Ahead of Monday's start to the 2023-24 NCAA women's basketball season, NCAA Digital's Autumn Johnson ranks her top 15 players in DI women's college hoops.
Alissa Pili
Utah's superstar forward was named Pac-12 player of the year last season after averaging more than 20 points and five rebounds per game. The USC transfer shined in her first season in Salt Lake City and will look to lead a talented Utah team back to the NCAA tournament.
Angel Reese
The "Bayou Barbie" dominated in her first season in Baton Rouge, leading LSU all the way to a national championship while averaging 23 points and 15 rebounds per game. A year after winning it all, LSU's expectations could not be much higher, and Reese is a big part of that.
📊 Top 10 players: Rim protectors | Shooters | Passers | Post scorers
Ayoka Lee
After missing all of last season, Kansas State's Ayoka Lee returns in 2023-24 and is poised to be one of the top centers in the nation. Lee is one of the best scorers in the nation, exemplified by a 2022 game where she set the NCAA single-game scoring record with 61 points against Oklahoma.
Caitlin Clark
There might not be a player in college basketball, men's or women's, as talented as Iowa's Caitlin Clark. The country's best player brought Iowa to the national championship game last season. But, in what will likely be her last year in Iowa City, it is national championship or bust for the skilled guard.
Cameron Brink
Already a national champion, Cameron Brink continues to set the standard at Stanford. Brink nearly averaged a double-double last season with 15.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She will be head-to-head all season long with Alissa Pili in the Pac-12 player of the year race.
Charisma Osborne
Another contender in the Pac-12 player of the year race is UCLA guard Charisma Osborne. Osborne has started all but three games over the last four seasons for UCLA and has averaged more than 33 minutes per game in each of the last three. A consistent star, Osborne is one of the best all-around guards in the country.
Deja Kelly
UNC's starting point guard is one of the best scoring guards in the country and likely the best guard in her conference. Kelly will look to continue the Tar Heels' consistent improvement under head coach Courtney Banghart.
Elizabeth Kitley
The two-time reigning ACC player of the year returns for her fifth season of college basketball. Kiltley is a dominant interior presence on both ends of the court.
Cotie McMahon
Ohio State's Cotie McMahon started all 36 of the Buckeyes' games in her freshman season. The Big Ten freshman of the year shot better than 50% from the field while scoring 15.1 points per game a season ago.
Jaylyn Sherrod
As Colorado's primary starting point guard over the last four seasons, Sherrod has developed into an elite passer. She had five or more assists in 20 of her 33 games (preseason and postseason) played a season ago, and averaged more than five assists per game for the second time in her career.
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Kamilla Cardoso
Cardoso is next in line for superstardom at South Carolina. Now in her fourth season of college basketball, Cardoso is fresh off of a gold medal in the FIBA AmeriCup while representing Brazil. Cardoso also won MVP of that tournament.
Mackenzie Holmes
Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes has been consistently dominant over three years as a starter. Last year, in her senior season, Holmes scored more than 22 points per game while stacking 58 blocks and 35 steals en route to being named Big Ten defensive player of the year.
Paige Bueckers
She's back.
After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, UConn's Paige Bueckers is poised to dominate college basketball again. Bueckers became the first freshman to win the national player of the year in 2021. Now, three years later, she will once again be one of the major competitors for this award.
Rickea Jackson
Tennessee's Rickea Jackson is arguably the best interior scorer in all of college basketball. A season ago, she set a Tennessee record with 8-straight games with 20 or more points.
Rori Harmon
Texas' Rori Harmon has started 65 out of 67 games over her two seasons in Austin. Harmon is as well-rounded as you'll find at the guard spot. She averaged more than 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds per game last season.
