Who will become women’s March Madness stars? Watch these standouts become famous
· Yahoo Sports
Superstars are made in March. While diehard basketball devotees tune in from November until the national champion is crowned in early April, casual, chaos-loving fans tend to lock in after Selection Sunday.
March is when Caitlin Clark made the logo 3-pointer her signature shot. When then-freshman JuJu Watkins dropped nearly 28 points per game during USC’s Elite Eight run. When Arike Ogunbowale hit back-to-back buzzer-beaters for Notre Dame against UConn and then Mississippi State to secure a national championship. When Paige Bueckers finally broke through during her senior year, hoisting UConn’s first title trophy in a decade.
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Clark and Bueckers cemented themselves as March Madness staples and are now in the WNBA. Watkins suffered a torn ACL in a second-round win over Mississippi State last season and has yet to return. Throughout the 2025-26 season, several players have turned in admirable performances, but none have broken through the zeitgeist to become sensations like the household names of Caitlin, Paige or JuJu.
Viewership ratings and attendance for women’s basketball have remained strong, but the buzz hasn’t been quite the same.
Yet here we are, about to pull back the curtain on one of the most theatrical sporting events of the year. The NCAA Tournament has long been the perfect stage for players to elevate their notoriety — as long as they can dazzle during an extended tourney run.
Who will win the hearts of March Madness fans? There are plenty of contenders, and many of them are here to stay. There are, of course, some upperclassmen to watch, but one of the best things about these budding stars is that they are young. If you fall in love now, that means multiple years of watching them hoop.
So if you’re just tuning in now, no worries. Here are the players with true superstar potential:
Lauren Betts, UCLA, senior, center
UCLA is home to the country’s most dominant big. Betts has been a star since she set foot in Westwood as a sophomore transfer. Last season, she led the Bruins to their first Final Four, but that was overshadowed by a lopsided loss to UConn. Betts is back and hungrier for a title. She’s 6 feet 7 with polished post moves, excellent court vision and the ability to pass out of double teams (and sometimes even triple teams). Plus, Betts blocks shots in a way that’s almost disrespectful to opponents, sending balls into the second row. That’s certain to gain her some fans in March.
Kennedy Blair, Michigan State, sophomore, guard
Sometimes it’s not just the skills, but also the story that makes someone shine in March. Blair fits the bill. She came to Michigan State as a walk-on in 2023 but missed her freshman season with a foot injury. After playing about nine minutes a game last season, Blair has emerged as a star for the Spartans. She’s averaging 14.4 points per game while also leading the team in assists (5.4), steals (2.3) and — despite being just 5-9 — rebounds (7.1).
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt, sophomore, guard
Speaking of guards who can fill it up, meet Blakes. She entered the scene with two 50-point scoring games last season, but her Commodores didn’t advance past the NCAA Tournament’s first round. This season, not only is Blakes just as exciting, but the Commodores are also poised for a deep run, meaning Blakes has more time to become a tournament darling. She leads the nation with 27 points per game and is capable of making shots from anywhere on the court. Her game is smooth, athletic and flat-out fun.
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State, sophomore, guard
Her Big Ten opponents spent all season chasing Cambridge, and now, it’s the rest of the country’s turn. There may not be a faster player in college basketball. She gets up the court in a flash and to the rim before defenders even realize they’ve been beaten. Another dynamic scorer, Cambridge averages 22.8 points per game and, standing at only 5-7, can score at the rim through or around contact.
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma, freshman, guard
If you’re missing Clark, Chavez just might be your new favorite player. It’s not a one-to-one comparison, but Chavez’s seemingly endless range and fearlessness for putting up big shots bring back memories of the Hawkeyes. Chavez has had several heroic regular-season performances, including five 3-pointers and 26 points to beat South Carolina in overtime. Now, she’s ready to show off those skills on her sport’s biggest stage.
Audi Crooks, Iowa State, junior, center
This list is guard-centric because their flashy play lends itself to stardom. But women in the post can ball, too, and Crooks is the perfect example. She has confounded defenses all season long. Guarding her one-on-one is usually impossible, and even double-teams often don’t do the job. She scores with a combination of strength and finesse, overpowering defenders or floating in one-footed fadeaways. But perhaps the most captivating thing about Crooks is how she plays with joy. She’s almost always smiling. Basketball is supposed to be fun, and Crooks embodies that.
Azzi Fudd, UConn, graduate senior, guard
It seems crazy to put Fudd — who won the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player award last season — on this list, but even with Fudd’s outstanding play in UConn’s title run, Bueckers was still the superstar. This season, UConn is Fudd’s team. She and teammate Sarah Strong have propelled the Huskies as they chase an undefeated season to become repeat champions.
Strong will likely be named Player of the Year, but Fudd also has the goods to capture attention in the NCAA Tournament. There’s arguably not a better pure shooter in the game. Steph Curry, a longtime Fudd stan, said he’s jealous of her jump shot because it’s “prettier than mine.” Fudd, who is making 44.6 percent of her long-range attempts, can get hot and stay hot, no matter the competition.
Jordan Harrison, West Virginia, senior, guard
At this point, defense nerds probably know all about Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, but Harrison flies under the radar. It’s time she was introduced to the big stage. She’s fresh off of a Big 12 tournament championship in which she endeared herself to fans by stating through tears during a postgame broadcast interview: “I’m so happy, I can’t even think.” In March Madness, it’s her defense that should catch viewers’ attention. She is an excellent on-ball defender who can also jump in passing lanes and lead the fast break. West Virginia’s game is built on intense pressure and Harrison is its scrappy leader.
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame, junior, guard
Here’s a name most fans, whether casual or diehard, probably already know. Hidalgo is perhaps the most intense player in the country. She wants every big shot and plays dogged defense. She’s one of the rare players who is just as good on offense as she is on defense. Hidalgo, who averages 25.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 5.3 assists per game, hasn’t gotten as much love as she deserves this season with the Irish battling through a down year. That will only serve as more tournament motivation for the ferocious guard.
Olivia Miles, TCU, graduate senior, guard
Another well-known guard who could capture hearts in March, Miles is seeking a title in her final college season. After starting her career at Notre Dame (where she was a backcourt mate of Hidalgo), Miles now leads TCU, averaging 19.6 points and 6.4 assists per game. Coach Mark Campbell says having her on the roster is like coaching a human-highlight reel. The creative guard has been compared to Magic Johnson thanks to her superior passing skills. She also hoops in glasses, which gives her a quirky on-court persona that fans will love.
Taj Roberts, Louisville, sophomore, guard
Hailey Van Lith is two schools and a WNBA season removed from Louisville, but it’s high time the Cardinals had another March Madness star. With excellent handles and a great feel for the game, Roberts is next in line. Guards, beware: Roberts can pick anyone’s pocket. She’s particularly electric on the fast break, where she converts on-ball steals into points on the other end. Louisville didn’t make it out of the Round of 32 in 2024 or 2025, but an Elite Eight is in sight with Roberts leading the way.
Sarah Strong, UConn, sophomore, forward
The most absurd thing about Strong is how mundane she makes the game look. She leads the Huskies in points (18.5), rebounds (7.6), steals (3.4) and blocks (1.6). She’s also second in assists with 4.1 per game. Everything Strong does on the court looks easy, but don’t be fooled. What she does is special. Coach Geno Auriemma has called her a savant of the game and praised her as the most prepared player he’s ever coached, among many other compliments. Strong plays the game in a way most of us — and even most of her peers — could only dream about.
Syla Swords, Michigan, sophomore, guard
UConn fans already know Swords as the player who almost ruined their team’s unbeaten record. She scored 29 points and shot 8-of-14 from 3-point range in November’s three-point loss. The rest of the country is about to get to know her. Swords is another willing long-range shooter, whose side-stepping, contested 3-pointers make her the perfect candidate for a March Madness highlight montage. (Cue “One Shining Moment.”) Swords averages 14.5 points per game, but by thriving in the biggest moments, don’t be surprised to see her drop a 30-point game.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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