As the 2025–26 women’s college basketball season moves into its second month, the top teams in the sport are starting to stand out. UConn, Texas, South Carolina, and UCLA remain at the top of the AP College Basketball Rankings. At the same time, there is a lot of underrated talent across the league that isn’t getting the recognition it deserves. In Week 5, these players put together impressive performances that largely went unnoticed on the national stage.

1. Olivia Miles

Olivia Miles’ averages of 17.7 points and 7.4 assists per game are impressive, but what truly makes her indispensable to the undefeated Horned Frogs is her command of Mark Campbell’s pro-style pick-and-roll offense. Since transferring, she has evolved from a primary playmaker into a true floor general who controls the tempo and flow of the game.

That growth was on full display in her recent triple-double against UTEP, when she recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, while also consistently creating open looks for teammates whenever the offense bogged down.

2. Brooklyn Meyer

Brooklyn Meyer is a great example of a high-major talent who does well without being in the spotlight. The senior forward isn’t just putting up numbers (21.5 PPG, 60.4% FG); she’s almost impossible to guard in the paint. She was the team’s rock in the recent win over NAU, scoring 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting.

Meyer asked for the ball and scored inside to extend the lead when NAU threatened a run. This showed a “take-over” mentality that stats alone don’t show. Her rim protection (2.2 blocks per game) lets the Jackrabbits take more chances on the outside. Meyer is truly a nightmare for any team that doesn’t have a strong center.

3. Tessa Johnson

Tessa Johnson has made a name for herself as South Carolina’s “silent assassin” on a team full of stars. In the close road win over Louisville, where she was the main tone-setter, her impact was clear. Johnson scored 10 points in the first quarter by constantly moving and cutting through the defense.

Her 48.8% shooting from three-point range makes defenses stay close, which gives her teammates more room to move. Johnson isn’t just a shooter; she’s the X-factor who makes teams pay for focusing too much on the Gamecocks’ best players.

4. Olivia Olson 

Olivia Olson, a sophomore guard, has quickly become the emotional and offensive center of Michigan. In the blowout win over Purdue, she scored 26 points, showing how explosive she can be as a scorer. She seemed to decide the game by herself with a 13-point flurry in the second quarter.

Now, Olson stands out because she can score while also playing elite defense. She averages 2.0 steals per game and frequently converts stops into immediate offense. She doesn’t just put points on the board; she sparks runs that can completely swing a game and drain an opponent’s momentum.

5. Ava Heiden

Ava Heiden, a sophomore from Iowa, has quietly become one of the best interior players in the country, especially at home games, where she averages 10.3 rebounds and shoots almost 70% from the field. It’s not just her size that makes her so good; she can also play different positions, which lets her defend the perimeter and move away from the basket.

With 18 points and 16 rebounds against Fairfield, she showed how dominant she can be on both ends of the floor. Iowa’s undefeated run until ISU came along was largely thanks to her second-year leap. She has scored five double-doubles till now.

6. Jazzy Davidson

Freshman Jazzy Davidson is playing like a pro, and she’s quickly becoming a versatile weapon for USC. She was the difference maker in the Big Ten opener against Washington, hitting a big three-pointer that started a 9-0 run in the third quarter.

She scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but what really stood out was her ability to lead the fast break and defend vertically. Davidson is very flexible; she can guard the rim on one end and then quickly handle the ball on the other.

7. Journey Houston

Journey Houston makes the kind of “glue” plays that win games but don’t get much attention. Her 4.1 points per game may not seem like much, but her 58.1% shooting percentage and strong rebounding are very good for a guard. Houston scored four straight points against Fairfield to start a crucial 7-2 run that gave Iowa the lead again.

She has a talent for being in the right place at the right time and getting almost five rebounds a game by working harder than taller players. This “unexpected depth” she brings lets Iowa keep up the intensity even when she’s on the bench.