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Mikaylah Williams tops Class of 2023 basketball recruiting rankings

(Mercedes Oliver/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

With each new recruiting class comes the opportunity to dive into another wave of standouts.

Now that the school year is nearing an end, we’re shifting our attention to this impressive group in the Class of 2023. We pored over game film, social media and local and national news to compile our first-ever Top 25 women’s basketball recruiting rankings.

Our mission is to keep you abreast of the all of the movement and trends as we move through the 2022-23 NCAA recruiting calendar. We hope you’ll follow along.

1. Mikaylah Williams, 6-1 guard — Parkway HS (La.)

The reigning Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year was also the only junior to be a Naismith Player of the Year finalist. Williams is a shot creator whose success is predicated on patience and speed.

2. Juju Watkins, 6-2 guard — Sierra Canyon (Calif.)

Watkins made an immediate impact as an incoming transfer to Sierra Canyon in 2021-22. She averaged 24.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and was a major factor in the team’s state championship victory. Watkins was named California Girls Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year.

3. Breya Cunningham, 6-4 post — La Jolla Country Day (Calif.)

Cunningham’s strong post presence provides La Jolla Country Day with a formidable scoring option. The post averaged a double-double this season and has already surpassed 1,000 career points in her high school career.

4. Ciera Toomey, 6-3 post — Dunmore HS (Pa.) — UNC commit

Toomey, who committed to North Carolina last week over Duke, UConn, Maryland, Northwestern, Penn and Villanova, shot 67.2 percent from the field during her junior season. She averaged 18.5 points per game.

5. Milaysia Fulwiley, 5-6 point guard — W.J. Keenan HS (S.C.)

Fulwylie has a reputation for breaking defenders’ ankles, and in this year’s South Carolina state title game, the explosive floor general dropped 41 points. It marked W.J. Keenan’s — and Fulwiley’s — third straight state championship.

6. Ashlynn Shade, 5-10 guard — Noblesville HS (Ind.) — UConn commit

Shade committed to UConn in January, and the Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year has garnered national attention for good reason. This season, she averaged 20.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.7 steals per game, and tied an all-time high with 31 points in the 4A Indiana state championship.

7. KK Arnold, 5-10 point guard — Germantown HS (Wisc.) — UConn commit

This year’s Wisconsin Girls Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year is also committed to UConn. Arnold is a reliable ball-handler with a 2.68-to-1 assists-to-turnover ratio.

8. Madison Booker, 6-1 wing — Germantown HS (Miss.)

Booker plays with high speed and intensity. Her USA Basketball experience and ability to control the pace of a game have attracted the attention of some of the nation’s top programs. Her list includes UConn, Louisville, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

9. Jadyn Donovan, 6-0 guard — Sidwell Friends School (D.C.)

One of the nation’s top guards, Donovan scored 15 points in the Quakers’ State Champions Invitational title game victory. She’s a contributor all over the floor, averaging 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 1.9 blocks during Sidwell Friends’ dominant 30-0 season.

10. Reniya Kelly, 5-5 point guard — Hoover HS (Ala.) — UNC commit

Kelly’s “Broadway” nickname is well-earned; the UNC commit seems to always put on a show. She’s quick and difficult to guard, and she’s never intimidated to take it to the basket. Kelly can also knock it down from deep and shoots over 41 percent from beyond the arc.

11. Aalyah Del Rosario, 6-5 post — Trenton Catholic (N.J.)

Del Rosario plays a complete game, finding ways to shine while also creating opportunities for her teammates. She attacks the interior with consistency, and her ceiling is high.

12. Courtney Ogden, 5-11 wing — Westminster School (Ga.) — Stanford commit

Ogden, a Stanford commit, has the basketball IQ to thrive with the Cardinal, but her versatility and confidence would make her an asset to any program. Ogden can play as a guard or a wing.

13. Taliah Scott, 5-9 guard — Saint John’s Country Day (Fla.) — Arkansas commit

A beacon of offensive efficiency, Scott entered her junior season with more than 1,100 career points. In 2021-22, the Arkansas commit averaged 31.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game.

14. Chloe Kitts, 6-2 forward — DME Academy (Fla.)

Kitts was a key piece for national power DME this season, averaging 18.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. In the GEICO Nationals semifinal against victorious Montverde Academy, nobody scored more points than Kitts. She delivered a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds.

15. Letycia Vasconcelos, 6-7 post — Montverde Academy (Fla.)

The tallest recruit on this list brings length and the ability to finish beneath the basket. Originally from Brazil, Vasconcelos has the strength and toughness in the frontcourt to make her an intriguing NCAA prospect.

16. Sammie Wagner, 6-1 wing — Ronald Reagan HS (Texas) — Texas commit

Once a Baylor commit, Wagner is the top-ranked junior in the state of Texas. She averaged 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last season.

17. Cassandre Prosper, 6-2 forward — Cairine Wilson Secondary School (Ontario)

Prosper is a fighter on both ends of the floor. The dynamic forward is a reliable shooter with a wide wingspan.

18. Hannah Hidalgo, 5-6 point guard – Paul VI HS (N.J.)

With 25.4 points and 4.0 points per game, Hidalgo stands out in a competitive New Jersey scene. She’s a distributor who can step up as a scorer when the team needs her.

19. Jada Williams, 5-6 point guard – La Jolla Country Day (Calif.) — UCLA commit

Williams led La Jolla in assists last season with 4.1 per game. The first commit in UCLA’s Class of 2023 has a knack for finding the basket, even in heavy coverage.

20. Delaney Thomas, 6-2 forward — St. John’s (D.C.)

One of the class’ most balanced players, Thomas averaged 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 2.2 steals per game this past season in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, one of the nation’s most stacked leagues.

21. Montaya Dew, 6-2 forward — Centennial HS (N.V.) — Arizona commit

Dew can impact the game in the frontcourt and around the perimeter. Regardless of where she is, she often finds a way to score.

22. Amiyah Reynolds, 6-0 guard — South Bend Washington (Ind.) — Maryland commit

An integral part of Washington’s state title team, Reynolds averaged 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game this past season.

23. Taylor Woodson, 6-0 guard — Hopkins HS (Minn.) — Michigan commit

An athletic game-changer from Hopkins … where have we heard that before? Woodson is strong off the bounce and unafraid in traffic.

24. Amanda Muse, 6-4 post — Heritage HS (Calif.)

Muse performs at an advanced level below the rim, averaging 17.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game for Heritage high school this season.

25. Essence Cody, 6-3 post — Valdosta HS (Ga.)

Cody surpassed 1,000 career points in January and has the ability to score inside and out. The talented post averaged 17.6 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game this past season.

Caroline Makauskas is a contributing writer for Just Women’s Sports. She also writes about college basketball for Blue Ribbon Sports and covers a variety of sports on her TikTok @cmakauskas. Follow her on Twitter @cmakauskas.

Nelly Korda ties LPGA record with fifth-straight tournament win

Nelly Korda of the United States celebrates with the trophy after winning The Chevron Championship
Nelly Korda poses with her trophy after acing her fifth-straight tour title at The Chevron Championship on Sunday. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

25-year-old American pro golfer Nelly Korda secured her spot in LPGA history on Sunday, notching her fifth-straight title at this weekend's Chevron Championship in The Woodlands, Texas.

Ranked No. 1 in the world by Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Korda joins Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sörenstam (2005) as just the third LPGA player to rack up five consecutive tour wins. She is also the third No. 1-ranked player to capture The Chevron Championship victory since the rankings debuted in 2006, accompanied by Lorena Ochoa and Lydia Ko.

The Florida native shot three-under 69 in Sunday's final, besting Sweden's Maja Stark despite Stark's valiant come-from-behind attempt in the 18th. Korda finished with a four-day total of 13-under 275, celebrating her two-stroke win by cannonballing into Poppie's Pond, much to the crowd's delight. She left The Club at Carlton Woods with $1.2 million from an overall purse of $7.9 million.

It wasn't long ago that the two-time major champion's current winning streak seemed unimaginable. After maintaining her No. 1 position for 29 weeks, Korda underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from her left arm in 2022. She returned to the course not long after, but failed to win a single tournament in 2023 before seeing a surge in form during the first four months of 2024. As of today, she hasn't lost a tournament since January.

Korda will attempt a record sixth-straight win at next week's JM Eagle LA Championship at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, where she'll vie for a cut of the $3.75 million purse.

Smith and Swanson shine in action-packed NWSL weekend

sophia smith celebrates after a goal for the portland thorns
Sophia Smith's 27th-minute goal paved the way for Portland's first win of the season. (Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports)

USWNT regulars Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson furthered their cases for Olympic inclusion with their respective club victories on Saturday and Sunday.

After a roller coaster of a week that saw former Thorns head coach Mike Norris reassigned and a flurry of last-minute roster reshufflings as Friday's trade window closure loomed, the NWSL sprung to life over the weekend with standout performances from ninth-place Portland and third-place Chicago, among others.

After her blocked attempt at goal set up a volleying sixth-minute opener from veteran Christine Sinclair — now the only player in history to record a goal in all 11 NWSL seasons — Smith swiftly netted her own in the 27th minute off a breakaway run that eluded Houston's backline. The goal represented Smith's third of the season as well as her 35th for the Thorns, ultimately leading to the home side's first win of the season in a 4-1 routing of the Dash.

But that wasn't Smith's only stat of the evening. The star forward also lapped former Chicago Red Star Sam Kerr to become the youngest player to reach 50 NWSL goal contributions across all games, chalking up 40 goals and 10 assists at the age of 23 years and 254 days.

"Obviously it feels good to get a win," said Smith in a post-match press conference. "But this is the standard the Thorns have always had. So a win is great, but a win is the expectation — we're hungrier than ever after the way we started."

170 miles up the road, Lumen Field similarly showcased some promising Olympic prospect footwork on Sunday. In Chicago's 2-1 victory over the lagging 13th-place Seattle Reign, striker Mallory Swanson racked up an impressive counterattack assist on fellow forward Ally Schlegel's fourth-minute goal. Swanson went on to find the back of the net herself before halftime, lacing an explosive ball into the top corner in the 31st minute, her second of the season after returning from a lengthy sidelining injury.

Speaking of injuries, fellow USWNT favorites Alex Morgan and Tierna Davidson were not as fortunate as their national squad teammates this weekend. Each exited their club matches early, Morgan with an ankle knock in San Diego's loss to Orlando and Davidson with an apparent hamstring incident early on in Washington's win over Gotham.

LSU takes first-ever NCAA gymnastics title

Kiya Johnson of the LSU Tigers reacts after winning the national championship during the Division I Women's Gymnastics Championships
Gymnast Kiya Johnson celebrates LSU's win at the NCAA Division I Women's Gymnastics Championships. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

LSU came out on top at the 2024 NCAA women's gymnastics championship in Fort Worth on Saturday, besting Cal, Utah, and Florida to capture their first-ever title.

The Tigers' win was far from a landslide. LSU took the first rotation handily thanks to 2024 All-Around winner Haleigh Bryant's team-leading 9.9375 backed by four additional 9.9+ scores from her teammates. But Utah then responded with three strong beam performances of their own, causing the Red Rocks to slide confidently into second place by the end of the second rotation.

By the halfway point, all four teams fell within .288 points of one another before Utah overtook the pack with a dominant floor showing after three rotations. LSU then went on to ace the beam event with Konnor McClain's meet-leading 9.9625 score, coming away with the highest collective score ever awarded to the event in NCAA championship history. The achievement propelled the Tigers to victory, ensuring them the title after the final rotation.

"This team is full of individuals that have incredible character and integrity and love for each other and all the things you hear from coaches when they sit at a podium like this in a moment of victory, but I promise you it's a real thing," said LSU coach Jay Clark in a post-meet press conference. "I'm just so happy for them."

Contributing to Saturday's atmosphere of excitement was the absence of last year's champion and this year's heavily favored Oklahoma Sooners. Hot off earning the highest team score in NCAA history just last month, the top-ranked Norman squad suffered a shocking loss in the semifinals, where five major mistakes contributed to a third-place finish and a season-low team score of 196.6625.

With Oklahoma out, it was truly anyone's game.

"Every team was out there fighting for their lives — all four teams, it could have gone any of four ways out there," Clark told reporters. "As much as I feel for what happened to Oklahoma in the semifinals, I think it made for a championship that became so packed with emotion because every team out there believed they could do it. It was just tremendous."

LSU is now the eighth program in the sport's history to earn an NCAA women's gymnastic championship.
They share the honor with Georgia, Utah, UCLA, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida, and Michigan.

Cameron Brink likes Caitlin Clark for 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year

Cameron Brink poses with Caitlin Clark at 2024 wnba draft in new york
Cameron Brink poses with fellow draftee — and possible WNBA ROY —Caitlin Clark. (Photo by Emily Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

Cameron Brink already has her rookie of the year pick for the upcoming WNBA season, and it’s Indiana-bound star Caitlin Clark

In the latest edition of Kelley on the Street, host Kelley O'Hara caught up with Brink in New York hours before the Stanford phenom went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks at the 2024 WNBA Draft. When O’Hara asked who would win the WNBA's rookie of the year, she answered without pause.

"Caitlin Clark," she said, while a fan commented that she thought Brink would take home the award. Brink later added that the extra foul granted to WNBA players will be "good for me."

"I hope it’s me," Charisma Osborne, who was later drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, said when asked her ROY prediction. "But, I don’t know — we’ll see."

Watch more of Kelley on the Street:

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