Paige Bueckers Reigns as Most Searched NCAA Women's Basketball Star
An electrifying guard from the University of Connecticut is the worthy valedictorian of the NCAA women's basketball Class of 2025.
Paige Bueckers has taken full advantage of her sensational skill set, installed as a staggering -2000 favorite to go first overall in the latest 2025 WNBA Draft odds. And so it's no surprise to see the 23-year-old atop the list of the most searched players in NCAA women's hoops over the past 12 months.
Assuming the mega-star mantel from 2024 college star and reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, Bueckers has been searched nearly a half-million times on Google so far in 2025, putting her comfortably ahead of runner-up Hailey Van Lith of the TCU Horned Frogs. USC Trojans superstar Juju Watkins rounds out a top three that sits in its own tier, well ahead of the next group of women's hoops superstars.
Here's a look at the top 10:
| Ranking | Athlete | Team | Age | US Searches (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Paige Bueckers | UConn Huskies | 23 | 450,000 |
| 🥈 2 | Hailey Van Lith | TCU Horned Frogs | 23 | 301,000 |
| 🥉 3 | Juju Watkins | USC Trojans | 19 | 201,000 |
| T4 | Audi Crooks | Iowa State Cyclones | 20 | 60,500 |
| T4 | Chloe Kitts | South Carolina Gamecocks | 20 | 60,500 |
| T4 | Flau'jae Johnson | LSU Tigers | 21 | 60,500 |
| 7 | Hannah Stuelke | Iowa Hawkeyes | 22 | 49,500 |
| 8 | Shelomi Sanders | Alabama A&M Bulldogs | 21 | 40,500 |
| 9 | Sedona Prince | TCU Horned Frogs | 24 | 33,100 |
| T10 | Haley Cavinder | Miami Hurricanes | 24 | 27,100 |
| T10 | Hanna Cavinder | Miami Hurricanes | 24 | 27,100 |
Bueckers the best of the bunch
There are few women's college basketball players on the planet who can match Paige Bueckers' prowess – and the proof is in the stat sheet.
The native of Hopkins, Minn., has been an absolute force for the Huskies, finishing the regular season with averages of 18.6 points, five assists and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from 3-point range.
She has been one of the most consistent players in the NCAA during her four years in the Big East, finishing her regular-season collegiate career with averages of 19.5 points, 4.7 boards and 4.6 dimes on 53.1 percent shooting. She's also a social media superstar, with more than 3.3 million followers on TikTok and more than 2.1 million followers on Instagram.
Not only is Bueckers an overwhelming favorite to hear her name called first at the WNBA Draft on April 14, she'll also very likely be the opening favorite for Rookie of the Year honors; expect that betting market to open shortly after the draft is complete. The Dallas Wings own the No. 1 pick in next month's draft, and have to be excited about landing themselves a future franchise cornerstone.
Van Lith, Watkins next in line
Hailey Van Lith has amassed armies of fans across multiple campuses, having played for three schools over her collegiate career – most recently the Horned Frogs, who are presently ranked No. 8 in the country with March Madness looming.
Van Lith, who averages 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists, is also a big star on social media. The 23-year-old native of Wenatchee, Wash., has in excess of 1.2 million followers on Instagram and nearly 450,000 followers on TikTok.
USC's Juju Watkins ranks third on the list of most searched NCAA women's hoops icons, guiding the Trojans to the No. 2 ranking despite still being a teenager. Watkins leads the team in scoring at 24.4 points per game while adding 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Watkins' social media impact is as large as her on-court presence, as she boasts one million Instagram followers and nearly 234,000 followers TikTok followers.
Iowa well represented post-Caitlin Clark
Clark's migration to the WNBA's Indiana Fever had a major impact on Iowa basketball – but the Hawkeye State has apparently recovered nicely.
Iowa native Audi Crooks comes in tied for fourth on this list with Chloe Kitts. The 20-year-old Crooks, who plays for the Iowa State Cyclones, has been sensational this season, averaging 23.0 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Fellow Iowan Hannah Stuelke is seventh among most searched NCAA women's basketball players. The 21-year-old Hawkeyes star is averaging 13.0 points and 7.9 rebounds as a junior.
Cavinder twins still an online force
Haley and Hanna Cavinder might not be the household names they were earlier in their collegiate careers, but they're still in high demand.
The dribblin' siblings sit tied for 10th spot on this list – a fitting placement, as they share a lot of things (including a 4.6-million-follower TikTok account and an Instagram account which has nearly 400,000 followers and counting.)
Their Miami Hurricanes have had a dismal season on the court, but that hasn't dampened the twins' enthusiasm – or their profiles. They remain among the leaders in total endorsements among women's collegiate athletes.
Methodology
We compiled a list of nearly two dozen of the most searched American women's college basketball players, then turned to Semrush's search volume over the past 12 months to get U.S. results. We then collected data on each individual state via Google Analytics.
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