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Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes (54) looks to score over Maryland's Brinae Alexander (5) during the first half of the Indiana versus Maryland women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, March 3, 2024. Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Best Indiana Women’s Basketball Players Of The 2020s So Far: No. 1 Mackenzie Holmes

Originally posted on Indiana Hoosiers on SI
By Todd Golden | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 11:16 AM ET

As we’ve seen throughout this series, there have been some great players who represented Indiana women’s basketball in the 2020s. Some of the best players in program history have graced us all with their performances during the half-decade.

Yet Mackenzie Holmes put a good amount of daylight between herself and her very capable teammates to earn the top women’s basketball spot for the half-decade.

Holmes ranked first in every category tracked as criteria for the top 16. She played five seasons in the decade, so she naturally led everyone in win share total (31.3, which was 12.1 win shares better than anyone else) and starts (116).

However, Holmes also led in categories that aren’t predicated on longevity. Her average win shares was 6.3, more than a point better than any other Hoosier. Her peak win share total of 8.5 was 1.4 points better than anyone else. Her scoring average of 17.2 was almost three points better than any of her teammates.

The statistics merely confirm what everyone already knows – Holmes was very good and gave Indiana an impressive anchor in the post.

Holmes came to Indiana in 2019 from Gorham, Maine, and played as a reserve in the 2019-20 season. Her coming out season was in 2021 as she began her dominance.

Holmes averaged 17.8 points and had career-high averages in rebounds (7.6) and blocks (3.0). She also shot 60.7% from the field. She would never fail to shoot at least 60% in each of her seasons. Indiana already had a gifted backcourt, but Holmes gave the Hoosiers muscle in the paint. The reward was an Elite Eight season that put Indiana on the women’s basketball map.

During Holmes’ third season, she had surgery on her left knee in January. It cost her eight games and her numbers dropped ever so slightly, but she was back by the time Indiana made a run to the Sweet 16.

The 2022-23 season was when Holmes became nationally known. As Indiana marauded its way to a 28-4 season, Holmes averaged 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. She led the Big Ten in 2-point shooting percentage at 69.1% as she mastered her footwork and body control in the paint to create high-percentage shots for herself despite double-teams and occasional triple-teams.

Indiana seemed poised for a national title run, but Holmes’ knee once again haunted her. She hurt it in the Big Ten Tournament, and while Indiana tried to play the injury down, Holmes wasn’t 100% for the postseason. Holmes didn’t play in Indiana’s NCAA Tournament opener against Tennessee Tech.

She did play in Indiana’s 70-68 loss to Miami in the second round. She had 22 points and nine rebounds, but the Hoosiers’ best chance to make the Final Four was gone.

Still, it was a great season for Holmes, who was a first-team All-American for the first time.

Holmes used her COVID-19 extra season in 2024. Indiana finished 26-6, and Holmes was dominant as ever at 19.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Indiana finished the regular season with 11 wins in 13 games, but in the regular season finale, Holmes hurt her knee again.

She managed to play in all of the remaining four games – including a 29-point effort in a 75-68 second round victory over Oklahoma – but she wasn’t 100%. Indiana departed the NCAA Tournament with honor in a 79-75 loss to South Carolina in the Sweet 16.

Holmes was taken by the Seattle Storm in the WNBA Draft, but sat out a year to have surgery on her knee. She worked as a graduate assistant for the Hoosiers. Holmes was waived in training camp by the Storm in 2025.

Holmes ended her Indiana career as Indiana’s all-time leader in points (2,530), field goals made (1,043), field goal percentage (63.9%) and wins (123). She was an eight-time All-American and a Big Ten first-team selection three times and a second-team selection once.

All of the above makes Holmes the best women’s basketball player of the 2020s. It likely makes her the best Indiana women’s basketball player of any decade.