Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesWomen's March Madness 2025 is finally here. It feels like it's been a year since Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese lit up their final NCAA basketball tournament before their rookie season with the WNBA…because it has. Now, it's time for this year's college basketball stars to close out their season with a bang, and there's no less excitement and drama this time around.
If all last year's eyes were focussed on Clark and Reese, this year's hype is all about top-ranked players Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins, who went toe-to-toe in a nail-biting game back in December. Unfortunately, fans definitely won't get to see the UConn star and USC sophomore duke it out for the championship title as their teams have been placed in the first two seeds of the same region. This means only one of those teams can possibly advance to the Final Four, much to the disappointment of fans (and USC Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb).
It's worth noting that Clark and Reese managed to break viewership records with last year's third round matchup between the Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU Tigers, which became the most-watched women's college basketball game ever…At least until Iowa's next two games against the UConn Huskies and the 2024 championship winners, the South Carolina Gamecocks. All this to say, a potential USC vs. UConn rematch in this year's Elite Eight would still be must-watch TV.
Of course, Bueckers and Watkins are not the only players making waves this year. Here are nine players everyone will be talking about throughout the women's March Madness 2025 tournament.
Paige Bueckers, Fifth Year Senior at University of Connecticut
Connecticut v North Carolina
Bueckers is one of the most influential women's basketball players, even outside of the college level, though she chose to come back for a fifth year at UConn after sitting out the 2022—2023 season due to a torn ACL.
Beyond her sponsorship deals with brands like Nike and Gatorade, Bueckers is a partial owner of the 3x3 Unrivaled league, a two-time ESPY Award-Winner, and is expected to earn this year's number one draft pick in the WNBA. That means fans will likely be watching her play with the Dallas Wings this May.
JuJu Watkins, Sophomore at University of Southern California
Michigan v USC
Watkins averaged the second-most points of the season and led her team to a nail-biting victory against UConn this December. The 19-year-old guard's incredible sophomore year is just par for the course, as she set the freshman scoring record with 920 points and took home the 2024 ESPY Award for best breakthrough athlete.
This year, Watkins became the fastest Power Five women's basketball player to reach 1,000 career points and was named a first-team Associated Press All-American alongside Bueckers, Lauren Betts, Hannah Hidalgo, and Madison Booker.
Flau'jae Johnson, Junior at Louisiana State University
LSU v South Carolina
The daughter of late rapper Camoflauge, Johnson is a certified baller on and off the court. When she's not rapping or playing ball, the LSU point guard also hosts the Best of Both Worlds podcast, where she talks to celebs, athletes, and even some fellow NCAA players. Though she had to sit out a few games this season due to an injury, she is expected to play for LSU during March Madness.
And no, she doesn't plan to give up basketball in favor of her successful rap career, recently telling Complex she looks forward to a rematch against Clark once she gets into the WNBA. “I'm a junior, and so first year–freshman year–we got it. Second year, she got me,” she says of LSU's recent record against the University of Iowa. "So me and Caitlin, we one and one right now. I got to wait until I get into the league to break that tie."
Aneesah Morrow, Senior at Louisiana State University
2025 LSU Archive
Another star player at LSU, Morrow leads the Division 1 league in rebounds and double-doubles , which sounds pretty familiar… For those who don't know, a player earns a double-double in a game when they have double-digit statistics in two of five categories: assists, blocks, points, rebounds, and steals. (Players can also score a triple-double if they earn double-digit stats in three of those categories.)
This year, Morrow logged her 100th career double-double, earning her USA Today's All-SEC (Southeastern Conference) player of the year and a spot on the AP All-American second team.
Though she injured her foot during the SEC Tournament semifinals, LSU coach Kim Mulkey says she'll be “good to go” for March Madness.
Hailey Van Lith, Graduate Student at Texas Christian University
TCU v Colorado
The 23-year-old TCU guard (who previously played three seasons with the LSU Tigers) is not only a decorated college basketball player but an Olympic bronze medalist. In 2024, she played on the U.S. 3x3 Women's National Team in Paris, making her a promising candidate for the WNBA and Unrivaled leagues after college.
This year, she helped lead the Horned Frogs to their first conference tournament victory since 2005, earning her title as Big 12 player of the year.
Hannah Hidalgo, Sophomore at the University of Notre Dame
NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament - First Round - Notre Dame
At just 5'6", Hidalgo makes up for her lack of height with talent, discipline, and drive. “On the floor, I'm very energetic,” Hidalgo told CBS Mornings ahead of March Madness 2025. “I'm yelling. I'm diving on the floor. Sometimes I'm flashy; sometimes I'm fundamental.”
Like Watkins, Hidalgo became a first-team AP All-American for the second year in a row, making them the third and fourth players to ever earn the honor as a freshman and sophomore. After being coached by her dad in high school, she says she continues to live by his best advice: "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."
Notably, Hidalgo missed crucial minutes of last year's Sweet 16 round after she was told to remove her nose ring during the game, despite wearing it throughout the regular season and first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. Her team ended up losing to Oregon State (70—65).
"I thought it was B.S., because I'm on a run, I'm on a roll," Hidalgo told ESPN at the time. "I scored two baskets and then having to sit out for all that time, I was starting to get cold. I think [the officials] were worried about the wrong things. They should have reffed the game."
Olivia Miles, Senior at the University of Notre Dame
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: MAR 02 Women's Louisville at Notre Dame
After missing last season due to a knee injury, Miles has not only been integral to the Fighting Irish's success this year, but tied Alyssa Thomas' college record for six triple-doubles in a NCAAW career. According to AP, she's the season's only player with three triple-doubles to her name and averages 16.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Though Notre Dame won their 2025 NCAA tournament opener against Stephen F. Austin on March 21, fans will be watching out for Miles, who left the game early with an an alleged ankle injury. “If it’s not serious, you know she’s going to play," teammate Maddy Westbeld said in a postgame press conference, per AP. "She’s an incredibly tough player.”
The New York Times' Athletic put Miles in their #2 spot in their WNBA mock draft.
Sedona Prince, Graduate Student at Texas Christian University
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: MAR 07 Women's Big 12 Tournament Colorado vs TCU
This 24-year-old center has a much more controversial reputation than the other players on this list. Though Prince has fought against gender inequity in college sports throughout her college career, Prince has also been the subject of multiple allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault, as reported by the Washington Post in February. You can read more about her history here.
In a statement to the Washington Post, Prince’s attorney A. Boone Almanza said the basketball player “categorically denies that she has abused anyone in her life, whether mentally, emotionally or physically.” The statement continued, “Unfortunately, others have decided to use Sedona as a launch point for their careers. In an effort to create some relationship privacy, Sedona has asked girlfriends to sign nondisclosure agreements because their personal, intimate moments should not be the subject of public discussion.”
The accusations have sparked online discourse over Prince's standing at TCU and her March Madness performance could certainly influence her future career in the WNBA.
Chloe Kitts, Junior at the University of South Carolina
Vanderbilt v South Carolina
Kitts is looking to secure her second consecutive NCAA Championship title after last year's undefeated season. The 20-year-old forward is a key member of the reigning championship team and was named the SEC Tournament MVP in 2025. These accolades come after she earned gold medals at the 2023 FIBA U19 Women's World Cup and the 2022 FIBA Women's U18 Americas Championship. This year, she was given an honorable mentions by the Associated Press for the 2024-2025 All-America teams.
Off the court, Kitts is active on social media, where she sometimes posts videos and photos with her boyfriend, fellow South Carolina basketball player Collin Murray-Boyles. Who doesn't love a power couple?
Of course, these are just some of the talented women fans will be keeping an eye on this year. Here are some other crucial details you might want to know.
The basic NCAA Women's March Madness Schedule:
First round: March 21-22
Second round: March 23-24
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: April 4
National championship: April 6
How to Watch
The ESPN Network will be airing March Madness games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews, while viewers can stream games on the ESPN app and Fubo.
For more nitty-gritty details—including game times, scores, and team schedules—head to the NCAA website.
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