The 2022-23 women’s college basketball season tips off Monday, taking us on a four-month journey that culminates with the best time of the year, March Madness.

Before the games begin, Just Women’s Sports’ basketball experts explain which teams and players they’ll have their eye on during an action-packed season. JWS’ Eden Laase, Lyndsey D’Arcangelo and Rachel Galligan make their picks for end-of-season award winners and predict breakout players, surprise teams and much more.

Freshman of the Year

Laase: Lauren Betts, Stanford

Betts will have her work cut out for her, given the depth and talent of Stanford’s frontcourt, but her talent is unmatched. Eventually, I envision the No. 1 recruit carving out an important role for the 2020 national champion Cardinal — likely off the bench. Betts is a skilled passer whose touch around the rim is that of a player far beyond her age. I expect Stanford to make a deep run this season, and Betts will be a big part of that.

D’Arcangelo: Kiki Rice, UCLA

There are a handful of freshmen who have an opportunity to make an immediate impact on their teams, including Ayanna Patterson (UConn), Janiah Barker (Texas A&M) and Lauren Betts (Stanford). But I’m going with the No. 1-ranked point guard in the nation and 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year, Kiki Rice. UCLA went 18-13 last season, and Rice is the type of player who can come in and help turn the Bears’ program around with her shot-making skills, confidence and court vision.

Galligan: Maya Nnaji, Arizona

The 6-foot-4 freshman forward out of Hopkins, Minn. is Arizona’s highest-rated recruit in program history, at No. 9 in the Class of 2022. Nnaji’s length, athleticism and versatile skill set will give Adia Barnes a much-needed offensive and defensive asset for her system. I fully expect Nnaji to get thrown into the rotation early and often, and to have an impact on Arizona from the jump as a complement to fifth-year forward Cate Reese.

Defensive Player of the Year

Laase: Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

I see a lot of repeat awards in Boston’s future, starting with the DPOY. Beyond the obviously impressive numbers (8.4 defensive boards and 2.4 blocks per game last season), Boston anchors the South Carolina defense in a way that dictates everything around her. Having an elite rim protector and rebounder like Boston allows the entire defense to be more aggressive. Even if she’s not initiating a big defensive play, like a block, Boston is making steals and forcing opponents into poor possessions, simply because her teammates know if they make a mistake going for a steal, she will be there to back them up.

D’Arcangelo: Aliyah Boston

Boston and Stanford’s Cameron Brink are two of the strongest defensive players in women’s college basketball, and that’s not going to change this year. But Boston’s endless hustle on the boards and dominance in the paint continue to set her apart. She averaged 7.4 defensive rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.2 steals last season, while committing only 1.4 fouls per game. Boston’s impressive combination of body control, timing and rim protection is almost uncanny, and it’s scary to think she will only keep getting better in her senior season.

Galligan: Aliyah Boston

This is a no-brainer based on the defensive dominance we have seen from Boston during her career at South Carolina. Boston’s imposing size, rim protection and rebounding ability are unmatched. Last season, the Gamecocks allowed just 50.7 points per game, ranking third in the nation. They were also first in blocks per game and in the top five in defensive and offensive rebounds per game. Their ability to frustrate and suffocate opponents offensively starts with the presence of the three-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Coach of the Year

Laase: Kellie Harper, Tennessee

The Volunteers have improved every year with Harper at the helm. They advanced to the second round in 2021 and followed that up with a Sweet 16 run last season. But that squad was plagued by injuries, keeping top players like Rae Burrell and Jordan Horston out for extended periods. Joining Horston this season are key transfers Harper secured in the offseason, most notably Rickea Jackson from Mississippi State. The Vols start the year ranked fifth in the country, and they have the tools to make a deep tournament run.

D’Arcangelo: Vic Schaefer, Texas

In his first two years as head coach, Schaefer has led Texas to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances. Ranked third overall in the AP’s Top 25 preseason poll, the Longhorns have their sights set on the Final Four. I think Scheafer has enough talent on this roster to get there. With Rori Harmon on the cusp of a breakout season and Shaylee Gonzales coming over from BYU, Texas could have its best season since 2003.

Galligan: Kenny Brooks, Virginia Tech

Brooks has assembled a squad that’s projected to finish second in the ACC, with three players on the all-preseason list for the first time in program history. Veteran returners Elizabeth Kitley, Georgia Amoore, Cayla King and Kayana Traylor accounted for 67 percent of Virginia Tech’s scoring last season. With Ashley Owusu (Maryland transfer) and Taylor Soule (Boston College transfer) entering the mix this season, the Hokies have the firepower to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. Brooks has a longstanding reputation of development and could very well be in the conversation for Coach of the Year toward the end of the season.

Player of the Year

Laase: Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

I’m picking Boston on the same criteria as I did last season: the top player on a top team who is elite on both offense and defense. Nine times out of 10, I’ll choose the same player for DPOY and POY, simply because I put a lot of stock into defensive abilities. We’ve already gone over Boston’s defensive prowess, but her offense is equally impressive. She averaged 16.8 points and 12.5 rebounds a game last season while shooting 54 percent from the field. That level of efficiency is exemplary when you consider the kind of defensive matchups, double teams and contact she is facing night in and night out.

D’Arcangelo: Caitlin Clark, Iowa

A dynamic scorer with incredible court vision, Clark led the nation in both points (27) and assists (eight) per game in 2022. But having the ball in her hands the majority of the time hindered her ability to get open looks. With Central Michigan transfer Molly Davis in the Hawkeyes’ backcourt as an additional ball handler, Clark will be free to come off screens and even post up against smaller guards. She worked on her strength and conditioning in the offseason, raising her game to yet another level. In 2021, Paige Bueckers won the POY race. Last season, it was Aliyah Boston. This year, I think it’s Clark’s turn.

Galligan: Aliyah Boston

For me, it comes down to the most dominant player in the country on the most dominant team in the country. Boston’s greatness has been on full display over the course of her three years at South Carolina, and I believe this season will be her best yet for the preseason favorites.

All-American Team

Laase: Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Ashley Joens, Haley Jones, Elizabeth Kitley

D’Arcangelo: Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Haley Jones, Azzi Fudd, Elizabeth Kitley

Galligan: Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Haley Van Lith, Haley Jones, Elizabeth Kitley

Breakout player

Laase: Ashley Owusu, Virginia Tech / Destiny Adams, North Carolina

I’m picking two players this time around because I think they will break out in different ways.

Owusu isn’t your typical breakout player because she is a well-known and established talent, having averaged 14.3 points and 3.7 assists per game last season. But Maryland clearly wasn’t a good situation for the guard, whose numbers actually decreased from her sophomore to junior season. At Virginia Tech, she will play in tandem with Elizabeth Kitley and be able to run the offense while also serving as a top-scoring option. I expect a rebirth for Owusu.

Adams is completely different — and maybe a slightly niche — choice. Adams didn’t put up big numbers as a freshman last season, playing just 8.3 minutes per game, but the 6-3 forward has everything coaches look for in a player. Her build, aggression, versatility and athleticism will all come in handy for the Tar Heels this year. North Carolina made it to the Sweet 16 last year thanks to Alyssa Utsby and Deja Kelly, but increased production from Adams could push them even farther in 2022-23.

D’Arcangelo: Rori Harmon, Texas

Harmon’s freshman season was already impressive, with the guard averaging 11 points, five assists and 2.4 steals for the Longhorns. But it was her performance in the Big 12 tournament that made people across the country start to pay attention. Harmon won the Big 12 tournament MVP after scoring 66 points in a three-game span and leading Texas to a championship. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year may only be 5-6, but she plays beyond her size and she’s primed for a breakout season.

Galligan: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech

I think this will be a breakout year for Kitley from a name-recognition standpoint. With the roster they have in place this season, the Hokies are primed for success, giving the reigning ACC Player of the Year an opportunity to emerge in the national spotlight. The 6-6 forward has developed into a top WNBA prospect after averaging 18.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game and shooting 55 percent from the field last season. This is the season women’s basketball fans across the country really start to pay attention.

Surprise team

Laase: UNLV

The No. 13-seed Rebels gave No. 4-seed Arizona everything it could handle in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament before falling 71-67. UNLV returns its top six scorers and a heap of athleticism this season. I expect them to win the Mountain West and earn a tournament bid. Due to an unimpressive non-conference slate, I don’t anticipate UNLV getting a ton of attention until the postseason. But when they get there, this team could make a deep tournament run.

D’Arcangelo: Syracuse

Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has the potential to win Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm. The Orange are looking to rebound after a public coaching scandal, players transferring in droves and consecutive mediocre seasons. Legette-Jack brings stability and passion to her alma mater, both qualities the program needs. She also brought senior Dyaisha Fair — the fifth-leading scorer in the nation at 23.4 points per game — and last season’s MAC Freshman of the Year Georgia Wooley with her from Buffalo. Syracuse has the talent to hold its own in the ACC and make a splash late in the season.

Galligan: Penn State

Coach Carolyn Kieger has steadily improved Penn State’s win totals the last three seasons while changing the culture with players who fit her style. The team’s roster has versatility, length and depth at all five positions. The Nittany Lions will be led by senior Makenna Marisa, one of the top guards in the Big Ten with the potential to rise up the national ranks after averaging 22.2 points per game her junior year. East Carolina transfer Taniah Thompson should also make an immediate impact for Penn State as Kieger’s team takes the next step in its evolution.

Pick for NCAA champion

Laase: South Carolina

D’Arcangelo: South Carolina

Galligan: South Carolina

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA and college basketball. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League.” Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins examines Angel City FC's early success in the young 2025 NWSL season.

Off to an undefeated 2025 campaign, a stat only the 2024 championship-winning Orlando Pride and powerhouse Kansas City Current also share, 2022 expansion side Angel City launched itself into the early contender conversation after missing the NWSL Playoffs entirely last season.

Watkins digs into the LA club, chatting through the team's star-studded formation, its early days, as well as its young core, highlighted by star sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson — all while weighing if the squad is truly ready to level up into the league's title-seeking echelon.

Angel City is beginning to see some payoff from its early developmental strategy, with Watkins pointing out that taking winger Alyssa Thompson straight out of high school is now providing major returns.

"She's got three goals in four games in 2025, she's the second youngest NWSL player to hit 10 goals and 10 assists in her career," noted Watkins. "Teams are having trouble accounting for her despite knowing that she is their offensive focal point at this moment."

That said, even with Thompson's prowess, Watkins does expect the club's hot start to cool, though she does predict a 2025 NWSL Playoff berth for the LA team.

"They are getting through on moments of brilliance, on chemistry and mental fortitude," noted Watkins. "It's a long season, and those kinds of things can start to slip as you get tired and other teams get used to the way that you play."

About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.

Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) hired former MLB executive Kim Ng as its first-ever commissioner on Wednesday, tapping into Ng’s 21 years of top-level experience ahead of the league’s inaugural 2025 season.

After becoming the youngest assistant general manager in baseball history for the New York Yankees in 1998, Ng inked another line into the record books as the first woman GM in any major US men’s sports league in November 2020, when she took over the front office for MLB’s Miami Marlins.

Her three-season tenure in Miami culminated in a 2023 playoff appearance — the Marlins' first in 20 years.

Ng's pivot to softball is a homecoming for the trailblazing 56-year-old exec, who played NCAA softball before breaking down MLB barriers.

"I think after 30-plus years in the business, I also owe it to myself to do some things that I hadn't necessarily had the opportunity to do in the past," Ng told The Athletic about her decision to join AUSL. "And this is, for me, it's a passion."

Prior to her commissioner appointment, Ng served as a senior advisor for AUSL, helping to develop the league into existence from a landscape full of growing parity at the college level, yet few viable pro opportunities.

"Knowing what an established, mature system of governance looks like, I think will be really helpful in establishing this league," Ng added.

AUSL takes the field with 2025 tour

Launching on June 7th — immediately following the 2025 NCAA Women's College World Series — each of the AUSL's four inaugural teams will play 24 games across a seven-week season.

The league's 2025 debut will function as a tour, with regular-season games played across eight different cities before two additional locations are added for the first-ever AUSL All-Star Cup in August.

Each city is auditioning to become one of six permanent markets for the league, which will transition to a traditional location-based set-up in 2026.

The PWHL dropped its 2025 Draft details on Tuesday, with the league’s third-annual entry draft set to take over Ottawa, Canada — home of the Charge — on June 24th.

Eligible NCAA standouts and other pro hockey prospects have until May 8th to declare for selection, following the PWHL’s May 3rd regular-season finale.

Notably, the second-year league follows the Gold Plan when it comes to determining draft order. Under this system, teams eliminated from the playoffs have an incentive to continue hunting wins, as franchises who amass more points post-elimination secure higher draft picks.

The New York Sirens and 2024 champions Minnesota Frost currently sit below the postseason cutoff line, meaning both teams could snag the most draft capital when the league returns from international break later this month.

NCAA stars likely to top 2025 PWHL Draft selections

Last year, the New York Sirens selected Princeton star Sarah Fillier as the overall No. 1 pick, with the rookie forward having an immediate impact in her debut pro season.

Fillier currently ranks second in individual points scored on the 2024/25 PWHL stat sheet, trailing only US hockey legend and Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight.

As for who will join Fillier and Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise — the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft No. 1 pick — atop this year's draft, two NCAA standouts are likely contenders.

Should she declare, University of Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy is the projected 2025 No. 1 pick.

However, Murphy could return to the Golden Gophers for a final NCAA season following her international duty with the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship semifinals-bound Team USA.

Should Murphy defer her pro debut, 2024/25 NCAA MVP Casey O'Brien is the likely top selectee, having already declared for the draft.

The Wisconsin captain wrapped up her NCAA campaign as this season's leading scorer, claiming 88 points on 26 goals and 62 assists en route to this year’s national championship — the third NCAA title of her college career.

Eight top squads are edging closer to Saturday’s 2025 NCAA gymnastics championships team trophy, with the pivotal semifinal round kicking off on Thursday afternoon.

No. 2-seed Oklahoma, No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Missouri, and No. 11 Alabama will hit the mat first, before 2024 winners and the 2025 bracket's No. 1-seed LSU goes to work to defend their title against No. 4 Utah, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 8 Michigan State.

The top two teams from each of Thursday's semifinals will advance to compete for the national title on Saturday.

Semifinal meets will crown individual NCAA champions

First, however, five individual NCAA trophies will be bestowed on Thursday night, as the semifinal meets will determine the 2025 all-around and event champions.

In addition to the athletes on the eight qualifying teams, four all-around competitors and 16 event specialists will join the race for solo NCAA hardware, with each earning an invite as the top performer in their respective category at one of the sport's four Regional tournaments.

These individual contenders will follow a qualified team's rotation schedule during their semifinal meet.

Leading the all-around pack is LSU star and 2024 individual champ Haleigh Bryant, though she'll face stiff competition in her bid for a back-to-back championship.

Standing in Bryant's path are Oregon State's Jade Carey, Arkansas's Joscelyn Roberson, Denver's Madison Ulrich, and Washington's Mary McDonough, alongside qualified team athletes like UCLA's Jordan Chiles — Carey’s 2024 Olympics teammate.

Bryant will also defend her shared 2024 vault title, though her co-champion on that event, Cal's Mya Lauzon, will instead compete for beam and floor hardware this week.

All other 2024 event winners are also back, with LSU's Konnor McClain and Florida's Leanne Wong seeking to repeat on beam and floor, respectively. Wong will also hunt another trophy on bars, alongside last year's co-champ, Utah's Grace McCallum.

How to watch the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships

The first 2025 NCAA gymnastics semifinal starts at 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, followed by the second semi at 9 PM ET.

Live coverage of both semifinal meets will air on ESPN2.