With Clark running the show again, every Hawkeyes game next season will be an event. The attention she garners might reach levels never seen before. Clark alone puts Iowa in the national picture, but having glue players like
Gabbie Marshall and
Kate Martin back for their fifth years is an enormous help to the Hawkeyes' title chances. Monika Czinano and
McKenna Warnock will be missed, but if 6-2
Hannah Stuelke and 6-5
Addison O'Grady continue to develop, Clark will have enough help for a return trip to the Final Four.
Previous rank: 4
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
Adding ACC Defensive Player in the Year in Duke transfer
Celeste Taylor makes an already dominant press even better. Taylor Mikesell's shooting will still be missed, but with
Jacy Sheldon back for a fifth year to run the show and
Cotie McMahon, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, on the verge of being one of the game's next stars, the Buckeyes could be even better.
Taylor Thierry and
Rikki Harris should also continue to thrive in Ohio State's up-tempo attack. The Buckeyes will battle Iowa and Indiana for Big Ten supremacy and are a Final Four contender.
Previous rank: 8
7. Indiana Hoosiers
The loss of Grace Berger can't be understated. She was so important to the program and made so many big plays. But coach Teri Moren has built one of the best teams in the Big Ten, especially with
Mackenzie Holmes to build around in 2023-24. Holmes will be on every first-team All-American preseason ballot. The 6-3 post will be surrounded by veteran shooters
Sara Scalia,
Chloe Moore-McNeil and
Sydney Parrish.
Yarden Garzon was Indiana's best 3-point shooter as a freshman and made clutch shots all season. If she makes a big leap as a sophomore, the Hoosiers will have another bona fide go-to offensive player.
Previous rank: 5
No coach has restocked better over the past few years than Brenda Frese. This offseason has already brought in NC State transfer
Jakia Brown-Turner. The 6-0 Brown-Turner gives the Terps a wing scorer to help offset the loss of Diamond Miller. This is now
Shyanne Sellers' team, however, and she will be the No. 1 option. The return of
Faith Masonius,
Lavender Briggs and
Brinae Alexander as graduate students gives Frese a more substantial foundation than she had at this time last year. Riley Nelson, a 6-0 guard and local product, heads a solid recruiting class, and the Terps still have three scholarships available. Expect more additions from the transfer portal.
Previous rank: 12
Missing the NCAA tournament this season was a disappointment after a late-season collapse, but it shouldn't happen again next season in Lincoln. Top three scorers
Jaz Shelley,
Isabelle Bourne and
Alexis Markowski are back to help the Cornhuskers break through in a top-heavy Big Ten. Shelley was first-team all-conference and Markowski led the Big Ten in rebounding (9.8 RPG). Getting guard
Darian White, one of the best players in Big Sky Conference history, from Montana State should be a big boost to an offense that lacked consistency. White also twice was the Big Sky's Defensive Player of the Year.
Previous rank: NR
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