Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 Final Four

Updating the Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 as JuJu Watkins of the USC Trojans leads the way

By admin | April 23, 2024

The one thing is for sure is that entering each Women’s College Basketball season the hype and excitement built around the top incoming freshman is at the peak level. The same can be said for the strong crop of freshmen that took to the floor during the 2023-2024 Women’s College Basketball schedule. As the next wave of Women’s College Basketball talent starts with the top tier recruits the most recent class delivered a stellar group of freshman players including top overall recruit JuJu Watkins who did not disappoint. Watkins, who finished the season ranked among the top scorers in all of college basketball, lands atop the Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 list.

Watkins has been front and center of the bright lights for years, entering campus ranked the top overall recruit while also earning National Player of the Year honors during her senior season in High School.

The Trojans star did not miss a beat in her first season finishing averaging 27.1 points per game trailing only Caitlin Clark in scoring in all of Women’s College Basketball.

Joining Watkins among the best freshman’s list is Hannah Hidalgo of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Madison Booker of the Texas Longhorns, Mikaylah Williams of the LSU Tigers, and Audi Crooks of the Iowa State Cyclones.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024:

Honorable Mention

Carter McCray

School: Northern Kentucky Norse

Position: Center

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Just missing the Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 list is talented freshman center Carter McCray. McCray capped off a stellar freshman season playing in 31 games for the Northern Kentucky Norse.

While often overlooked based on playing for a smaller Women’s College Basketball program, it is hard to look past the numbers and her performance all season long.

The six-foot one-inch freshman from Oberlin, Ohio finished the season as the only freshman to average a double double in her first season. McCray finished the season with 17 double double performances while finishing the season averaging 15.7 points per game to go along with 11.2 rebounds.

Kenley McCarn

School: UT Martin Skyhawks

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Another talented freshman to miss the list is the UT Martin Skyhawks freshman guard Kenley McCarn.

McCarn, who has solid size at the guard position at five foot 11 inches was a vital part of the team’s success in winning the OVC Championship while also earning a trip to the NCAA Women’s Championship tournament.

McCarn finished her freshman season averaging 16.5 points per game over 37.8 minutes per game while also adding 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Meanwhile on the opposite end of the floor Mccarn averaged 1.5 steals including posting three steals in eight games this season.

Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings

10. Raegan McCowan

School: Western Illinois Leathernecks

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 7

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 list is Raegan McCowan. The Western Illinois Leathernecks star guard who is often overlooked among the best freshmen in Women’s College Basketball capped off a stellar freshman season.

Over 30 games McCowan averaged 19.4 points per game while turning in 11 20 plus point performances, two 30 plus point performances and a season high 45 points back in late February.

To go along with the strong scoring efforts, McCowan also posted eight double doubles while averaging 8.1 rebounds per game.

9. Addy Brown

School: Iowa State Cyclones

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 9

As you look at the Iowa State Cyclones, the team landed two of the top freshmen in the country prior to the start of the 2023-2024 in Addy Brown and Audi Crooks.

The two will look to build on their success this season over the next three seasons. The six-foot two inch forward from Derby, Kansas finished off her freshman season averaging 13 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

The talented forward has an all-around great floor presence with the ability to not only score but also attack the glass opening up additional shots and limiting opponents on second chance scoring opportunities.

8. MiLaysia Fulwiley

School: South Carolina Gamecocks

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks continue to land talented incoming freshmen allowing the team to remain the team to beat in the SEC as well as within Women’s College Basketball.

One of the latest freshmen to take the floor is MiLaysia Fulwiley who played a critical role in the team winning their second National Championship over the past three seasons.

Fulwiley averaged just 18.4 minutes per game across the season but made the most of her time averaging 11.7 points per game to go along with 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists. With a loaded roster of veterans, Fulwiley stepped right in while contributing to strong defense and an aggressive attack on the offensive end of the floor.

7. Zanai Barnett-Gay

School: Navy Midshipmen

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 5

One talented freshman who has gone under the radar for most of the 2023-2024 Women’s College Basketball season is the Navy Midshipman guard Zanai Barnett-Gay.

While it is not often you see a talent as strong as Barnett-Gay on the Midshipmen, it has happened over time while the talented guard ranked among the top freshman scorers in the country.

The five-foot eight-inch guard from Glenn Dale, Maryland highlighted her ability to play at a prominent level all season while averaging 18.2 points per game to go along with 6.2 rebounds and three assists per game.

The production does not stop as the Midshipman freshman also ranked among the best defenders in college basketball while also posting three steals per game.

6. Taliah Scott

School: Arkansas Razorbacks

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 3

One freshman who may have landed much higher on the list of the top freshmen is Taliah Scott however an injury limited Scott to just 20 games.

Despite the injury Scott returned strong finishing the season with at least 23 points in her last four games of the season each coming after missing nearly all of January.

The Arkansas Razorbacks guard is a talented all-around player who can shoot the ball from all over the floor including behind the three-point line. Over 20 games played Scott finished the season averaging 22.1 points per game while shooting 29.5 percent from behind the three-point line and 40.7 percent from the floor.

To go along with the scoring the Razorbacks freshman also added 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game over that stretch.

5. Audi Crooks

School: Iowa State Cyclones

Position: Center

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 list is the talented Iowa State Cyclones center Audi Crooks.

Crooks, who went under the radar for most of the season till a big time run to end the season including posting 40 points and 12 rebounds in the team’s win over the Maryland Terps in the opening round of the 2023-24 NCAA Women’s Championship to open March Madness.

Crooks is a big strong physical center who did a little bit of everything this season including averaging 19.2 points per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor and 31.3 percent from behind the three-point line.

4. Mikaylah Williams

School: LSU Tigers

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 6

Depending on which Women’s College Basketball prospect list you were looking at entering the season, Mikaylah Williams may have been the top overall prospect.

While Williams posted a strong season in her freshman season, the lack of opportunities may have been present playing on a roster loaded with star power including stars like Angel Reese Aneesah Morrow, and Flau’Jae Johnson the opportunities but Williams capitalized averaging 16.4 points per game on a roster that featured five starters averaging double figures.

Nonetheless Williams was as dominant as any freshman in the country and highlighted her season also adding 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

3. Madison Booker

School: Texas Longhorns

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: Unranked

As you start to look around at the talented crop of freshmen within Women’s College Basketball it is hard to not like what the future holds for the game.

One of those talented freshmen is the Texas Longhorns Madison Booker who did a little bit of everything this season while helping the team not only win the Big 12 Championship but also make a run to the Elite Eight of the 2023-2024 Women’s National Championship Tournament.

The six-foot one inch forward finished the season averaging 14.5 points per game while also adding five rebounds and dishing out five assists per game.

2. Hannah Hidalgo

School: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 2

When it comes to the top two freshmen in the country each put together stellar first seasons while living up to their 1-2 prospect rankings. One of those two freshmen to average at least 20 points over at least 30 games this season is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Hannah Hidalgo.

Hidalgo finished the season ranked sixth among all scorers averaging 22.6 points per game as well as 24^th overall while dishing out 5.5 assists per game. Hidalgo was equally dominant running the team’s offense and finding open teammates as her own ability to score nearly at will against most teams this season.

While offense plays a huge role it is hard to look past a better defender on the defensive end of the floor as Hidalgo also led the nation while averaging 4.6 steals per game.

1. JuJu Watkins

School: USC Trojans

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 1

In at number one on the Top 10 Women’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2023-2024 list is the USC Trojans talented guard JuJu Watkins.

Watkins, who entered the season as the top overall recruit among Women’s College Basketball did not disappoint while playing herself into consideration for multiple ends of the season awards while helping the Trojans reach the Elite Eight before falling to an incredibly talented UConn Huskies team.

The Los Angeles, California native finished the season ranked second in scoring averaging 27.1 points per game while posting 14 30 plus point performances including one 42-point game and a career high 51 point game in the team’s key win over a fourth ranked Stanford Cardinal team.

To go along with scoring Watkins added 7.3 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists while also posting 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocked shots on the opposite end of the floor.

How would you rank these college basketball freshmen for the 2023-2024 season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings.