Sarah Strong, Lauren Betts and more in the wide-open WBB Player of the Year race

So far, this NCAA season has been full of history-making stat lines, upsets, and unreal performances. While there's still a lot of play left, it's never too early to start Player of the Year conversations. Preseason front-runner, UConn star Sarah Strong, is still at the top of everyone's lists. A few new names have also emerged as top contenders for the NCAAW Player of the Year honors.

With Texas remaining undefeated despite facing multiple tough opponents so far, their star, Madison Booker, has climbed to the top of the list. Hannah Hidalgo has already played one of the best college basketball games of all time, and Audi Crooks doesn't look like she's slowing down any time soon. It's clear that these players have one thing on their minds: a championship — but there's a chance one of them could acquire some other hardware on their way. Here are the top candidates right now.

1. Sarah Strong, UConn

Fresh off a national championship, and with Paige Bueckers' departure, Sarah Strong knew her role at UConn would expand. Seemingly, she's found her footing with ease this season. So far, she's averaging 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Her game has developed tremendously when it comes to creating opportunities for her teammates. We have already seen some selfless and crafty passes to open players this season.

Last season, the biggest critique of Strong's game was her lack of aggressiveness, which is understandable for a freshman. Before the start of this season, Geno Auriemma told the press, "You know, every huddle that she’s in, she’s the one doing the talking..." He also described Strong as being "on another level" this season. These newfound character traits of hers are a major reason she's at the top of this conversation. In UConn's closest game of the season so far, against Michigan, Strong recorded 16 points and 20 rebounds. She has dominated every task thrown at her this year, and I cannot wait to see how that continues.

2. Lauren Betts, UCLA

Fresh off being named AP Player of the Week, Lauren Betts is reminding everyone who may have forgotten that she's one of the best bigs we've ever seen. The 6' 7" center's unmatched ability to assert her dominance and shimmy around defenders in the paint has been on full display this season. So far, she is averaging 14.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. In UCLA's latest win, Betts put up 24 points, 14 rebounds, and a whopping 5 blocks to hand Oregon their first loss of the season. This was also already her second double-double of the season.

After a heartbreaking loss in the Final Four last season, Betts has started her final campaign off on the right foot — cementing her place not only at the top of every WNBA mock draft, but the top of this list as well. As the season continues and UCLA faces more ranked opponents, we will see how Betts handles the pressure.

3. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

Despite Notre Dame getting off to a rocky start this season, Hannah Hidalgo has still been one of the most elite players in the NCAA. With Notre Dame losing Sonia Citron to the WNBA and Olivia Miles to the transfer portal, Hidalgo knew she would have more weight on her shoulders. So far, she has handled it flawlessly, scoring in the double-digits in each of Notre Dame's games this season. It'd be impossible to talk about Hidalgo's position on this list and not mention her stat line against Akron. In the Fighting Irish's 85-58 win, Hidalgo recorded 44 points, 9 assists, and a record-setting 16 steals.

After falling short in their first ranked matchup of the season against Michigan, Hidalgo made a statement in their next game. Hidalgo put up a game-winning three to seal a 61-59 Fighting Irish victory. She had 22 total points and 5 steals.

There's no one quite like Hannah Hidalgo when it comes to her fiery relentlessness on the court. That has been made apparent in her early performances this season. As Notre Dame finds their groove and Hidalgo continues on this path, there's no doubt she'll remain at the top of this list.

4. Audi Crooks, Iowa State

There are very few more dominant players in the game right now than Audi Crooks this season. She is averaging 27.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season. When you look at those numbers, you might be wondering if anyone is even trying to stop her. They can try, but she has made it seem almost impossible. In Iowa State's win over Valparaiso, Crooks put up 43 points in only 20 minutes on the court.

If you thought that was just a one-and-done type of performance, you'd be mistaken. A few games later, against Indiana, Crooks recorded a new career-high in points, putting up 47 total. Iowa State has yet to face a ranked opponent this season, but that changes with its next game against Iowa. Depending on how Crooks continues to use her power in these pressure-filled matchups, she could absolutely climb to the top of this list.

5. Madison Booker, Texas

Texas has arguably had one of the hardest schedules to open up the season. They faced both South Carolina and UCLA early on. The Longhorns won both matchups with a lot of thanks to Madison Booker's performances. In the matchup with UCLA, Booker recorded 16 points and 7 rebounds. She had another 16 points and 9 rebounds, and 5 steals against South Carolina the very next night. Harmon is making her way into the top 5 of this list as she recorded her third double-double in Texas's last game.

As Texas continues to progress through this season, Booker's role will become more important. She is currently averaging 16.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. It will be interesting to see if Booker climbs up on this list, as Texas will surely be a title contender all season.

There are a few honorable mentions who deserve their flowers — and we could 100% be seeing make their way onto this ladder as the season goes forward. Some main contenders include: UConn's Azzi Fudd, TCU's Olivia Miles, South Carolina's Ta'Niya Latson, and LSU's Flau'jae Johnson.

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