247Sports’ expert contributor, Brandon Clay, hones in on some of the biggest names in women’s college basketball.
With official practice well underway and gameplay starting in close to two weeks, college basketball talk is starting to heat up across the country. This prompted Clay to create a list of some of the biggest women stars in college basketball.
This list of “Elite 11” players is not based on pro potential but rather it focuses on the 11 players we expect to make headlines this upcoming college basketball season.
PAIGE BUECKERS, G, UCONN HUSKIES
Bueckers set the basketball world ablaze during her freshman season in 2020-21, averaging 20 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds. Since then, the former All-American has only managed to play 17 games over the past two seasons. Bueckers, who now has an NIL deal with Nike, is back on the floor and looks like she hasn’t missed a beat. The Huskies need her presence all season long for them to get them back to the Final Four after a rare absence in 2022-23.
CAMERON BRINK, F, STANFORD CARDINALS
Brink might be the country’s premier interior defender this season. She averaged 3.5 blocks a game to go along with 15.1 points and 9.6 rebounds a game. There’s no question that Brink took a step forward with her game last season. After signing an NIL deal with New Balance this summer and playing a prominent role in their preseason basketball rollout, it’s safe to say that she’s taken a step forward off the court too.
CAITLIN CLARK, G, IOWA HAWKEYES
Unless you spent the 2022-23 postseason without any form of social media, then there was no way to miss the show Clark put on. As a result, the National Player of the Year has a NIL deal with Nike and just signed a deal with State Farm as well. Iowa lost some key pieces around Clark. Can she provide even more of a punch than her 27.8 point, 8.6 assist and 7.1 rebound stat-line did last season?
MACKENZIE HOLMES, F, INDIANA HOOSIERS
Holmes has perhaps the least amount of fanfare of any returning First-Team All American in college history. She seems to prefer it that way. Holmes had a monster season in 2022-23, finishing with 22.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She is the preseason favorite to win Big 10 Player of the Year again in 2023-24.
AALIYAH EDWARDS, F, UCONN HUSKIES
No one stepped up more in the aforementioned Bueckers’ absence than Edwards did. Edwards catapulted into the national conversation last season, averaging 16.6 points and nine rebounds per game. If she and Bueckers can develop a rhythm as this season goes along, then they might be the best inside/outside duo in the country.
RICKEA JACKSON, F, TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Jackson made a splash in her first season on the floor for the Lady Vols after transferring in from Mississippi State. She posted averages of 19.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per. More impressive than that is that Jackson posted these numbers in just over 28 minutes a contest. With Jordan Horston now in the WNBA, look for Jackson’s role and playing time to increase even more in 2023-24.
ELIZABETH KITLEY, C, VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
Kitley’s body of work the past two seasons is not rivaled by many in the college game today. A two-time ACC Player of the Year winner, Kitley averaged 18.2 points and 10.7 rebounds a game in 2022-23. She also was an elite level rim protector posting right at 2.5 blocks per game as well. She’ll be In the mix yet again as a potential First Team All-American candidate.
ANEESAH MORROW, F, LSU TIGERS
As a DePaul Blue Demon, Morrow had one of the best statistical seasons of anyone in America during the 2022-23 season. Morrow put up video game like numbers, finishing with 25.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per. After entering the Transfer Portal in the offseason, Morrow chose to take her talents to Baton Rouge. In doing so, she and Angel Reese immediately became the nation’s premier frontcourt duo going into the 2023-24 season.
ALYSSA PILI, F, UTAH UTES
Pili almost helped lead Utah to an upset of LSU and a bid in the NCAA Elite Eight last season. Though her team fell just short, Pili can look back at 2022-23 as the moment she officially put the entire country on notice with her play. She posted a final statline of 20.7 points and 5.6 rebounds a contest en route to winning PAC 12 Player of the Year honors.
ANGEL REESE, F, LSU TIGERS
Reese was the winner of the 2022-23 postseason both on the floor and away from the hardwood. She’s been featured in music videos, seen her social media following more than triple and watched her potential WNBA Draft stock shoot through the roof. Before Reese makes a decision on her future next spring, the Bayou Barbie will look to bring another trophy back to Louisiana. Averaging 23 points and 15.4 rebounds for the second consecutive season wouldn’t hurt that cause.
HAILEY VAN LITH, G, LSU TIGERS
After transferring from Louisville, can Van Lith take over at the point for Kim Mulkey’s Tigers where Alexis Morris left off last spring? Before arriving in Baton Rouge, Van Lith averaged 19.7 points, 3.2 assists a game in 2022-23. The Tigers will need her to distribute a little more with an average of five or even six assists needed to get the job done. Van Lith’s presence off the floor is already noteworthy. She also boasts an NIL deal with adidas.
