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.

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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.

🚨🔥 #WarGamesATL 🔥🚨#CGHR | #TheCarolinas
Session 2#FBCUnited- 2023 - 6'7" - Post - Letycia Vasconcelos - Was not having that.... 🤣🤣🤣🤣#CarolinaGirlsHoops #GABallers @InsiderExposure @FBCMotton @coachsasha10 @NYGHoops @savvyfive @KingsRef pic.twitter.com/9QvDTWhMPg

— Carolina Girls Hoops Report (@CarolinaGHoops) July 20, 2020

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.

The PWHL is officially expanding, with the second-year pro women's hockey league awarding Vancouver its seventh franchise on Wednesday.

The league's first-ever expansion squad faces a short run-up, joining the current six-team roster when the puck drops on the 2025/26 PWHL season.

"To be able to grow this fast is just a testament to the great sport, our great athletes, and how people feel about the work that we’re doing and what our players are putting out on the ice," said PWHL EVP of business operations Amy Scheer.

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Vancouver fanbase bolstered city's PWHL bid

Commenting on the eight-month expansion evaluation process, Scheer called Vancouver's bid "unbelievably robust," and noted that the city's "engaged, vibrant, fun" fanbase and its "remarkable commitment to growing the game of hockey" helped earn the Canadian community a team.

That commitment was on display at the PWHL's recent 2025 Takeover Tour, which drew major crowds as the league tested expansion prospects in non-market cities across North America.

Vancouver stood out, notching the the fourth-largest crowd in PWHL history when 19,038 fans showed up on January 8th — and claiming the highest social media engagement across all nine Tour stops.

That fan enthusiasm helped push Vancouver across the PWHL's expansion line, with the new team already making league history.

Besides marking the league's first-ever footprint on the the West Coast, Vancouver will become the first PWHL team to serve as the primary tenant in its home venue at the Pacific Coliseum.

The 17,713-seat arena and its adjacent PNE Agrodome — PWHL Vancouver's main training facility — will undergo extensive upgrades for the incoming franchise.

"The expansion brings greater visibility to the West Coast, expands out geographic footprint, and, most importantly, grows the game," said PWHL EVP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford.

League eyes next steps for expansion team

While the PWHL still has over 20 proposals from markets requesting a team — and rumors swirling that Seattle could join Vancouver as a 2025/26 season expansion contingent — the league is currently making more concrete plans for its official seventh squad.

"With this team comes more opportunities for the best women's hockey players in the world to continue competing in one league," remarked Hefford. "The talent pool has never been deeper, and with a strong 2025 draft class ahead, we're pleased that even more women are going to be able to play at the professional level."

Details for an upcoming expansion draft to begin stocking Vancouver's roster will be announced shortly, and the team will also take part in the 2025 PWHL Draft on June 24th.

"The PWHL is setting a new standard for women's hockey. The game has never been faster, more physical, or more skilled," Hefford added. "We're so excited for this city to experience the parity and the competitiveness that our league has every single game."

The NWSL is heading back to the ballpark, with 2024 expansion side Bay FC announcing Tuesday that the club will take on the Washington Spirit inside Oracle Park, the home of MLB's San Francisco Giants.

Shifting the August 23rd match to the baseball diamond isn't just a spectacle — the move builds on Bay FC's continuous ambitions to claim the top NWSL attendance record by filling the Bay Area ballpark's 40,260 seats.

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Though the 25-year-old Oracle Park has previously hosted men's contests, August's NWSL match will be the first professional women's soccer game in the venue's history.

Similarly, while this will be the first NWSL competition in San Francisco's baseball venue, it's not the first league match in an MLB stadium.

Last summer, the Chicago Stars hosted Bay FC at Wrigley Field, packing an NWSL-record 35,038 soccer fans into the MLB home of the Chicago Cubs.

That June 8th, 2024, attendance surpassed the previous league-record crowd of 34,130 that attended USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe's final Seattle home game in 2023.

How to attend Bay FC vs. Washington at Oracle Park

To be a part of the potentially record-breaking August 23rd crowd, tickets will be available for general purchase beginning at 12 PM ET on May 6th.

Fans interested in securing pre-sale tickets can add their names to the online list.

In Tuesday night's NWSL action, Portland upset a rising Gotham side 4-1 behind three debut goals from the Thorns' promising rookie class.

The rare midweek match came courtesy of next month's Concacaf W Champions Cup. Both Gotham and Portland advanced to the international club event's semifinals last October, forcing them to pull double-duty and add this week's extra regular-season NWSL game to accommodate the tournament's schedule.

The tight turnaround certainly didn't rattle the Thorns.

Portland newcomers Marie-Yasmine "Mimi" Alidou, Caiya Hanks, and Jayden Perry all earned their first NWSL goals in the match, before offseason signee Deyna Castellanos reinforced the victory with an 80th-minute chip.

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As for Gotham, 32-year-old star forward Esther provided a bright spot for the NJ/NY squad, notching her fifth goal of the young season to boost herself to the top of the league's early Golden Boot race.

Despite the loss, Friday's strong outing against Angel City has Gotham still holding steady at No. 4 in the standings. However, both No. 5 Portland and No. 6 ACFC are close on the Bats' heels, with all three teams currently tied at eight points apiece.

"What I told the team is that we lost the battle tonight, but this is a long war," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros following the match. "We're there together on this."

How to watch Gotham, Portland this weekend

Gotham will take the pitch once again on Saturday, when they'll face East Coast rivals Washington at 1 PM ET. Live coverage will air on CBS.

Meanwhile, Portland will close out the NWSL's sixth matchday by hosting Racing Louisville at 4 PM ET on Sunday, streaming live on Paramount+.

The Soccer Tournament (TST) presented by RBC Wealth Management revealed its 2025 women's bracket on Tuesday, with 16 7v7 teams gearing up to compete for the $1 million winner-take-all grand prize this June.

The US Women's Team is back to defend their 2024 title, fueled by World Cup-winning USWNT vets Heather O'Reilly, Carli Lloyd, and Ali Krieger, plus retired Scotland national and Bay FC defender Jen Beattie.

Additional teams participating in the competition include 7v7 offshoots of NWSL clubs Angel City, KC Current, and 2024 runners-up NC Courage, as well as former USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo's Solo FC.

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Returning to Cary, North Carolina, for its third year, TST doubled the size of its women's bracket after a successful eight-team debut in 2024.

"Our inaugural women's championship game viewership performed exceptionally well, as we grew our audience 452% from the beginning of the game until the moment the game-winning goal was scored," TST founder and CEO Jon Mugar told The Athletic.

"TST soccer is electrifying," Mugar added. "Our goal is to become the preeminent soccer festival in the world. Judging by the number of returning fans and teams, we are well on our way."

How to attend, watch the 2025 TST 7v7 contest

TST's 7v7 women's competition kicks off on June 5th and runs through the $1 million championship game on June 9th.

Tickets to attend are currently available online.

All matches will air live on either YouTube or ESPN platforms.