Women's college basketball freshman impact rankings 2025-26

[Kaizen]

Last season, UConn's Sarah Strong and Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes staked their claim as the top freshmen in women's college basketball. And their dominance hasn't slowed down as sophomores.

Now, more than six weeks into the 2025-26 season, the next wave of impact rookies who might follow a similar trajectory is emerging.

Utilizing tools like Synergy Sports and Cerebro Sports for film and advanced analytics, we put the top newcomers in the country under the microscope, examining usage rates, statistics and general efficiencies as well as team rankings and strength of schedule to decide the top 10 impact freshmen in the country. We've also factored in each players' responsibility within their various teams, the results they helped produce and their influence on conference races.

Ranking the top 10 freshmen in women's basketball by impact

USC's Jazzy Davidson tops our rankings also featuring Oklahoma's Aaliyah Chavez, UConn's Blanca Quiñonez and more.

www.espn.com

 

[Charliebball]

Blanca will never win the stat battle against the likes of Davidson and Chavez but her role on UConn should grow in importance as the season progresses.......she's already proven to be a difference maker eleven games into her career.....

 

[Bigboote]

I find it bizarre that Blanca was ranked the #2 impact freshman preseason (presumably by this ESPN ranker) but not the Big East preseason freshman of the year by the BE coaches.

 

[oldude]

Blanca will never win the stat battle against the likes of Davidson and Chavez but her role on UConn should grow in importance as the season progresses.......she's already proven to be a difference maker eleven games into her career.....

I beg to differ Cb. Check out Blanca’s stats in only 21 minutes against USC vs Davidson’s stats in 37 minutes. Other than blocks, Blanca’s numbers were superior to Davidson’s

 

[Basingstoke]

I find it illogical that Blanca fell from 2nd to 3rd in the rankings despite the caveats concerning Chavez' play. Its like she's being penalized for working with a "we" rather than "me" system.

 

[Charliebball]

I beg to differ Cb. Check out Blanca’s stats in only 21 minutes against USC vs Davidson’s stats in 37 minutes. Other than blocks, Blanca’s numbers were superior to Davidson’s

Davidson leads USC in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots and is the focus of both their offense and their defense...........she's also going to play thirty minutes a game, so naturally her numbers are going to be more impressive overall........and luckily for her, she likely won't be playing against UConn's defense again this season...

 

[oldude]

I find it illogical that Blanca fell from 2nd to 3rd in the rankings despite the caveats concerning Chavez' play. Its like she's being penalized for working with a "we" rather than "me" system.

Hoping the Huskies run into the Sooners in the Big Dance….. 😎

 

[YKCornelius]

Davidson leads USC in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots and is the focus of both their offense and their defense...........she's also going to play thirty minutes a game, so naturally her numbers are going to be more impressive overall........and luckily for her, she likely won't be playing against UConn's defense again this season...

Charlie, I understand how a team can run their offense through a player, but please explain how Davidson is the focus of USC’s defense.

 

[Charliebball]

Charlie, I understand how a team can run their offense through a player, but please explain how Davidson is the focus of USC’s defense.

With her height and huge wingspan, Lindsay Gottlieb has given Jazzy the responsibility to cover everyone from point guards to post players as a true freshman.....she's averaging almost 33 minutes per game, leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and is second in assists....I believe she had four blocks against UConn.......that's pretty good for a freshman.......

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Charlie, I understand how a team can run their offense through a player, but please explain how Davidson is the focus of USC’s defense.

Using just the eye test it looks likes she's the team leader. For a Freshman on a visible team that’s a big ask.

 

[uconnfan68]

Using just the eye test it looks likes she's the team leader. For a Freshman on a visible team that’s a big ask.

She looks like it’s not a problem. Great poker face.

 

[Aluminny69]

 

[HuskyNan]

Davidson leads USC in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots and is the focus of both their offense and their defense...........she's also going to play thirty minutes a game, so naturally her numbers are going to be more impressive overall........and luckily for her, she likely won't be playing against UConn's defense again this season...

Davidson plays 32.5 minutes a game, Blanca 17.7. Blanca also plays with 2 of the best wcbb players in college right now, one of them plays the same position as Blanca so there’s no need for her to score or rebound.

Apples and oranges

 

[Charliebball]

Davidson plays 32.5 minutes a game, Blanca 17.7. Blanca also plays with 2 of the best wcbb players in college right now, one of them plays the same position as Blanca so there’s no need for her to score or rebound.

Apples and oranges

I think there's going to be a big need for her to score and rebound when she's on the court against the best teams in the country.........she has already proven that she can be a gamechanger.........I'm not sure the voters for the freshman of the year awards will totally buy into that concept as they tend to be stat driven........I doubt Blanca will care all that much either way if UConn wins the NC......

 

[FanSince17]

Charlie, I understand how a team can run their offense through a player, but please explain how Davidson is the focus of USC’s defense.

Patrick Ewing at Georgetown maybe. Maybe we can funnel everybody to KK or Azzi or Sarah.
There are strategies for that. My college teams forced the offense toward the sidelines, using the theory that the sidelines could act as another defender. We did try to keep it on one side. Teams with centers like Ewing could do the opposite, force the ball to the middle, where the best defender habitates.
I took my 9th grade team to a Georgetown game and we all got $15 seats (nosebleeders). We got to see the effect of a 7 footer on defense. Roy Hibbert. Very substantial and he's barely top 5 Georgetown centers with John Thompson.

 

[Steelerone]

I find it illogical that Blanca fell from 2nd to 3rd in the rankings despite the caveats concerning Chavez' play. Its like she's being penalized for working with a "we" rather than "me" system.

unfortunately, this will always be the reason until people might suddently realize the it's the team players who bring championships. i can think of no greater comparison that Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Chamberlain won the scoring title just about every year he played. Russell's teams won the championships. Geno's teams don't produce titles other than the ultimate.

 

[Cuango]

Last season, UConn's Sarah Strong and Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes staked their claim as the top freshmen in women's college basketball. And their dominance hasn't slowed down as sophomores.

Now, more than six weeks into the 2025-26 season, the next wave of impact rookies who might follow a similar trajectory is emerging.

Utilizing tools like Synergy Sports and Cerebro Sports for film and advanced analytics, we put the top newcomers in the country under the microscope, examining usage rates, statistics and general efficiencies as well as team rankings and strength of schedule to decide the top 10 impact freshmen in the country. We've also factored in each players' responsibility within their various teams, the results they helped produce and their influence on conference races.

Ranking the top 10 freshmen in women's basketball by impact

USC's Jazzy Davidson tops our rankings also featuring Oklahoma's Aaliyah Chavez, UConn's Blanca Quiñonez and more.

www.espn.com

I wouldn’t trade Blanca for anyone on that list!