The majority of women’s college basketball was champion of the conference in the 2019-20 season. Unfortunately, no one had a chance to play their final destination for a national title due to COVID-19.
Many programs have lost students important to graduation and the WNBA – like Sabrina Ionescu, Lauren Cox, Satou Sabally and Chennedy Carter. All is not lost, as several returning players and exciting newcomers are looking to resume unfinished business that arrives on 25 November.
AP Preseason’s Top 25 will be released later this month. These are my own preseason ratings for the 2020-21 women’s basketball season, which I will update every week during the season. I chose these teams based on several factors, including returning players and depth of the squad, incoming players, recent success and training. All recruitment ratings are from ESPN and can be found here.
2020-21 Women’s Basketball Classification: Power 10 Pre-Season
1. South Carolina
Zia Cooke, from South Carolina.
South Carolina ended the 2019-20 season as the No. 1 ranked team, and I am confident that the Gamecocks will arrive and win this spot immediately. Despite the loss of top scorer Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and assistant leader Ty Harris, SEC champions have second Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Brea Beal returning. This is a young group, but their talent speaks volumes. Gamecocks proved this by winning 26 consecutive games with this trio in the spotlight. I hope South Carolina will combine its young talent with its veterinarians, giving Lele Grissett and juniors Victaria Saxton and Destanni Henderson more minutes. This should help Gamecocks sustain their chemistry and dominance for another SEC title run and a national championship.
Transfer: Destiny Littleton (Guarda – Texas)
Best recruit: Eniya Russell (No. 43 – Guard)
2020-21 WBB: young talent from South Carolina seeks to take care of unfinished business
2. UConn
Two words. Paige. Bueckers. The incoming freshman game is at another level in all areas as a facilitator and a sniper. Bueckers are expected to reshape the Huskies’ defense court by joining Christyn Williams. UConn will suffer a major blow by losing senior Megan Walker and Crystal Dangerfield, who averaged 34 points per game together, but the juniors are trying to carry the burden of leadership. Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Anna Makurat and Aubrey Griffin will make a great comeback force. In addition, Evina Westbrook is now free to play after winning eligibility since moving from Tennessee last season.
Top recruits: Paige Bueckers (No. 1 – Guarda) Aaliyah Edwards (No. 23 – Guarda) and Mir McLean (No. 25 – Guarda)
3. Stanford
Stanford finished seventh in the country last season and returns scorers Kiana Williams (15 points per game) and Lexie Hull (13.6). Second-year playmaker Haley Jones played 18 of 33 games last season due to a knee injury, but her comeback will add another marker to Stanford’s equation. Expect trainer Tara Vanderveer to find more production at Ashten Pretchtel and Fran Belibi. Bringing recruit # 3, Cameron Brink, will be a mandatory addition to the painting. The 6-foot-4 striker brings a great defensive presence with her wingspan and is an elite scorer.
Main recruit (s): Cameron Brink (No. 3 – Forward) and Jana Van Gytenbeek (No. 39 – Guard)
4. Baylor
The 2019 NCAA champions will look different this year, after losing senior stars Lauren Cox, Te’a Cooper and Juicy Landrum, who ended up with double-digit scores last season. Baylor took third place in the country, behind Oregon, and hoped to make consecutive appearances in league games. All hope is not lost. The Bears will return their top scorer NaLyssa Smith and Defensive Player of the Year Didi Richards. To equal the losses, Stanford transferee Dijonai Carrington will be signed after recovering from a knee injury and playing just five games last season.
Transfers: Dijonai Carrington (Forward – Stanford) and Jaden Owens (Guard – UCLA)
Top recruits: Sarah Andrews (Nº 12 – Guarda) and Hannah Gusters (Nº 16 – Advanced)
Baylor
Lady
Bears
Basketball
Arriving
Coming soon!#SicEm pic.twitter.com/G9m6DQyksl– Baylor Lady Bears (@BaylorWBB) September 22, 2020
5. State of Mississippi
Mississippi State sidelines will look different in the 2020-21 season, with new coach Nikki McCray-Penson replacing Vic Schaefer, who has led the Bulldogs for eight seasons. In addition to a new coach, the Bulldogs will no longer have two players – Jordan Danberry and Chloe Bibby (transfer to Maryland). The SEC runner-up still has his two scoring threats – Rickea Jackson, who had an outstanding season in his first year, and Jessika Carter. Guard Aaliyah Matharu along with Myah Taylor and JaMya Mingo-Young will also add depth to the Bulldogs’ scoring ability.
Transfer: Sydney Cook (Forward – Michigan State)
Main recruit: Madison Hayes (No. 28 – Guard)
6. Louisville
Louisville ended in sixth place in the country, and I believe they will arrive in the same place with strength. Even though the Cardinals lost three holders to Jazmine Jones, Kylee Shook and Bionca Dunham, ACC player of the year and Louisville’s top scorer Dana Evans (18 ppg) is back. Louisville renewed his squad with recruit No. 7 Hailey Van Lith, who will undoubtedly make a dangerous pair with Evans and create more scoring opportunities. Junior guard Elizabeth Balogun will also contribute to Louisville’s offensive attack, but more production from her will be needed. It will take all three of them to continue making noise in Louisville.
Top recruit (s): Hailey Van Lith (No. 7 – Guard) and Olivia Cochran (No. 18 – Forward)
7. Arizona
It was obvious that Arizona would remain in the national title race with the return of top scorer Aari McDonald (20.6 ppg, above). Not only is McDonald Arizona a favorite in the offense, but Naismith’s Defense Player of the Year Finalist will bring back an incredible defensive attack for the Wildcats. Scorers Cate Reese and Sam Thomas will also return to the squad. Expect to see some exciting action from the transfers that have been added to the puzzle, like Shaina Pellington from Oklahoma and Trinity Baptiste from Virginia Tech, who was the sixth player of the year ACC. The Wildcats finished 12th in the country last season, but considering the return of their talent and new additions, I can definitely see Arizona entering the top 10 this season.
Transfers: Shaina Pellington (Guard – Oklahoma); Trinity Baptiste (Forward – Virginia Tech)
Newcomers: Lauren Ware (No. 26 – Forward)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: When does the 2020-21 women’s basketball season start?
8. NC state
The ACC champions were the best rebound team at ACC last season, and they will bring back their top four starters to fight for the national title. March looks good for NC State with gunner Elissa Cunane (16.4 ppg) returning as an offensive and a threat of repercussion. However, the initial lineup is missing from the ACC MVP Aislinn Konig tournament (now playing professionally in Europe) in Wolfpack’s winning formula. Kayla Jones, Jakia Brown-Turner, Jada Boyd and Kai Crutchfield will need more production in the absence of Konig.
Rookie: Genesis Bryant (Nº 79 – Guarda) and Dontavia Wagoner (Nº 88 – Guarda)
9. Oregon
One of the most exciting teams in the NCAA has lost four of its starters – Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, Ruthy Hebard and Minyon Moore. Oregon coach Kelly Graves seeks to sustain the Ducks’ previous success by renewing the list of the top five McDonald All-American players, who make up the nation’s number one recruiting class. The Ducks are full of elite newbies and will return a strong core of veterans in Erin Boley, Taylor Chavez and Jaz Shelley. Nyara Sabally will return to the court after missing two consecutive seasons after undergoing knee surgery before her first year and injuring her knee again in the summer before entering her second year in Oregon. Furthermore, I am excited to see the impact that the Maryland transfer, Taylor Mikesell, will bring as an elite scorer. Previously ranked second in the country at the end of last season, two questions come to mind: 1) How long will it take for newbies to adjust to the university level and create chemistry? and 2) Will Oregon remain dominant without the stars of last season?
Transfer (s): Taylor Mikesell (Guarda – Maryland) and Sedona Prince (Forward – Texas)
Newbie (s): Sydney Parrish (Nº 8 – Guarda), Te-Hina Paopao (Nº 11 – Guarda), Kylee Watson (Nº 17 – Forward), Maddie Parrish (Nº 19 – Guarda) and Angela Dugalic (Nº 22 – Forward)
10. Kentucky
The candidate for National Player of the Year and the country’s second highest scorer, Rhyne Howard (23.4 ppg), is the Wildcats title. All eyes will be on Howard to lead this team again in goals, rebounds and steals, especially after losing starters Sabrina Haines and Jaida Roper, who led the Wildcats in assists. Chasity Patterson will also increase the score and be able to adapt to the entire season after being limited to just 19 games after the transfer from Texas. Striker KeKe McKinney will also return to continue the painting mess, leading his team in blocks. Number 29 is expected to recruit Treasure Hunt to intensify and make an immediate impact as a newcomer. It will be exciting to see Hunt play at the next level alongside one of the best players in the country.
Transfers: Robyn Benton (Guard – Auburn), Olivia Owens (Downtown – Maryland) and Jazmine Massengill (Tennessee) * All transfers will lose the 2020-21 season due to NCAA rules
Top recruits: Treasure Hunt (No. 29 – Guard), Nyah Leveretter (No. 83 – Forward) and Erin Toller (No. 91 – Guard)