Fan Rankings Home » NCAAB » Top 10 Women’s Freshmen College Basketball 2026-2027 Rankings

Who is the best Women’s Freshman College Basketball Player in the Country this season?

Many programs have top-tier prospects in 2026, and I think this could be another year where you see freshmen play huge roles on title-winning squads. The talent in the sport is always evolving and improving, and this class exemplifies that. Here is a look at the Top 10 Women’s College Basketball Freshman 2026-2027 Rankings

Honorable Mention

Ashlyn Koupal

School: Nebraska Cornhuskers

Position: Forward

Ashlyn Koupal is one of, if not the most impactful signing in the Cornhuskers’ women’s basketball history. She is the school’s first All-American signee and should be highly impactful in year one.

She has outstanding versatility and can be really effective as a bigger guard when asked of her.

This Nebraska team should be young but highly talented in their front court and is a team to keep your eye on in the near future.

Addison Bjorn

School: Texas Longhorns

Position: Guard

I really like Addison Bjorn’s skill set, and I think she at some point could surpass some of the players ahead of her. I am leaving her as an honorable mention because Texas is loaded with talent, so at best I don’t see her being anything more than a solid role player early.

She should be a part of this rotation, and the minutes she does get will help her build on what she will provide to this UT front court/wing moving forward.

Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings

10. Sara Okeke

School: USC Trojans

Position: Center

This USC team intrigues me, and they are a program that could very easily make some serious damage come March.

The return of Juju Watkins is massive and obviously the point of reference when you’re talking about the excitement of this team. But for me, one of the things I am looking forward to is this team’s frontcourt. Sara Okeke is one of two 5-star frontcourt freshmen this team possesses, and I think Sara is going to make a real impact early.

Sara has a unique level of physical attributes that you just don’t see from 18-year-olds. She is outstanding on both ends of the court and is about as imposing as a freshman can be.

There will be growing pains in her rounding out her skill set, but the interior defense, rebounding, and paint scoring will be there early. She won MVP at the U18 FIBA EuroBasket last year, and she is looking to add more hardware as a part of a USC team with title aspirations.

9. Maddyn Greenway

School: Kentucky Wildcats

Position: Guard

There is always a level of hesitation when talking about how good young guards will be early in their career, but I believe Maddyn Greenway will be a great PG for Kentucky in year 1.

Maddyn Greenway is the daughter of former Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker Chad Greenway, which makes her name extra fitting. She is looking to carve out her own path at Kentucky, and I think she has the skills to do that. She is a three-level scorer who is a really natural athlete.

She is an outstanding passer, and I think that vision is what will carry her early. She seems like the type of player a lot of players love to play with, and she will impact this Kentucky program early.

8. Trinity Jones

School: Maryland Terrapins

Position: Guard

I don’t know if many freshmen are in a system better fit for their skill set than Trinity Jones. Maryland will want to play a faster style and try to keep games like a track meet.

That fits the speedy and athletic game of Trinity Jones. Her ability as a driver and how she thrives in space will be utilized terrifically as a Terrapin. What really makes me feel confident in what she will do early is what Trinity does on defense and her overall motor.

She is always on 100, and I think it’s part of why she was such an outstanding rebounder in high school. The versatility on defense and commitment to giving you her all consistently is what makes her one of the best freshmen in the country.

7. Autumn Fleary

School: Duke Blue Devils

Position: guard

If you are from the DMV, you are pretty privy to the skill set the uber-talented Autumn Fleary possesses.

Autumn Fleary’s handle and three-level scoring are a nightmare for defenders to deal with, and she consistently does a great job blowing by players. I think the thing that draws you in the most with Fleary is her commitment to the defensive side of the ball.

She is going to be a hand-in-glove fit for this Duke program as Kara Lawson looks to build on a great 2025-26.

6. Oliviyah Edwards

School: South Carolina Gamecocks

Position: Forward

South Carolina is obviously a juggernaut and comes into this season loaded to the gills with talent.

A lot of other high-profile freshmen would be lower on this list coming into a team where you have to compete with so many other players on this roster. But for Oliviyah Edwards, I think this could benefit her in a lot of ways. She has the skill set to be a complementary piece.

The defense and rebounding missed, with the downhill scoring at her size, make her a shoo-in to be a big part of this rotation. The sky is the limit for her, and I’m excited to see what she can do, even if she isn’t truly unleashed this year.

5. Mckenna Woliczko

School: Iowa Hawkeyes

Position: Forward

Mckenna Woliczko will undoubtedly have a major role for Iowa early. She will be tasked with being the next big thing for Iowa following Hannah Stuelke’s graduation.

She gives the Hawkeyes an all-around star that can punish defenses at all three levels. You will never have to worry about McKenna not playing hard because she was one of the better motors in this 2026 class.

The nonstop energy is what coaches look for, and I don’t see a world where McKenna isn’t one of this team’s best players in year 1.

4. Olivia Vukosa

School: Uconn Huskies

Position: Center

Watching Olivia Vukosa play in high school, the thing that always stood out to me was her touch. It’s why she has such a nice post game, and it’s also why she is such an outstanding free throw shooter.

Coupling this with the fact that she is generally bigger and stronger than the players guarding her makes her borderline unstoppable.

Vukosa may not be the focal point for UConn as a freshman, but she will have a big role and, at some point in her career, will be a go-to scorer. She is a walking double-double and is a brick wall defensively.

Vukosa is a throwback big with modern-day skill and is one of the prized possessions in this 2026 class for a reason.

3. Kate Harping

School: UNC Tar Heels

Position: Guard

UNC has gotten its fair share of elite prospects recently, but incoming freshman guard Kate Harping takes the cake.

Harping is expected to be a program-changing talent, and if you ask a lot of people, many have her as the best player in the country. Harping is a truly gifted player. Her ability to consistently blow by defenders and use her high-level athletic ability is a massive part of her game.

Harping plays the game with an edge and has the potential to be one of the better perimeter guards in the sport. She plays way bigger than her size on the glass and will immediately be one of the best slashing guards in the country.

She was the Naismith Player of the Year in high school last year and comes into this season as one of, if not the best freshman in the sport.

2. Jerzy Robinson

School: South Carolina Gamecocks

Position: Guard

Jerzy Robinson is a really refined scorer that gets it done all over the court. Her physicality and raw strength stick out to me when I watch her, and her size is great for a guard.

Her defense is solid, and she has a really good understanding of the game. I don’t think there is a real hole in her game, and her impact will still be pretty sizable; at some point in her college career, she will be one of the 2 or 3 best players in the sport; I have no real doubt about that.

1. Saniyah Hall

School: USC Trojans

Position: Guard

I talked about USC’s impending freshman class earlier when talking about Sarah Okeke. I think Saniyah is the best player in this 2026 class, and a couple of things really intrigue me about her in this USC system.

USC and Lindsay Gottlieb seem pretty committed to this position-less style of basketball. I think that plays perfectly to how Juju Watkins and Saniyah Hall will mesh. Saniyah can play multiple positions, and I think the freedom this system will give her will be advantageous for her and the team on both sides.

She can play 1 through 4 and can get buckets from anywhere on the court. The smoothness in her game at her size, mixed with efficiency, is what puts it all together. This USC team has the best recruiting class in the WBB, and I think this is the most talented team in the sport.

They should be a Final Four team, and Saniyah Hall will be paramount in where this team ends up come late March/early April.

How would you rank these college basketball freshmen from the 2026-2027 season? Rank them below!