NCAA Women’s Basketball Season Kicks Off with Urgent Storylines

UPDATE: The women’s college basketball season has officially begun, and critical storylines are emerging as teams prepare for the NCAA Tournament. No. 15 Notre Dame is leading the charge in a highly competitive landscape, with pivotal questions surrounding star players and coaching shifts.

What’s the latest? With the season just starting, fans are watching closely as Hannah Hidalgo, a preseason All-American, aims to elevate Notre Dame beyond its past Sweet 16 exits. After falling to TCU last season, the Irish face a challenging road ahead with three ranked opponents in the first three weeks: No. 13 Michigan on November 15, No. 18 USC on November 21, and No. 12 Mississippi on December 4.

Coach Niele Ivey insists that despite a roster shake-up—including the loss of star guard Olivia Miles to TCU and forward Kate Koval to LSU—the standard remains high. “Notre Dame is the standard,” Ivey stated emphatically. The team is looking to prove its doubters wrong this season.

Meanwhile, Illinois is facing its own set of challenges as it seeks a return to the NCAA Tournament. Under coach Shauna Green, the Illini made their second tournament appearance in three years last season. However, they lost five key seniors, including leading scorer Kendall Bostic. With an average team age of just 19.91, Green is counting on young players like Gretchen Dolan and Berry Wallace to step up alongside promising freshmen such as Destiny Jackson, who was named Ms. Basketball of Illinois last year.

“I joke with them because they’re going to give me more gray hair,” Green noted, highlighting both the excitement and challenges of coaching a youthful squad.

In a notable coaching shift, Jill Pizzotti has taken the helm at DePaul following the retirement of longtime coach Doug Bruno. Pizzotti, who has been with the program for 13 years, is looking to make an immediate impact. Despite injuries sidelining key players like Kate Clarke and Meg Newman, Pizzotti is determined to lead the Blue Demons into contention for a top-four finish in the Big East.

“While we got in late in the portal, I feel good about what our staff accomplished,” Pizzotti said, setting a high bar for her new team.

As the Big Ten conference heats up, all eyes are on UCLA, currently ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25. The Bruins, led by star center Lauren Betts and senior guard Kiki Rice, are looking to capitalize on last season’s Final Four run. With USC’s JuJu Watkins out for the season, UCLA seems poised to dominate the conference.

What’s next? With the season unfolding rapidly, fans should keep an eye on upcoming matchups and how teams adapt to their new dynamics. The stakes are high, and the quest for NCAA glory begins now.

Stay tuned for more updates as these storylines develop throughout the season!