20 names to know for 2021-22 women's college basketball season

The Rebels have won six of their first seven games to open the 2021-22 season, and Austin is obviously a big reason for that early success. The 6-foot-5 post-star averages team-highs of 13.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. Not to mention 2.0 assists per contest. Austin has certainly found a home at Ole Miss after spending her first two collegiate seasons helping Maryland win a pair of regular-season Big Ten championships.

Florida Gulf Coast might not be a well-known commodity to the casual women's basketball fan, but Bell has certainly brought attention to the program. Seven games into her season, Bell is the nation's top scorer at 26.6 points -- after she averaged 24.3 and shot a ridiculous 52.7 percent from the field in 2020-21. Bell, a preseason honorable mention All-American selection by The Associated Press, is shooting 52.1 percent through those seven contests and already topped the 30-point mark twice in 2021-22.

A national player of the year candidate, Boston is truly the heart and soul of the No. 1-ranked Gamecocks. After averaging 13.7 points, 11.5 boards, and 2.6 blocks last season while helping South Carolina reach the Final Four, Boston is back at in 2021-22. Through the first seven games of the season, Boston is averaging 14.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and has totaled 16 blocks. "Aliyah Boston is one of those highly ranked recruits who came in as a good player and immediately set her mind to do what it would take to become a great player," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley told The Associated Press.

The Cardinal will have a hard time defending their national title, but the progression of Brink helps the program still rank among the best in college basketball. The 6-foot-4 Brink continues to gain confidence, and through the first seven games of Stanford's season, leads the team in both points (14.6 per game) and rebounds (7.7 per game). She posted 21 points and pulled 22 boards in Stanford's 69-66 victory over then-No. 4 Indiana on Nov. 25.

UConn might not be the top dog in women's college basketball at the moment, but the Huskies do have the best player in the game. Bueckers, the first freshman to be named AP Player of the Year, has shown she's worthy of another special season. In 2020-21, she averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.9 rebounds. Through the first four games this season, she's averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 boards, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks. It hasn't taken long for Bueckers to etch herself among the greats in UConn history.

After leading the nation at 26.6 points per game last season, while also averaging 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds, Clark became the first Iowa women's player to be named a preseason All-American by the AP. Though COVID-19 has hindered an early portion of the Hawkeyes' 2021-22 season, Clark has averaged 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists through the first four games. Barring any unforeseen issues, Clark should contend with Bueckers for the national player of the year in '22.

Aliyah Boston is not the only reason South Carolina appears to be the team to beat in women's college basketball this season. Cooke is off to a strong start, averaging 13.1 points and shooting 14-of-27 from 3-point range through the Gamecocks' first seven games of the season. She's also dishing out 5.0 assists per game and has recorded 16 steals while solidifying herself as one of the most complete guards in the country.

A second-team AP All-American last season when she averaged at least 16.0 points for a second straight campaign, Cunane opened this one as an honorable mention first-team All-American choice. The Wolfpack are one of the top teams in the nation, and through the first seven games of this season, Cunane is averaging team-highs of 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. It would be special if Cunane could lead N.C. State to the Final Four as a senior.

It might be hard for Hillman to top last season's performance when she averaged 24.0 points and 11.4 rebounds. Yet, we wouldn't put anything past the Wolverines' star. Michigan has won its first seven games, and Hillmon is leading the charge while averaging 21.8 points, shooting 59.1 percent, and pulling 10.0 boards per contest. Depending on who is doing the prognosticating, Hillmon could find herself a top-five WNBA draft pick.

The Hoosiers are the epitome of team basketball with five players averaging double-digit points. However, Holmes continues to find a way to stand out. Through the first six games of the season, Holmes averaged 15.3 points -- while shooting 53.5 percent -- and 7.5 rebounds. She finished with 14 points and 11 boards as the Hoosiers topped Miami, Fla., 53-51 on Saturday in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Classic.

Rae Burrell might be considered the top WNBA prospect on the current Tennessee roster, but Horston is a big reason the Volunteers are undefeated through their first six games of the season. Horston played in five of those contests, where she averaged 19.4 points, 11.0 points, and 4.2 assists and plays with a massive amount of confidence. Now, it's uncertain if the Vols are back to being perennial national title contenders, but Horston might just be the real deal. 

Is Howard destined to be the No. 1 overall draft pick for some WNBA team? We'll see. But she's certainly among the elite talents in the current college game. After averaging 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists last season, Howard rightfully was named a preseason All-American by the AP. "(Rhyne) is in the best shape of her life. Her fitness has gone to another level as she has committed to the weight room this offseason," Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy told the AP. Through the first five games of the 2021-22 campaign, Howard is averaging 19.2 points, while shooting 64.1 percent, 6.8 boards, and 1.2 assists.

An early-season ankle issue has not hindered Joens, averaging 20.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the Cyclones, who are off to a 7-0 start. It shouldn't be a surprise that Joens is off to such a strong start, she should be in the mix for Big 12 Player of the Year after averaging 24.2 points and 9.5 rebounds last season. Keep an eye on Iowa State, which could end up being the class of the conference.

Cameron Brink is poised to be a star for Stanford, but right now, that distinction belongs to its leader Jones. An honorable mention preseason All-American pick by the AP, Jones is still trying to find a rhythm this season (averaging 10.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists through six games), but without her, the Cardinal is not the same confident squad. The 2021 Final Four Most Outstanding Player became the first Stanford women's player since March 2002 to post a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists during a 77-55 win over Portland on Nov. 16.

It remains to be seen if Kansas State, which won six of its first seven games, can seriously contend with the likes of Baylor, Iowa State, and Texas for a Big 12 title this season. But, there's no dispute that the 6-6 Lee continues to turn heads on the national scene. She ranks among the national leaders averaging 24.7 points and 11.3 rebounds through those seven contests. During a 103-40 victory over Central Arkansas on Nov. 9, Lee set the single-game school record with 43 points.

While Kim Mulkey no longer roams the sidelines for the Bears, there is still plenty of talent left in Waco. As a graduate transfer from Alabama, Lewis brings excitement and dependability to Baylor's backcourt. A second-team All-SEC pick last season, Lewis is averaging 14.3 points, while shooting, 51.5 percent from the field, nearly 5.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds through the first seven games of the season for the Bears.

There's no doubt Miller, a 2021 All-Big Ten First-Team selection who averaged 17.3 points and shot 50.6 percent last season, is one of the elite players in the country. But maintaining that status this season could come down to if she can stay healthy. A knee issue kept Miller off the court until she made her season debut on Nov. 18. And, there's been some expected rust out of the gate for Miller, who is vital to Maryland's chances of winning the Big Ten and more this season.

Owusu was a third-team AP All-American last season when she averaged 17.9 points and shot 49.3 percent to win the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the nation's top shooting guard. Though she's been bugged by an ankle issue early on the 2021-22 campaign, the two-time Big Ten Tournament MVP averaged 17.8 points while shooting 45.1 percent through Maryland's first eight games. She poured in 30 points on 9-of-18 shooting in the Terps' 86-68 loss to then-No. 7 Stanford on Nov. 27 at the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship.

Another potential national player of the year candidate, Smith is off to a stellar seven-game start for the Bears. In 2020-21, Smith averaged 18.0 points and just under 9.0 boards. That effort earned her a preseason-All-American nod from the AP, and she hasn't disappointed while averaging 20.6 points with 13.4 rebounds. It will be interesting to see if Smith can maintain that early dominance, especially as the grind of the season takes shape.

It's easy for anybody to get overshadowed when playing on the same team as Paige Bueckers. However, Williams has done a nice job of making a name for herself during her UConn career, earning American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2019 and being named to the All-Big East First Team in 2021. Williams is off to a strong start on the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 17.3 points while shooting 54.5 percent from the field through the Huskies' first four contests.