11:30 AM.
The early signing period for women's college basketball has begun. There has been a lot of movement since the top 10 of the class rankings were released. The list was expanded to 25.
UCLA overtook Oregon for the top spot. The Bruins have a huge class, both in terms of talent and size, with five players.
The Lady Dogs are in the top 10 after Janiah Barker landed at Georgia. Another group is headed to Athens after the fantastic class of Joni Taylor.
Paris Clark reopened her recruitment after previously committing to UCLA, and it appears she will make an announcement in the late signing period.
Clark is one of two prospects who have yet to make a decision. A USA Volleyball and USA Basketball player named Maggie Mendelson will play both sports in college and be reclassified from the class of 2023. The class rankings could be affected by their decisions.
The weight of recruiting classes can be influenced by individual talents and larger classes. The impact on the programs and how well the pieces fit together in the program can influence the rankings.
The early leaders for the best recruiting classes in the country.
1. The UCLA Bruins.
The previous ranking was 2.
The highest-ranked commit is the PG.
UCLA has seen a lot of commits in multiple classes since the spring. The top-rated guard in the country, Rice, was the icing on the cake. The stock-riser from the summer is No. 19 Gabriela Jaquez. Londynn Jones can create her own ball at any time. During a monster summer, Christeen Iwuala improved her ability to finish around the rim because she was a strong rebounder off the glass from Texas. The UCLA basketball team added a German player to their roster. She can score at all three levels and is a strong rebounder.
2. The Oregon Ducks are a team.
The previous ranking was 1
The highest-ranked commit is the quarterback.
Kelly Graves and the Oregon women's basketball program have a high rated recruiting class. They went to Ohio and Arizona to get four commits in the class of 2022. Gray has a serious 3-ball range. Grace VanSlooten is from Ohio and is a forward with a knack for crashing the glass. Isai is a utility player who can fill any holes on the floor. Kennedy Basham is a big who can shoot the 3 and has a back-to-the-basket game.
3. Oregon State is a college.
The previous ranking was 3.
Timea Gardiner is the highest-ranked commit.
Scott Rueck has followed up with two top 10 commits and four total in the 2022 class, which is in addition to the three top 100 players in the 2021 recruiting class. The Utah native has experience with the USA Basketball team. Raegan Beers overcame an injury that kept her out of the junior year, but she is back and showing her skills again. Beers is one of the best passers in the class, and she can bang on the block and shoot the 3. Oregon State's style of play will fit in well with Adlee Blacklock and Lilly Hansford, who are 3-point specialists.
Ayanna has shown that she is the best athlete in the class with multiple two-handed dunks.
4. The University of Connecticut's basketball team.
The previous ranking was 4.
W Ayanna Patterson is the highest-ranked commit.
Two more top 10 players, Azzi Fudd andCaroline Ducharme, will be heading to the University of Connecticut in the class of 2021. With multiple two-handed dunks, Patterson is arguably the best athlete in the class. The U18 USA 3x3 team won a gold medal over the summer. Isuneh Brady is a lefty power forward with a soft touch outside and strength inside.
5. The Cardinal is from the state of California.
The previous ranking was 5.
P Lauren Betts is the highest-ranked commit.
The best post players in women's college hoops history are Val Whiting, Nneka and Chiney Ogwomike, and the other two are Jayne Appel and Kayla Pedersen. The Cardinal have landed the best post player in the Class of 2022, and coach Tara VanDerveer knows how to use her bigs. Indya Nivar has an all-around game. She can give minutes to her team combo guard. She is a very good defender because of her strength. The roster of the Cardinal is loaded. The Cardinal are known for their cerebral point guard play, and No. 71 Talana Lepolo is a natural fit as she runs the show on the floor.
6. South Carolina football team.
The previous ranking was N/A.
P Ashlyn Watkins is the highest-ranked commit.
South Carolina has a lot of talent. Watkins brings instant energy and strength to the floor. Watkins is one of the best defenders and rebounders in the country. Her offensive skill set, which includes the spot-up 3-ball, makes her ceiling as high as anyone in the class. A big guard who thrives in the open court, No. 18 Talaysia Cooper. She has all the skills to become an elite perimeter defender at the next level. Her ability to slash and finish at the rim makes her one of the top players in the class.
Georgia moved up to the top 10 because of Janiah Barker, the third-ranked prospect in the Class of 2022.
7. The Lady Dogs of Georgia.
The previous ranking was N/A.
Janiah Barker is the highest-ranked commit.
After signing a recruiting class that included two McDonald's All-Americans in Reigan Richardson and Jillian Hollingshead, Joni Taylor has landed one of the biggest prizes in the country in Barker, the ultimate combination of size, strength, skill, agility andVersatility. She won a gold medal with the USA Basketball 3x3 squad in Hungary. One of the best shot-makers in the country is coming with her to Athens. Tineya is a small but skilled guard out of Canada.
8. The Arizona Cats.
The previous ranking was 6.
Maya Nnaji is the highest-ranked commit.
Adia Barnes is coming off of her first Final Four run as a head coach. Success can carry over into recruiting. The Arizona class of 2022 has three elite prospects in Nnaji, Kailyn Gilbert and Lemyah 85. Nnaji is a versatile forward who can play with her back to the basket as well as face up away from the paint. Gilbert is a gifted scorer, and she creates off the dribble with the best of them. The wing from Canada, named Hylton, is a high-energy wing with massive potential and elements of all-around game.
9. The Bears of Baylor.
The previous ranking was N/A.
W Ysabella Fontleroy is the highest-ranked commit.
Replacing legendary Kim Mulkey is not easy. When she took the job at Baylor, she got to work immediately. After missing a season due to an injury, Fontleroy had a major stock-rising summer. She has a great feel for the game, she has a nice stroke out to the 3-point line, and she is strong and explosive. Kyla Abraham is a post who does everything a coach asks of her: run the floor, defend, catch and finish, and intimidate shots in the paint. A highly regarded Eastern Arizona juco product was also obtained by Baylor.
10. The Golden Gophers are from Minnesota.
The previous ranking was 7.
Mara Braun is the highest-ranked commit.
Lindsay Whalen's recruiting class is her best yet with three top-100 prospects. Braun is a heady guard who can stroke the outside shots. Amaya Battle is a three-level scorer who attacks the rim hard, finishes with contact very well and can knock down the 3 at a high percentage. She was very good from the guard position. Heyer is a skilled forward who has expanded from the paint and beyond. She is good on the glass and has become a good passer.
Jackson, the 16th ranked prospect in the Class of 2022, committed to Duke.
11. The Duke Blue Devil team.
The previous ranking was 8.
Ashlon Jackson is the highest-ranked commit.
During COVID-19, Coach Kara Lawson had to take over a program, handle USA Basketball 3x3 responsibilities, as well as get on the road to build the Duke program through recruiting. Jackson is a proven winner in high school and club ball and is a positive leader. Shay Bollin is a forward who can fill a lot of holes on the floor. She can shoot and facilitate for teammates and create off the bounce. Emma Koabel is a Canadian signee who specializes in long-range shooting.
12. The Miami Hurricanes.
The previous ranking was N/A.
Kyla Oldacre is the highest-ranked commit.
Oldacre and Spearman have joined the Miami frontcourt class, which is arguably the best in the country. Oldacre is an old-school post with a strong back-to-the-basket game and great hands. Spearman can stretch the defense to the 3-point line, as well as attack the glass. They are a very good combination.
13. The Louisville Cards.
The previous ranking was 9.
The highest-ranked commit is F Nyla Harris.
Louisville hits the recruiting trails hard. As a head coach, Jeff Walz is always active in recruiting. The class of 2021, which was two people, grew to three when forward Alexia Mobley came to campus a year early. They have four commitments in the year 2022. Harris is from Lake Highland Prep in Florida. A big guard from Kansas named Zyanna Walker missed last season due to injury. Imani Lester is a F/P who can stretch the floor to the top of the key. Jalyn Brown is a long wing with a slashing ability.
14. The Washington Huskies are a team.
The previous ranking was 10.
Hannah Stines is the highest-ranked commit.
Tina Langley took over at Washington after taking Rice to the women's NCAA tournament. She landed three recruits in the Top 100. Stines is a guard who can shoot from deep and has a creative handle. Stines is a very similar sound guard to No. 53 Ladine. She can play both on and off the ball. Teagan Brown is a guard who defends the perimeter well and also has a nice pull-up jumper. The ability to shoot the basketball is a hot commodity that these three players bring. The impact these players will have on Washington is well set up.
15. The Texas Longhorns.
The previous ranking was N/A.
W Mwenentanda is the highest-ranked commit.
After landing three McDonald's All-Americans and finishing with the 4th class in 2021, Vic Schaefer continued to strike successfully on the recruiting trail. Texas has three recruits. Mwenentanda has a pull-up jumper and is a defensive weapon. No. 63 Amina Muhammad is an excellent player on the glass. Jordana Codio is a skilled and wise person on the floor. She has a nice jumper that can help the Longhorns stretch the floor, and she could see minutes as a wing or a forward.
16. Texas A&M is a school.
The previous ranking was N/A.
The highest-ranked commit is the G.
Gary Blair's final season at the helm of the A&M has secured their backcourt talent for the foreseeable future. These players fit A&M's system because they are ultra-talented. McDaniel can score and create for teammates. Gia Cooke is a point guard out of Bishop McNamara in Maryland and she is very quick with the ball. Guard Mya Petticord can create her shot with the best of them.
Kim Mulkey returned to LSU and has the Tigers in the top 20 of the recruiting class rankings.
17. The LSU Tigers.
The previous ranking was N/A.
Flau'jae Johnson is the highest-ranked commit.
Kim Mulkey is from Louisiana. Mulkey's reputation as a recruiter speaks for itself, and she has locked in her first class at LSU. Johnson is a player who likes to play in big moments. Sa'Myah Smith is a playmaking forward that has elite length and a burgeoning skill set. Last-Tear Poa is a junior college transfer who is considered the No. 1 prospect in the juco level after leading Northwest Florida to the title last year. Poa is an elite shooter with a combination of speed and skill.
18. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are a team.
The previous ranking was N/A.
Tonie Morgan is the highest-ranked commit.
They did a great job of recruiting in their region. One of the best point guards in her class is out of Florida's Lake Highland Prep. A forward from Mount Paran Christian School, Kara Dunn can score in bunches. Four-star guard Paris Miller is a high-level perimeter defender who can shoot the 3. Boswell is a lefty who likes the pull-up jumper.
19. The Princeton Tigers are a team.
The previous ranking was N/A.
Tabitha Amanze is the highest-ranked commit.
The Ivy League is making a mark in the class rankings. The conference elected not to play in 2020-21 and that is why Coach Berube is in her third year at the school. The player in Amanze has the highest upside in the class. She missed the summer due to a knee injury, but is expected to be back on the court at some point this high school season. The skill and leadership intangibles of No. 46 Madison St. Rose will help the team for years to come.
20. The Iowa Hawkeyes.
The previous ranking was N/A.
W Hannah Stuelke is the highest-ranked commit.
Iowa's class was ranked 22nd last year. One of three top-100 signees, Stuelke is a strong forward with face-up skills. Jada Gyamfi is a smooth player. She can shoot the 3 and make others better with her passing. A knock-down shooter is No. 89 Taylor McCabe.
21. The Knights of UCF.
The previous ranking was N/A.
The highest-ranked commit is W Henderson.
UCF will join the Big 12 in the near future, and coach Abrahamson-Henderson is ahead of the curve in terms of her level of recruiting. She has landed her own daughter. Henderson was poised to have a big summer before he injured his knee. She had gained more strength and gained more skills in all areas, including her perimeter shooting. Amiya Evans is the daughter of Reggie Evans. They both have blue-collar approach to defense and rebound, as well as skills to keep the defense honest out to the high post. A point guard named Stefanie Ingram brings a lot of smarts to the floor. Fatima Diakhate is a post with a lot of potential.
22. The Michigan Wolverines.
The previous ranking was N/A.
The highest-ranked commit is F Alyssa Crockett.
The Michigan class is ranked in the top 25 recruiting classes. Crockett is a wing/forward who can shoot, pass, and lead the offense. Kate is a guard who can shoot it. A four-star forward out of Australia, Chyra Evans is a good pick-and-roll player, can knock down the 3, and put the ball on the deck. Kim Barnes Arico is a good fit for this class.
23. The auburn tigers
The previous ranking was N/A.
The highest-ranked commit is the quarterback.
In April, Johnnie Harris became the head coach at auburn and immediately started her first class. Shaw is a skilled and quick lead guard who has improved throughout her high school career. Shaw is one of the top juco guards in the country, and he's joined by another, Ja Kayla Johnson, who was a top scorer for Jones County last year. Carolyn Jones-Young had her jersey retired after she helped lead the Tigers to two Final Fours. The downhill slasher on the perimeter is given by a Texan. Mya will add size and skill to the frontcourt. Richardson will add physical and size.
24. The Kentucky Wildcats.
The previous ranking was N/A.
The highest-ranked commit is P Tionna Herron.
Two of the four recruits in the second year of the program are in the EspnW 100. Herron is a traditional post player with a face-up game. Amiya is a defensive player and gets in the passing lanes. Cassidy Rowe is a floor general with a quality handle and is good at driving the ball and creating. Saniah Tyler is a fast and athletic player with a shifty handle and can score.
25. West Virginia is home to the WVU football team.
The previous ranking was N/A.
The highest-ranked commit is the quarterback.
Two top 100 players have been signed by Mike Carey. A pass-first mentality and a good demeanor help others be better. She can drive to the rim and defend. The forward has the ability to shoot the 3.
Next up: Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Tennessee.
