Final Four Firepower: Ranking the 15 Women’s Stars Set to Ignite

As only four teams persist in the NCAA competition, ESPN has condensed its ultimate women’s college basketball player rankings for 2025-26 to 15, with the competition relocating to Phoenix for the national semifinals.

Sarah Strong of UConn maintains her premier position, having steered the Huskies to their 25th Final Four thanks to a pair of triumphs in Fort Worth Regional 1. Strong has held the top spot ever since the preseason evaluations. The second-year player endeavors to mirror the achievement of past Huskies star Breanna Stewart: securing four national titles across her quartet of seasons.

Seeking to thwart her in the semifinals will be South Carolina, a squad boasting such a well-balanced offensive strategy that five Gamecocks earned a place on this roster. On the opposing side of the bracket, both Texas (represented by Madison Booker) and UCLA (featuring Lauren Betts) each possess a player within the top five.

The national semifinal games are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, airing on ESPN, while Sunday’s championship contest will commence at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Forward | 6-foot-2 | Sophomore

Sweet 16 ranking: 1

2025-26 stats: 18.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 59.4% FG

Under any rational measure, delivering a 21-point, seven-rebound showing in a regional final would be deemed exceptional. Yet, these were the figures Strong recorded against Notre Dame, and it appeared she was somewhat underperforming for much of Sunday’s match. Strong has established such a lofty benchmark that a 6-for-13 shooting effort seems like an off day. Nevertheless, on the defensive end, Strong was remarkable in Fort Worth, Texas. She compiled 10 steals, five blocks, and 16 defensive rebounds, serving as the primary force in limiting North Carolina and Notre Dame to a combined 94 points. UConn itself achieved that many points in a single game on 10 separate occasions this season. Strong stands as the nation’s premier defensive player, and her performance on that aspect of the court could secure the Huskies their 13th national championship. — Charlie Creme

Forward | 6-1 | Junior

Sweet 16 ranking: 5

2025-26 stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.8 APG

She was recognized as the most outstanding player of the Fort Worth Regional 3 as the Longhorns effortlessly triumphed over Kentucky and Michigan. Booker amassed 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists versus the Wildcats, and 19 points with seven rebounds against the Wolverines. Throughout this NCAA tournament, she is achieving a field goal percentage of 58.6% while averaging 22.5 points and 8.8 rebounds. Furthermore, she ranks among the team’s key inspirational figures. The last occasion Booker encountered the Bruins, during Texas’s 76-65 victory over UCLA in November at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, she contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. — Michael Voepel

Guard | 5-11 | Senior

Sweet 16 ranking: 4

2025-26 stats: 17.5 PPG, 3.1 APG, 45.5% 3FG

Fudd’s shooting accuracy in the regionals (9-for-24) mirrored the overall UConn performance. Her 23 points across the two games fell significantly short of the 34 Fudd tallied in Round 2 facing Syracuse. However, sometimes the timing is as crucial as the quantity. Fudd registered eight of her 13 points against Notre Dame in the fourth quarter, effectively dispelling any thoughts of an Irish resurgence. She also provided five assists and three steals in the game against Notre Dame. This is the very same Fudd who was honored as the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player just one year prior. In her two previous matchups against South Carolina last season, she put up 28 and 24 points respectively. — Charlie Creme

Center | 6-7 | Senior

Sweet 16 ranking: 6

2025-26 stats: 17.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.2 APG

It is hardly a shock that Betts has emerged as UCLA’s top performer throughout the initial four tournament contests, powering the Bruins’ return to the Final Four. She is averaging 24.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.0 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game in the competition, making an impact across every segment of the court. In UCLA’s Elite Eight victory over Duke, Betts’ five blocks cemented her status as the program’s all-time leader in blocks, accumulating 230 throughout her career. She has amassed 71 (and continues to add more) in this current season alone. — Kendra Andrews

Forward | 6-3 | Sophomore

Sweet 16 ranking: 8

2025-26 stats: 19.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 58.2% FG

With 20.5 points per game across four NCAA tournament matchups, Edwards is surpassing her regular-season play, even accounting for an eight-point contribution in the regional semifinals against Oklahoma. On Monday against TCU, Edwards matched her season-best with 20 field goal attempts, an additional illustration of her increasing self-assurance. She is no longer attempting to discern her role in these high-pressure contests; Edwards is dictating their progression. Although South Carolina required until the fourth quarter to overcome the Horned Frogs, Edwards established the Gamecocks’ interior supremacy and played a significant role in their 18-point differential in the paint. — Creme

Forward | 6-2 | Freshman

Sweet 16 ranking: 19

2025-26 stats: 10.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 54.1% FG

There’s nothing quite like achieving the second-highest scoring performance of one’s career during what has been, to date, the most pivotal game of that career. The gravity of a regional final did not overwhelm Quiñonez, and the contest against

Notre Dame’s trajectory could have been significantly altered had she not tallied 20 points. The 14 points achieved in the initial half were even more critical to the outcome, especially since Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd were performing below their peak then. It’s plausible that Quiñonez will eventually emerge as UConn’s top player, potentially even the nation’s premier athlete. Presently, however, she occupies a position secondary to the two experienced players, having proven her preparedness for action. — Creme

Guard | 6-0 | Junior

Sweet 16 ranking: 17

2025-26 stats: 12.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 44.5% 3FG

Johnson truly shined in March, achieving double-digit scores in all but a single contest. Approaching April and the Final Four, Johnson represents South Carolina’s most potent perimeter scoring danger. In this championship, she has made 11 of 17 attempts (64.7%) from downtown, notably achieving a perfect 5-of-5 during regional wins against Oklahoma and TCU. Against the Sooners, she contributed 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists, and followed with 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists facing the Horned Frogs. — Voepel

Center | 6-6 | Senior

Sweet 16 ranking: 22

2025-26 stats: 13.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 58.4% FG

While Okot’s scoring decreased from 15 points in each of the first two rounds to a mere 15 points combined in the Sacramento regional, South Carolina still clinched both games by 52 points, underscoring the Gamecocks’ multifaceted winning capability. Her substantial physique remained vital, contributing to the limitation of TCU’s Marta Suarez and Clara Silva to a mere 5-of-20 combined shooting in the Elite Eight. Okot’s season-long display surpassed all predictions, and in hindsight, was precisely the asset South Carolina needed to advance this far. She exhibits greater skill now than she did last year at Mississippi State, and her future prospects are immense. — Creme

Guard | 5-9 | Senior

Sweet 16 ranking: unranked

2025-26 stats: 10.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.4 APG

Johnson, the core of the Gamecocks’ defense, presented an excellent regional display. During South Carolina’s Sweet 16 win against Oklahoma, she shot 8-of-11 from the floor, accumulating 18 points, two rebounds, and three assists. Facing TCU in the regional final victory, Johnson achieved 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. She is in her fifth season with South Carolina, having taken a redshirt year initially due to a knee injury. Every season she has spent at South Carolina, the Gamecocks have reached the Final Four. — Voepel

Guard | 5-11 | Senior

Sweet 16 ranking: 23

2025-26 stats: 15.2 PPG, 4.5 APG, 49.7% FG

Throughout the tournament, Rice has consistently delivered, offering the Bruins extra points and playmaking, but her overall efficiency has declined. Her current field goal success rate is 38.5%, which is roughly 10% below her regular-season average. To overcome Texas, UCLA critically requires Rice to be both an incisive scorer and an offensive magnet, capable of drawing defenders from the lane by her mere presence. — Andrews

Guard | 6-foot | senior

Sweet 16 ranking: unranked

2025-26 stats: 9.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 50.8% FG

Through the initial four rounds, Dugalić has stood out as the Bruins’ second-highest performing player. She secured a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double in the Sweet 16, then enhanced her performance with 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the Elite Eight. Playing alongside Betts, she provides UCLA with a considerable advantage in stature. If the leading center is substituted, Dugalić makes certain the Bruins can continue to operate their offense effectively in the interior, a critical element of their achievements. — Andrews

Guard | 5-foot-6 | senior

Sweet 16 ranking: unranked

2025-26 stats: 8.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.3 APG

As her remarkable career culminates, one that witnessed the rejuvenation of Texas women’s basketball, Harmon this season broke school career records for both assists and steals. Texas secured the Big 12 tournament title in her freshman year (2022), marking their first such victory since 2003. Now as an SEC member, Texas is making its second consecutive appearance in the Final Four. She tallied 11 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and six steals against Kentucky in the Fort Worth Regional 3. During the regional championship game versus Michigan, she recorded seven points, seven rebounds, and 13 assists, a figure that equaled an NCAA tournament record for assists in an Elite Eight game. Harmon spearheaded Texas’ November victory against UCLA with 26 points and five assists. — Voepel

Guard | 5-8 | senior

Sweet 16 ranking: unranked

2025-26 stats: 14.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.5 APG

After three years at Florida State, Latson’s transfer to South Carolina was partly driven by the opportunity to compete in a Final Four. She also held the belief that her overall play would benefit. In the Sweet 16 match against Oklahoma, she recorded her second-highest point tally of the season with 28, complemented by five assists, shooting 7-of-11 from the field (a flawless 4-of-4 from three-point range) and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. Her contribution was more modest in the regional final, delivering only three points and three assists against TCU. To overcome UConn, the Gamecocks will require significant scoring from Latson. — Voepel

Guard | 6-0 | Sophomore

Sweet 16 ranking: unranked

2025-26 stats: 13.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.5 APG

Last year, as a freshman in the NCAA tournament, she produced several notable plays, reaching double-digit scoring thrice, including a 16-point effort against South Carolina in the national semifinals. Lee has truly come into her own this season, ranking as Texas’ second-highest scorer and third in assists. Against Kentucky in the regional semifinals, she contributed 18 points, three assists, and three steals. Despite a difficult 2-of-17, four-point showing against Michigan in the Elite Eight, coach Vic Schaefer reiterated his faith in her post-game, vowing she would never again shoot so inadequately. Even when her offensive game was absent, Lee remained instrumental in limiting Michigan to just 41 points. Lee scored 13 points in November when Texas overcame UCLA. — Voepel

Guard | 6-foot | Senior

Sweet 16 ranking: unranked

2025-26 stats: 13.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 54.2% FG

Throughout this tournament, Jaquez has been a consistent and remarkably efficient scorer, averaging around 11 points per game on 53.1% shooting from the field. She provides the Bruins with a dynamic option for driving to the basket, thereby aiding their success in the painted area. While her regional performance wasn’t her most robust, when she’s in form, she adds a crucial new element to UCLA’s offensive strategy. — Andrews