While the National Player of the Year conversation continues on, another topic has sparked interest thanks to this weekend's games: Freshman of the Year. There are a number of exciting young players who have entered the women's college basketball conversation this season. No. 5 UConn's Sarah Strong, No. 6 South Carolina's Joyce Edwards and Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes all impressed this past weekend with huge performances.
Sarah Strong, UConn
The No. 1 recruit in the 2024 high school class, Strong decided to take her talents to UConn. She has been a revelation for the Huskies this season, with skills that make her look well beyond her years. Her mother also happens to be the Boston Celtics' player development coach, so we can imagine she has benefited from some extra training from mom. Still, Strong's defense, footwork and general basketball IQ make her a star in the making.
She is averaging 16.1 points per game but leads the country in win shares at 6.0. She also grabs 8.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Her defensive rating sits at 66.4, in the 100th percentile nation-wide (regardless of class/age). Strong is just an incredibly well-rounded player who came onto a UConn team that needed her, and she made an immediate impact. She has transitioned seamlessly into college ball and is showing the skills of a future star.
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Joyce Edwards was the No. 3 recruit in the 2024 high school class and committed to South Carolina. Another forward, Edwards has a different role on the Gamecocks than Strong has on the Huskies. South Carolina's depth means that Edwards comes off the bench, but she is still averaging 13.0 points per game. Edwards operates in the post, with a long wingspan allowing her to grab rebounds and get those points under the hoop. She shoots an impressive 57.9% from the field.
Strong and Edwards faced off for the first time on Sunday as UConn visited South Carolina. A combination of a masterclass in defense from UConn and an off day in general from the Gamecocks resulted in a 29-point win by the Huskies over South Carolina. Regardless, that should not be the end of the Freshman of the Year conversation, as both players bring a ton of skill to their teams.
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Mikayla Blakes came out of high school as the No. 8 recruit in the 2024 class, and she has been on an absolute tear her entire freshman season for Vanderbilt, breaking records and making sure the entire country knows her name.
Blakes is averaging 23.0 points per game, and scored 55 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals against Auburn this past weekend, breaking her own DI record — she scored 53 points against Florida on January 30th, and now holds the record for points in a single game by a freshman in DI history.
Looking at these statistics as they are, Blakes is definitely well above the numbers of both Strong and Edwards, so why isn't she leading the NFOY conversation? It goes back to team record and ranking. While UConn and South Carolina have been steady in the Top 10 all season, Vanderbilt has been in and out of the Top 25. Both UConn and South Carolina have three losses on their season, Vanderbilt has a record of 19-7 and sits in 8th place in the SEC.
Should this matter though? Does Blakes' place at a lower-ranked school stop her from being considered for national awards? It's the same conversation yearly, and that decision is up to the voters.
Either way, Strong, Edwards and Blakes are phenomenal players with bright futures ahead of them.