On3's Freshman of the Year frontrunners headlined by Sarah Strong

This year’s women’s basketball freshmen class is undeniably talented. There are more than a dozen freshmen who are making their case to be considered for National Freshman of the Year honors, but here are On3’s five frontrunners with a quote from a head coach who’s played against them.

1. Sarah Strong – UConn

Sarah Strong has been the best player on the floor for UConn on several occasions this season. She’s averaging 17.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 blocks, while shooting 58% from the field. 

“I just think she’s a matchup problem, because she’s big enough to post up inside and she can shoot,” Georgetown head coach Darnell Haney told On3. “How you play her is pretty difficult, especially when she’s playing on a team of UConn’s caliber…She’s a really good passer, and she makes really good decisions with the ball as well. One of the things that is most impressive to me was just her IQ and her feel for the game. She just knows what’s going on all the time.” 

2. Jaloni Cambridge – Ohio State

Jaloni Cambridge’s speed is what immediately stands out about the Ohio State point guard. She’s been a NFOY candidate since the preseason and the national attention will likely grow further throughout Big Ten play. Cambridge is averaging 14.7 points, 4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game and put on a show at Michigan earlier this week. 

“We were really familiar with her game, but she’s really hard to scout, because you can’t really replicate her speed and how quickly she makes decisions,” Belmont head coach Bart Brooks told On3. “Her athleticism is just a different level of athleticism. Her run and jump athleticism is special. It’s unique…I think she’s got a chance to be one of the best point guards that’s been around for a long time, and we’ve had a couple of really good ones here lately.”

3. Syla Swords – Michigan

Syla Swords made national headlines after putting on a show in Michigan’s season opener against South Carolina. She suffered a setback that kept her off the court for a few games recently, but she came back stronger than ever, scoring 30 points against No. 1 UCLA. Swords is averaging 16.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. 

“Syla is an elite competitor on both ends of the floor,” Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff told On3. “She has a rare combination of speed, skill and basketball IQ.”

4. Mikayla Blakes – Vanderbilt

Mikayla Blakes has impressed since her college debut and has started all 16 of Vanderbilt’s games in her freshman campaign. Blakes, a 5-foot-8 versatile guard from New Jersey, is averaging 20.6 points, 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game. 

“I was just impressed with her versatility,” South Florida head coach Jose Fernandez told On3. “I think she’s a three level scorer. I was impressed with her being able to get to the rim. She’s got a really good mid range game, and she’s such a threat from the three-point range. Her best basketball is still ahead of her, once her body frame starts to change and as she gets stronger, but she’s definitely one of the best freshmen in the country.”

5. Liv McGill – Florida

Liv McGill is the only player on this list who’s on a team that hasn’t been ranked all season. But in Florida’s games at Florida State, Clemson and Alabama, McGill proved why she’s deserving of consideration. She averaged 22.2 points, 4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 55.6% shooting from deep in those three matchups. 

“She’s very, very dynamic,” one head coach who played against her told On3. “If you allow her to get to her right hand, she’s more than likely going to score. I think the biggest thing against us is that she made threes. If she’s shooting it, she becomes very, very, very hard to guard…I think that she could be just as good as any, especially scoring point guard, in the country as time goes on.”