We have finally arrived at college basketball season.
Hundreds of teams tip off their seasons on Monday with the hopes of earning a coveted ticket to March Madness at the end of the winter. New England sent three Division 1 women's programs dancing last season, with mighty UConn capturing its 12th national title. This region figures to be in the mix of several conference races again.
We've prepped you for the women's season by highlighting potential impact freshman from a loaded 2025 high school class. We've pointed out the biggest stars from New England at schools around the country, and the must-know players locally if you plan to follow the scene.
Our last preview article: Which New England schools could realistically go dancing? Here are our 10 picks, ranked by the likelihood of them punching an NCAA Tournament ticket.
1. UConn
Last year: 37-3, won NCAA championship
Preseason poll rank: 1st in Big East
It's UConn. What more do you want me to write? It would be a national storyline if the Huskies did not appear in March Madness. They have national Player of the Year candidates in Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. The guard depth is ridiculous, including USC transfer Kayleigh Heckel, elite freshman Kelis Fisher and veteran spark KK Arnold. There's even a local tie with Caroline Ducharme (Milton, Mass.). Make sure to catch a game either in Storrs or on national TV.
2. Fairfield
Last year: 28-5, lost in NCAA Tournament Round of 64 to Kansas State
Preseason poll rank: 1st in MAAC
The Stags have firmly established themselves as one of the best mid-major programs in the country, and after their NCAA Tournament exit last March, head coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis further extended her contract through 2030-31. The vibes are high in Fairfield, evidenced by the roster somehow losing zero talent to transfer portal in today's era of college basketball.
Meghan Andersen earned preseason Player of the Year honors. Kaety L'Amoreaux and Janelle Brown join her as leading stars. Fairfield should be the runaway favorite in the MAAC and a potential Top 25 team with its fast-paced, versatile brand of basketball that has leaned into the trends of the modern game. The Stags' big-picture mission: win an NCAA Tournament game after going 0-7 to date.
3. Vermont
Last year: 21-13, lost in NCAA Tournament Round of 64 to NC State
Preseason poll rank: 1st in America East
Since coming out of the pandemic under head coach Alisa Kresge, Vermont has reached 20 wins in every season and made March Madness twice. The Catamounts bring back three of their top four leading scorers in seniors Keira Hanson and Nikola Priede as well as redshirt senior Catherine Gilwee (Shelburne, Vt.). The depth on this roster is young with five freshmen and four sophomores. But Vermont was one of the stingiest squads in the country last year — their 52.9 points allowed per game ranked fourth-fewest — and that defensive identity should fuel the program again.
4. Maine
Last year: 15-16, lost in America East semifinals to Albany
Preseason poll rank: 2nd in America East
Maine experienced a down year and then lost four of its top five leaders in minutes. So why are folks high on the Black Bears? One name: Adrianna Smith.
The 6-foot-forward returns from an ACL injury after averaging 16.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 2023-24. Smith is capable of being the conference's best player if she can return to form. She'll have support from senior guards Asta Blauenfelt and Sarah Talon (Windham, Maine). I'd also keep an eye on Gardiner, Maine, native Lizzy Gruber, a 6-4 center and transfer from St. Joseph's.
5. Holy Cross
Last year: 19-12, lost in Patriot League semifinals to Lehigh
Preseason poll rank: 3rd in Patriot League
The Crusaders always find a way into the Patriot League contender conversation, and they should feel more stable with Candice Green locked in following her year as a full-season interim head coach. They have a solid core of four seniors who have all played major minutes, including returning leading scorer Simone Foreman and preseason all-conference member Kaitlyn Flanagan. I'm also eyeing a leap from junior Kendall Eddy (Haverhill, Mass.), a former Brooks star who transferred to Holy Cross last season.
6. UMass
Last year: 17-15, lost in Atlantic 10 second round to Saint Louis
Preseason poll rank: 3rd in MAC
I was floored by the improvement Mike Leflar's squad showed in his second year as head coach. The Minutewomen turned around from a dismal 5-27 to 17-15, including 11-7 during their final showing in the Atlantic 10. Now they're expected to contend in the MAC right away. Senior Megan Olbrys (Norwood, Mass.) and sophomore Yahmani Mckayle represent the top two playmakers coming back, but UMass as a whole has a strong returning presence. One underrated storyline: It's cool to see that Brooke Pulpi (Reading, Mass.), a former MIAA star at Reading, has walked onto the team as a freshman.
7. Stonehill
Last year: 17-16, lost in NEC championship to Fairleigh-Dickinson
Preseason poll rank: 2nd in NEC
The Skyhawks very nearly booked a March Madness trip in their first eligible season since moving up to Division 1, and they still earned a WNIT game that ended in a blowout loss to UMass. The NEC is a chaotic conference with FDU as the clear favorite, but after going 11-5 in conference last year, Stonehill has shown it belongs. Though dynamic scoring guard Sharn Hayward has graduated, Brooke Paquette (Hudson, N.H.) also emerged as a capable bucket-getter and leads a roster filled with local connections. Stonehill has a player from every New England state except Vermont.
8. Quinnipiac
Last year: 28-5, lost in MAAC championship to Fairfield
Preseason poll rank: 2nd in MAAC
Though Fairfield maintains an iron grip on the conference, Quinnipiac has favorable chances to at least make it back to the MAAC title game. The Bobcats lost dynamic freshman guard Gal Raviv to the transfer portal (now at Miami), but return their next four leading scorers from last winter. That includes Andover, Mass., native Anna Foley, a skilled 6-3 center, and grad student sharpshooter Jackie Grisdale. Quinnipiac went 18-2 in conference last season; even without Raviv, they have plenty of talent to run back a similar year.
9. Harvard
Last year: 24-5, lost in NCAA Tournament first round to Michigan State
Preseason poll rank: 3rd in Ivy League
Did we call our shot by getting coach Carrie Moore on the HoopWise Podcast in the preseason before the Crimson went on to make the NCAA Tournament? Who's to say?
Harvard faces a steep challenge after graduating a program all-time great in Harmoni Turner and a versatile forward in Elena Rodriguez. But I would note that the core of the defense, which held opponents to just 52.9 points per game last season (fifth-fewest nationwide) remains intact. That core includes wings like Saniyah Glenn-Bello and Gabby Anderson. Harvard has solid guard play back and scored a top-75 national recruit in Aubrey Shaw who's worth watching. Princeton and Columbia are in the driver's seat to win the Ivy League, but I'd still keep the Crimson in the conversation.
10. Rhode Island
Last year: 17-16, lost in Atlantic 10 quarterfinals to St. Joseph's
Preseason poll rank: 4th in Atlantic 10
This is a fascinating roster with little similarity to last year's mid-pack run in the Atlantic 10. Eight of the Rams' 13 players come from overseas, including six from France. Eight of 13 are also underclassmen. Together, that means there's a ton of uncertainty and a wide range of outcomes for this program. URI's preseason polling means coaches are tentatively optimistic, but I truly don't know what to expect. One more factor I'd note is the the A-10 has proven capable of earning multiple March Madness bids. It's a long shot, but that's at least an additional pathway if Rhode Island crushes a challenging nonconference schedule.
