12th place among Women’s NCAA Basketball Impact Rookies

Nothing announces that the women’s college basketball season is closer than the official start of practices. First Night will be held across the country on Friday, an opportunity to showcase the team in front of its home fans before the real action begins with the season opener on November 4.

First Night is also an opportunity for fans to see new faces on their new teams for the first time, whether they have arrived through the transfer portal or through traditional recruiting.

USC brings in one of the best recruiting classes in the country and adds two senior transfers in Kiki Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen. That talented group joins JuJu Watkins in making the Trojans one of the leading challengers for South Carolina’s national title defense. UConn brought in Sarah Strong, the nation’s top recruit, and added a key piece with Kaitlyn Chen to complement Paige Bueckers as she pursues her second National Player of the Year honors. And teams like Maryland and Ohio State have revamped their rosters with freshmen and transfers, giving them top competition from USC and UCLA, who entered the Big Ten as immediate favorites.

Many of these players will play a major role in how the basketball landscape changes in March. But which of them will have the biggest impact on the March Madness race? While not all of them are in the conversation for the best player in the country, these 12 are expected to make the biggest impact this coming season.

1. Kiki Iriafen, 6-3, F, Gr., USC

No transfer choice will have a greater impact on the 2024-25 national title race than Iriapen’s impact on the Trojans. After considering South Carolina forgetting the Gamecocks’ repeated bottom line, Iriafen decided to team up with JuJu Watkins in Los Angeles to create one of the leading contenders for South Carolina’s crown. Iriafen averaged 6.7 points and a Stanford-best 19.4 PPG as a sophomore, making her a projected top-three WNBA pick. Her 11.0 rebounds per game were good for 9th in the country. Her production and efficiency will mesh well with the dynamic Watkins.

Beers was one of the last transfers to choose a new school, but one of the most important. The Sooners are bringing almost everyone back to the SEC, but needed more size, strength, interior defense and someone who can finish at the rim consistently. That’s what Coach Jenny Baranczyk gets from the Beers. The best of the seven players to leave Oregon State after the Pac-12 disbanded, Beavers led the Beavers in scoring (17.5 PPG) and rebounding (10.6 RPG) while shooting 66.4% from the field. Her unselfishness and ability to get out of the post can make shooters like Payton Verhulst, Lexy Keys and Aubrey Joens better.

Having Amoore join Lexington was key as Kenny Brooks looked to rebuild the Kentucky program at Virginia Tech. She is a proven leader, scorer and All-American level point guard. This will be key against SEC backcourts like South Carolina, Texas and LSU and gives the Wildcats immediate credibility after back-to-back losing seasons. She averaged 18.6 points and an ACC-leading 6.8 assists last season and was a third-team All-American.

Last season, Leger-Walker suffered a knee injury in a game against UCLA that ended his season at Washington State. Now her college career will end with an effort to bring a national championship to the Bruins. Leger-Walker is the top transfer in Cori Close’s portal haul, which also includes Janiah Barker (Texas A&M) and Timea Gardiner (Oregon State). This is because it gives Kiki Rice an experienced backcourt running mate in place of Charisma Osborne. Leger-Walker was one of the Pac-12’s best players in four seasons as a Cougar, averaging 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for his career.

5. Caitlin Chen, 5-9, G, Sr., UConn

Paige Bueckers played more off the ball last year thanks to Nika Muhl’s presence. The Huskies are hoping Chen can do just that this season. Chen, the 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year, may not be at Muhl’s level as a defender, but he may be better as a playmaker and scorer. She led Princeton with 15.8 points per game and led the Ivy League with 4.9 assists. If Chen produces at a high level and Azzi Fudd stays healthy, the Huskies will have one of the most polished backcourts in the country.

Comparisons to Caitlin Clark will be unfair and unavoidable, but if Olsen can simply replicate the kind of production she had at Villanova last season, the Hawkeyes will be just fine in the first year after Clark and Jan Jensen. solidarity. Olson isn’t a shooter or distributor like Clark, but he can score. Last season, only Clark and JuJu Watkins averaged more points than Olsen’s 23.2 points per game. She has started all 105 games for Villanova over the past three seasons and led the Big East in minutes last year.

7. Sarah Strong, 6-2, F, Fr., UConn

Strong not only represents another No. 1 high school recruit that Geno Auriemma and his staff have brought to Storrs, but he may also be the player missing from their 12th national championship. Even if the Huskies can stay healthy unlike the past three seasons, they don’t have a proven frontcourt scorer. Strong will still be a freshman learning the college game in a difficult environment, but her qualifications (three gold medals at FIBA ​​competition with Team USA, three state championships at North Carolina, National High School Player of the Year honors, etc.) show her The qualifications are as follows: She may be ready to take on that role.

Nikki Collen needed to add some size to a guard-heavy team, and with Vonleh, they got one of the best centers in the country in the portal. Perhaps no player on this list fills a need as well as Vonleh, who made first-team All-Pac-12 and averaged 14.0 points on 54.9 percent shooting in his second and final season in Colorado. Her biggest job is defending and rebounding the paint. If so, Baylor could be in position to win its first Big 12 title since 2022.

As one of the most recognizable names in sports, Van Lith will bring additional attention to a growing TCU program under Mark Campbell. The Horned Frogs will play six games on national television after none last year. Van Rees, who averaged 19.7 points per game at Louisville in 2023 and 11.6 points in one season at LSU in 2024, could lead a pack of experienced scoring guards that includes Madison Connor, Agnes Emma-Nnopu and fellow transfers. Maddie Scherr (Kentucky) and Donovyn Hunter (Oregon State).

The Buckeyes were ranked 14th in the preseason AP poll released Tuesday, and if they are to live up to that spot in March, Cambridge will have to be the reason. Coach Kevin McGuff signed forward Aje Petty (Kentucky) and guard Chance Gray (Oregon), but he needs another dynamic playmaker, and Cambridge has that ability. Her speed suits Ohio State’s up-tempo style and will pair well with the finishing skills of the Buckeyes’ best player, Cotie McMahon.

11. Joyce Edwards, 6-3, F, Fr., South Carolina

The Gamecocks have a loaded backcourt, but frontcourt depth is thin due to Camila Cardoso’s graduation and Ashlyn Watkins’ status as unknown for the season. This leaves a big opportunity for the No. 3 recruit in the country who decided to stay in his home country to play for Dawn Staley. Watkins is currently suspended for an off-court incident this offseason, leaving Sania Feagin and Chloe Kitts as the only experienced forwards on the roster. Edwards is known for his relentless rebounding and work ethic. This means she would be a perfect fit for South Carolina.

With Maddy Westbeld sidelined to start the season with a foot injury, Karlen has been an important addition for the Irish. Karlen averaged 17.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game at Marquette, playing for former Notre Dame guard Megan Duffy. Karlen isn’t as much of a shooter or defender as Westbeld, but she’s close and has put up similar numbers over her four-year career.