2021 women’s college basketball recruiting class rankings

National signing week has come to a close. It started with Azzi Fudd, the top prospect in the Class of 2021, choosing UConn. Fudd, the 2019 Gatorade National Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year and a two-time USA Basketball gold medalist for the U16 and U17 teams, joins a recruiting class that also features fifth-ranked Caroline Ducharme, No. 15 Amari DeBerry and No. 30 Saylor Poffenbarger.

The espnW 100 now only features two uncommitted prospects. Kyndall Hunter, the No. 24 prospect, joined Cypress Creek High School teammate Rori Harmon, the 10th-ranked prospect, by signing with Vic Schaefer’s Texas Longhorns.

With last Saturday’s verbal commitment of No. 37 prospect Jillian Hollingshead, Georgia entered the top 25. The four-star prospect gives the Lady Bulldogs an important in-state pledge, as she is one of the better bigs in the Class of 2021 with her ability to work the mid- and high-post areas.

Here are the full top 25 recruiting class rankings.

1. South Carolina Gamecocks
Highest-ranked commit: PG Raven Johnson (No. 2)
Previous ranking: 1

Dawn Staley brought in the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2019 when the Gamecocks landed four prospects in the top 11. South Carolina had just one commit — PG Eniya Russell, the No. 43 prospect — last cycle, but the Gamecocks are atop the class rankings again with four 2021 prospects inside the top 15, led by Johnson, a true point guard who has developed her 3-point range. G Saniya Rivers and F Sania Feagin are the third- and fourth-ranked prospects, respectively, while G Aubryanna Hall is ranked 14th overall.

2. UConn Huskies
Highest-ranked commit: G Azzi Fudd (No. 1)
Previous ranking: 3

Fudd, a dynamic playmaker, is the second No. 1-ranked prospect the Huskies have signed in as many years, as UConn also landed Paige Bueckers in the 2020 class. Fifth-ranked Caroline Ducharme is one of the most improved players in the country heading into her senior campaign. F Amari DeBerry, the No. 15 prospect, has a skill set similar to UConn’s Olivia Nelson-Ododa thanks to her elite size, length and mobility. No. 30 Saylor Poffenbarger is a versatile guard who has 3-point range and size to post up in the paint.

3. North Carolina Tar Heels
Highest-ranked commit: W Teonni Key (No. 9)
Previous ranking: 2

Courtney Banghart signed an eye-opening class in her first go-round in Chapel Hill, and she might have already outdone herself with her second signing class. Key has good ball skills, a strong mid-range jumper and gets on the glass on both ends. No. 17 Kayla McPherson is an explosive guard with deep range from 3. No. 18 Morasha Wiggins has a terrific blend of size and skill, while No. 20 Destiny Adams improved her rebounding and defensive skills over the past year.

4. Texas Longhorns
Highest-ranked commit: F Aaliyah Moore (No. 6)
Previous ranking: 4

Vic Schaefer landed two top-10 players in his first recruiting class in Austin, Texas. In Moore, the Longhorns get someone who has excellent footwork and hands and is a hard worker down low. PG Rori Harmon, who is ranked 10th, is an elite finisher in the paint and keeps defenses honest with her ability to shoot the 3 off the dribble. Kyndall Hunter, the No. 24 prospect and a teammate of Harmon’s, is a 5-foot-7 point guard. The Longhorns signed arguably the top juco prospect in Kobe King-Hawea, a versatile forward with all-around game for Casper College.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Highest-ranked commit: PG Olivia Miles (No. 8)
Previous ranking: 5

Niele Ivey officially succeeded the legendary Muffet McGraw on April 22. Days later, she landed Miles, a five-star prospect out of Blair Academy in New Jersey who shows flashes of former Old Dominion and WNBA star Ticha Penicheiro in her game. Within the same week, the Irish got a commitment from Sonia Citron, a 6-foot-1 guard who has a solid mid-range pull-up jumper and good awareness on the defensive end.

6. Stanford Cardinal
Highest-ranked commit: W Brooke Demetre (No. 11)
Previous ranking: 6

Demetre is a versatile 6-foot-2 forward who will help the Cardinal in the frontcourt. F KiKi Iriafen, the 19th-ranked prospect, has tremendous upside and has a skill set resembling former Cardinal stars Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike. PG Jzaniya Harriel, ranked No. 78, is a quality scorer from Northern California.

7. USC Trojans
Highest-ranked commit: P Clarice Akunwafo (No. 21)
Previous ranking: 7

Akunwafo is an active and disruptive defensive presence with an emerging offensive game. G Rayah Marshall (No. 27) has as much potential as anyone in the class. She is a big guard with a smoothness to her game.

8. Oregon State Beavers
Highest-ranked commit: W Talia Von Oelhoffen (No. 25)
Previous ranking: 8

Von Oelhoffen is a 5-foot-11 guard and strong perimeter player who fits in well with Scott Rueck’s system. Greta Kampschroeder, the No. 32 player, is one of the best shooters in the country, be it off the dribble or in a catch-and-shoot situation.

9. Maryland Terrapins
Highest-ranked commit: G Shyanne Sellers (No. 22)
Previous ranking: 9

Maryland landed two talented players in its 2021 class. Sellers is a versatile 6-foot guard who has every tool — shooting, floor vision and passing — and can guard multiple positions. Emma Chardon, a 4.5-star prospect from Switzerland, has shown the ability to deliver on the big stage.

10. Northwestern Wildcats
Highest-ranked commit: G Hailey Weaver (No. 35)
Previous ranking: 10

This could be coach Joe McKeown’s deepest class ever. Weaver and No. 50 Jillian Brown are two quality perimeter players whose skill sets complement each other. No. 56 Caileigh Walsh is a stretch 4 player who is learning the value of physicality in the paint. The Wildcats have two four-star prospects: Anu Ademusayo, who has elite height and length, and Melannie Daley, an under-the-radar prospect who has serious game as a three-level scorer.

11. Syracuse Orange
Highest-ranked commit: F Latasha Lattimore (No. 38)
Previous ranking: 11

Syracuse landed three international prospects in its five-player class. Lattimore and PG Shayeann Day-Wilson (No. 41) both play for Crestwood Secondary School in Canada, while four-star forward Maud Huijbens is from the Netherlands. No. 51 Amani Bartlett is a slasher-type forward who makes her presence known defensively and on the glass. G Nyah Wilson (No. 99) comes from Texas powerhouse Duncanville High School.

12. NC State Wolfpack
Highest-ranked commit: G Aziaha James (No. 36)
Previous ranking: 13

James is an athletic slashing guard with a serious scoring prowess. P Sophia Hart, the No. 64 player, will fit in well with the Wolfpack’s system well thanks to her craftiness. Her 6-foot-5 height and toughness inside made her a sought-after recruit. Four-star Jessica Timmons has good scoring skills and pressures the ball defensively very effectively.

13. Florida State Seminoles
Highest-ranked commit: PG O’Mariah Gordon (No. 31)
Previous ranking: 12

Gordon is a dynamic point guard who hails from Florida’s Braden River High School. Makayla Timpson, the No. 48 player, is a 6-foot-2 forward who simply makes plays that many others cannot because of her natural ability. Three-star forward Mariana Valenzuela played prep ball at Florida’s Montverde Academy.

14. Georgia Lady Bulldogs
Highest-ranked commit: G Reigan Richardson (No. 34)
Previous ranking: N/A

Richardson committed to Georgia in the summer and has been improving her range over the last few seasons. The Lady Bulldogs went from being outside of the top 25 to inside the top 15 by landing No. 37 prospect Jillian Hollingshead, a four-star forward who, at 6-foot-4, is one of the more talented players at her position in the class. Those two top-40 signees are joined by three-star wing Kimora Jenkins, a slashing perimeter player from New York, and Alina Sendar, a 5-foot-8 combo guard from the Netherlands with sound fundamentals.

15. Tennessee Lady Volunteers
Highest-ranked commit: F Sara Puckett (No. 43)
Previous ranking: 14

Coach Kellie Harper made quite the regional haul. G Kaiya Wynn, the No. 62-ranked prospect, went to Ensworth High School in Tennessee but will finish her high school career outside of Houston, Texas. Puckett and No. 45 Karoline Striplin are from Alabama, while three-star prospect Brooklynn Miles is from Kentucky.

16. Arizona Wildcats
Highest-ranked commit: G Madison Conner (No. 71)
Previous ranking: 15

Conner is a fundamental shooter with extreme confidence on the floor. Aaronette Vonleh (No. 100) is a powerful post player whose brother is Denver Nuggets PF Noah Vonleh. Arizona continues to be successful in landing international recruits, and that is evident in Anna Gret Asi, a 4.5-star point guard from Estonia who can run the show.

17. Washington Huskies
Highest-ranked commit: G Ashtynne Marotte (No. 63)
Previous ranking: 16

Jody Wynn and her Washington coaching staff traveled all over the world for its five-player class. Marotte is a 6-foot guard from Texas. Marisa Davis (No. 76) is a 6-foot-1 wing from Arizona. Avery Van Sickle (No. 85) is a 5-foot-10 point guard from Colorado. No. 94 prospect Jess Finney is a 5-foot-10 guard from Arizona. And four-star guard Olivia Pollerd is from Australia.

18. Michigan Wolverines
Highest-ranked commit: G Laila Phelia (No. 28)
Previous ranking: 17

Phelia is a skilled guard who has proven she can play anywhere on the perimeter. No. 68 Ariana Wiggins is a dynamic and quick point guard. Three-star forward Taylor Gibson will provide physicality in the paint for the Wolverines.

19. West Virginia Mountaineers
Highest-ranked commit: G Emma Shumate (No. 59)
Previous ranking: 24

Shumate is a good shooter with a good court awareness. No. 81 Messiah Hunter is a talented guard with a nice pull-up jumper. Wynter Rogers is a 3.5-star wing/forward who can knock down the 3, while Ja’Naiya Quinerly is a confident point guard who is rising to four-star status.

20. Louisville Cardinals
Highest-ranked commit: G Payton Verhulst (No. 12)
Previous ranking: 18

Verhulst is one of the top guards in the country with a smooth jumper and some flair to her game off the bounce. Four-star Sydni Schetnan doubles as a volleyball player. At 6-foot-5, she might have even more potential on the basketball court.

21. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Highest-ranked commit: PG Knisha Godfrey (No. 40)
Previous ranking: 19

Nikki McCray-Penson took over at Mississippi State in the spring, and her Bulldogs staff immediately went to work in recruiting. Godfrey, No. 55 Jasmine Shavers and three-star Mia Moore are three guards who can push the tempo and put pressure on opposing defenses in the SEC.

22. Iowa Hawkeyes
Highest-ranked commit: P Allison Ediger (No. 39)
Previous ranking: 20

Ediger is a skilled 6-foot-2 forward out of Hamilton High School in Michigan. No. 92 Addison O’Grady is a physical forward/post player out of Colorado whose style of play will fit in well in the Big Ten. Four-star wing Sydney Affolter is an active and skilled player out of Illinois.

23. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Highest-ranked commit: W Kendall Coley (No. 49)
Previous ranking: 21

Nebraska has a deep class thus far with five commits. Coley is a stretch forward who could see some time at the 4 and eventually the 3 in her college career. Allison Weidner (No. 80) is a perimeter player who knows how to hunt down shots. Four-star Tatiana Popa is a 6-foot-5 finesse stretch forward/center type with a European-style game. Kendall Moriarty is a 6-foot-1 guard with perimeter skills. Alexis Markowski is a physical forward with good hands who can knock down shots from beyond the arc.

24. Purdue Boilermakers
Highest-ranked commit: F Sacha Washington (No. 57)
Previous ranking: 22

Purdue brings in two top-100 players in Washington, a 6-foot-2 forward from Georgia, and Skye Williams, a 5-foot-10 guard out of Ohio who is ranked No. 93. Jayla Smith runs the lanes well and gets on the glass. Ava Learn is a finesse forward with the ability to stretch the floor.

25. Arkansas Razorbacks
Highest-ranked commit: PG Jersey Wolfenbarger (No. 7)
Previous ranking: 25

Wolfenbarger might be the steal of the class. She is a skilled 6-foot-5 guard who might still be growing, and that usually means there are aspects to her game that remain untapped. Samara Spencer, a 3.5-star prospect, is a quick and fast guard. Arkansas has two three-star prospects in the fold as well: Ashlyn Sage, a lengthy shooter who can knock down the 3, and Emrie Ellis, a lanky forward who can run the floor.

Dropped out: Arizona State (23)

For previous class rankings, click here