Modern basketball's evolution has dramatically altered the look of a post player.
Fewer teams are building rosters around pure inside bruisers that rack up rebounds and rarely leave the paint. Today's frontcourt stars can step out to the perimeter, make high-level passes, and even handle or drive to the basket themselves.
We're presenting the third portion of our 2024-25 New England Division 1 college watch lists, and though post players are the category, these 10 put their own spins on the traditional definition.
Put these names on your radar as we cross one week to go in the college basketball preseason.
Sarah Strong, UConn
6-2, freshman
Hometown: Fuquay-Varina, N.C.
The No. 1 player in ESPN's 2025 class, Strong is the Huskies' most highly-touted recruit since Paige Bueckers. She drew comparisons to both Nikola Jokic and Magic Johnson in high school, underscoring the uniquely versatile game that helped her win Naismith High School Player of the Year while averaging 21.0 points, 16.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.8 steals. Strong is UConn's fifth straight preseason Big East Freshman of the Year. Her impact will be felt immediately in all facets of the game, but Strong's most valuable asset to UConn might be her rebounding and interior dominance, hence the post player categorization here. One fun fact: she's the daughter of Allison Feaster, Harvard's all-time leading scorer and vice president of team operations and organizational growth on the Celtics.
Lindsay Berger, Holy Cross
6-2, senior
Hometown: Orefield, Pa.
On a Holy Cross team facing significant changes, Berger is a constant from the last two Patriot League championship teams. She took a slight step back in 2023-24, averaging 6.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 20.1 minutes off the bench, but is a reliable source of interior defense and mid-range scoring. Berger put up 9.8 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor as a sophomore, so she's proven herself as a capable, efficient player. The Crusaders will need her experience in the frontcourt following the departures of Janelle Allen and Callie Wright.
Ali Brigham, Bryant
6-4, graduate student
Hometown: Franklin, Mass.
Brigham was among our top New England-native transfers this offseason and is a huge addition for the Bulldogs. She started all 35 games at Penn State last season, averaging 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds for a Nittany Lions team that went 22-13 and lost in the WBIT semifinals. Brigham won a Div. 1 co-championship at Franklin High and finished as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,692 career points. She's one of the best post players to come out of Massachusetts in recent years.
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Anna Foley, Quinnipiac
6-3, sophomore
Hometown: Andover, Mass.
The former MIAA Division 1 champion at Andover made an impressive collegiate transition. Foley started all 28 games played and averaged 13.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists, landing on both the All-MAAC second team and rookie team. She's a high-level passing center and posted some big stat lines down the stretch, including a 27-point, 10-rebound, 4-assist performance March 7 against Iona. Foley needs to stay out of foul trouble (4 or more in 10 of her last 11 games), but otherwise she's on a promising trajectory.
Clare Meyer, Dartmouth
6-3, junior
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
Last year was brutal for the 7-19 Big Green, but Meyer leads the hope for better times ahead. She led the squad in scoring (8.2 points) and field goal percentage (40.5) while starting all 26 games played as a sophomore. Meyer closed the season strong with double-digit point totals in seven of her last nine contests, including 24 points and 11 rebounds vs. Harvard on Feb. 10. She'll have help in the frontcourt from 6-4 senior Doreen Ariik, who played in the NEPSAC at Northfield Mount Hermon.
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Olivia Olsen, Providence
6-3, senior
Hometown: Niskayuna, N.Y.
Providence landed third in the Big East preseason poll, and Olsen joined Grace Efosa on the preseason all-conference team. Olsen has steadily upped her game in every season so far. In 2023-24, she led the Friars in points (13.7), rebounds (8.5), blocks (1.7) and field goal percentage (52.6) as a second-team All-Big East member. Olsen has the ability to take over games inside while rarely stacking up fouls, making her a reliable star. Her returning presence sets a high floor for this year's Friars.
Anna Olson, Vermont
6-1, graduate student
Hometown: Monticello, Minn.
Since arriving in Vermont during the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, Olson has been about as steady and productive as the Catamounts could have hoped. She landed on the All-America East first team in 2022-23 and the second team last season and has tallied 1,259 points in 106 career games. Last year, Olson averaged 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and just less than a block per game, shooting a crisp 55.9 percent from the field. The Catamounts lost to Maine in the America East title game last season before a remarkable run to the Fab 4 of the WNIT.
Elena Rodriguez, Harvard
6-2, senior
Hometown: Aguimes, Spain
If Harvard hopes to break through to the NCAA Tournament, the Crimson will need more of the efficient, versatile production they've gotten from Rodriguez across the last two seasons. She posted 10.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in 2023-24. Though Rodriguez's shooting rates took a slight step back from a stellar 2022-23 season, she still made 51.1 percent of her total shots, including 34.2 percent of her threes. Rodriguez's ability to handle the ball, shoot and cut, along with her physical interior play, makes her one of the most versatile weapons on the roster.
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Anastasiia Semenova, Boston University
6-2, junior
Hometown: St. Petersburg, Russia
The Terriers have a massive void to fill after Caitlin Weimar grad-transferred to NC State. Semenova is a different style of player — more of a floor-spacer and less of a rim-protector than Weimar – but she'll lead the charge to replace her impact. After barely playing as a freshman, Semenova stepped up as a sophomore to average 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds. She had some breakout scoring nights during the middle portion of last season, including 21 points and eight rebounds on Jan. 6 against Lafayette.
Teya Sidberry, Boston College
6-1, junior
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Sidberry made an immediate mark by starting all 33 games after transferring from Utah. She led the Eagles in both points (13.6) and rebounds (6.7), and she ended the campaign on a high note with two 20-plus-point efforts in the ACC Tournament. Like some other players listed here, Sidberry isn't a pure post presence. She made 23 3-pointers last season, though she'll look to improve on her efficiency, and she can drive the ball from the perimeter. Sidberry will also have more opportunities as a face-up scorer with the addition of transfer Kennedi Jackson, who is more of a pure post presence.
