big Ten this season. Fifth-year guards Sydney Parrish (10.8 ppg, 6 rpg) and Chloe Moore-McNeil (10.2 ppg, 5 apg) will both return as veteran starters. Lexus Bargesser, who started in Parrish’s absence last season, returns with a revamped shot and a year of big-time minutes under her belt.
At the post position, it’ll be a battle between returning junior Lilly Meister (3.7 ppg) and Tennessee transfer Karoline Striplin (7.2 ppg). It sounds like Meister may get the nod to start, but it’ll be a joint effort in the post this season. The Hoosiers will look different but will have plenty of shooters this year between Parrish, Israeli junior Yarden Garzon (11.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and Penn State transfer Shay Ciezki (11.5 ppg), who shot 39.2% from deep over her first two seasons.
6. Iowa
Not only is generational talent Caitlin Clark (31.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 8.9 apg) off to the WNBA with Kate Martin (13.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg), but Gabbie Marshall (6.1 ppg) and Molly Davis (5.9 ppg) have also graduated out of the Hawkeyes program. In addition, longtime head coach Lisa Bluder retired this season and her associate head coach Jan Jensen took over.
This is going to be a Hawkeye team that differs drastically from the powerhouse they’ve been as of recent. But with post player Hannah Stuelke (14 ppg, 6.6 rpg) back and the addition of do-it-all Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen (23.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg), who aims to replace some of Clark’s production, this is a team with no shortage of talent.
The expectation is that Iowa will take a step back but will compete to finish near the top of the Big Ten standings. Landing Olsen at point guard was a homerun addition for the Hawkeyes as they near their first season in the post-Clark era.
7. Nebraska
The Huskers return two of the Big Ten’s stars in center Alexis Markowski (15.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg) and rising sophomore Natalie Potts (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg). But the biggest point of excitement for this Nebraska squad is Britt Prince, a heralded freshman who will come in and make an immediate impact.
This is a Nebraska team with plenty of depth. They added Florida transfer Alberte Rimdal (7.2 ppg) whose versatility will shine in Lincoln and return Logan Nissley (7 ppg) who posted an impressive freshman campaign last year and shot 40% from beyond the arc. Rising senior Kendall Moriarty (3.1 ppg) will also see plenty of minutes this season as a veteran leader with experience as a starter last year.
This is a team that’s deep and will use their bench often this season. If Prince adjusts to the college game quickly, Nebraska could be a Top 25 team nationally by the end of the year.
8. Illinois
In Shauna Green’s third year at the helm, Illinois returns all three of their leading scorers. The team underperformed last season, but this year shouldn’t see the same results. Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant and Kendall Bostic combined for 42.7 points, 17.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists last season.
Returning that much production and a strong veteran presence will be huge for the Fighting Illini.
Illinois also returns Gretchen Dolan (4.8 ppg), a rising sophomore who showed big spurts of potential coming off the bench last year. In the portal, the Illini added Baylor’s Lety Vasconcelos (1.1 ppg), a 6-foot-7 freshman center who will bolster Illinois’ post presence, and Jasmine Brown-Hagger (2.1 ppg), a former four-star recruit who went to Mississippi State for her freshman campaign.
9. Michigan State
The addition of Oregon transfer Grace VanSlooten to the Spartans makes Michigan State a sneaky dangerous team in the Big Ten this season. The 6-foot-3 forward started all 31 games for the Ducks last year and was Oregon’s top scorer with 15 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
But the Spartans also return their leading scorer and rebounder from a year ago – Julia Ayrault (15.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg). There are plenty of unknowns for which other guards will slot into the starting lineup with DeeDee Hagemann (12.3 ppg, 5.2 apg) transferring out and Moira Joiner exhausting her eligibility, but the Spartans added some underrated pickups from the portal who should make an impact.
10. Minnesota
The Gophers are my dark horse pick this season. They won 16 of the 22 games that Mara Braun (17 ppg) appeared in before suffering a foot injury that sidelined her for two months of play.
Braun should be back and ready to go, but the Gophers also return their remaining four starters from a season ago – a rarity in the current college athletics landscape. Amaya Battle (12.1 ppg, 5.4 apg), Grace Grocholski (10.8 ppg) and Sophie Hart (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) all averaged double-digit scoring a year ago and the Gophers return post player Mallory Heyer, who averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
11. Oregon
The Ducks lost a heck of a lot to the transfer portal this offseason including their top two leading scorers, but they made one splashy addition – three-time all-ACC first-team pick Deja Kelly (16.3 ppg), who transferred out of North Carolina.
BYU transfer Nani Falatea (15.3 ppg, 4.5 apg – 2022-23) and Texas transfer Amina Muhammad (6.1 ppg) are two other intriguing additions who could log big minutes this season. 6-foot-8 post player Phillipina Kyei (12.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg) returns for her senior campaign after averaging 12.6 points and 11.9 rebounds last season as a full-time starter and sophomore Sofia Bell should continue to play a big role in the 2024-25 campaign.
12. Washington
The Huskies return three of their starters from last season and sophomore Sayvia Sellers played in some big moments during her freshman campaign. They’ll also add No. 39-ranked freshman guard Devin Coppinger to the mix. While they have plenty of talent and built-in chemistry amongst the starters, Lauren Schwartz has exhausted her eligibility and they’ll miss her efficiency.
Returning Dalayah Daniels (11.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg), a 6-foot-4 post player, is a key point of emphasis for the Huskies. She should make a big impact on both sides of the court and her height will give her a strong advantage over many other post players in the conference.
13. Purdue
Despite losing promising freshman Mary Ashley Stevenson (9.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) to the transfer portal and a plethora of talented contributors who exhausted their eligibility, the Boilermakers have a lot of depth heading into the 2024-25 season. They return sophomores Rashunda Jones (7.8 ppg) and Sophie Swanson (7.1 ppg), who will likely see increased roles this year, along with the addition of Akron post player Reagan Bass (16.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg), who averaged nearly a double-double last season. Ella Collier, who was a two-time NAIA Player of the Year, has the potential to be a great addition to the Boilermakers, but the adjustment to the D-1 ranks may take time.
Jones will be key to the Boilermakers’ success. If she can take a big jump forward as a sophomore, Purdue may have a star on their hands.
14. Michigan
The Wolverines lost their star, Laila Phelia (16.8 ppg), who transferred to Texas this offseason, but they added a really talented freshman class which includes two top-20 recruits. Syla Swords, a 6-foot guard from New York, was ranked No. 4 in the class, while 6-foot-1 guard Olivia Olson was ranked No. 20. The Wolverines also lost several of their starters who graduated and key bench players to the portal, so the freshmen will likely be expected to contribute from the jump.
They also made a few notable portal additions, including Oakland’s Brooke Daniels (13.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg). This is a team that essentially has to start fresh from a year ago.
15. Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Badgers saw massive improvements last season and return a star in Serah Williams (17.4 ppg, 10.7 rpg), who accounted for 3.2 win shares last year. Junior 5-foot-4 guard Ronnie Porter will also return to Wisconsin after averaging 10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game last year and excelling as both a playmaker and defensive presence. They lost freshman Sania Copeland (7.3 ppg) to the portal, but they added Northern Kentucky transfer Carter McCray (15.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg), who should make an immediate impact and will likely earn a starting role.
If Williams continues to improve at the rate we’ve previously seen, the Badgers could make the Big Ten interesting and very well steal some wins from top-ranked programs. But despite their uphill trajectory, Wisconsin will need someone other than Williams to really step up this year.
16. Rutgers
Rutgers lost star sophomore Kaylene Smikle (16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg) to the transfer portal along with post player Kassondra Brown (8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) who exhausted her eligibility. These are two pretty massive losses for the Scarlet Knights, but they’ll return veterans Destiny Adams (15.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Awa Sidibe (9.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg – 2022-23), Chyna Cornwell (7.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Mya Petticord (10.2 ppg).
Adams will be the key to Rutgers’ success, as she made a massive impact in her first season with the program after transferring in from UNC. They’ll also add No. 27-ranked freshman Kiyomi McMiller who could eventually be the face of this program and will likely play a big role right away.
17. Northwestern
The Wildcats return nine players from last season, including point guard Caroline Lau (7.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and post player Caileigh Walsh (13 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Freshman Xamiya Walton, ranked No. 55 in the 2024 class, is a really interesting addition who has the potential to earn a starting spot as the season progresses.
Northwestern also added Michigan transfer Taylor Williams (4.3 ppg), who should play a big role on this team from the jump. The Wildcats are making moves to improve, but the Big Ten is so strong from top to bottom this season.
18. Penn State
The Nittany Lions had a lot of roster turnover this offseason, losing almost its entire core. Makenna Marisa (13.4 ppg), Ashley Owusu (17.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Tay Valladay (11.5 ppg) all exhausted their eligibility, while Leilani Kapinus (11.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Shay Cieski (11.5 ppg) and Ali Brigham (8.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg) all transferred out of the program.
While Penn State utilized the portal to land Michigan State transfer Gabby Elliott (7.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Louisiana transfer Tamera Johnson (10.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and a pair of other additions, I don’t think it’s nearly enough to fill the gaps that the offseason left them with.