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What better time to refresh the CBS Sports top 10 women's basketball players list from the preseason than the start of the new year? The first two months of the 2025-26 campaign have been eventful, and therefore the list got a major makeover — minus the player who managed to hold on to the top ranking.

No surprise here, UConn's Sarah Strong was the No. 1 player in October and she has only strengthened her case for deserving that spot. There is currently only one player who has done enough to truly challenge her for Player of the Year, but more on that below. 

There is a lot of basketball left to play, so this list is still very much not finalized. There are a handful of talented players who got left out this time around but can earn their spots back during conference play, including Oklahoma's Raegan Beers and LSU's Flau'jae Johnson.

Without further ado, here are the updated player rankings:

10. Mikayla Blakes | G | So. | Vanderbilt

Preseason: NR

The No. 12 AP Poll ranking is Vanderbilt's highest since the 2008-09 season and the Commodores' future looks bright with Mikayla Blakes. She is the fastest player to reach 1,000 points in program history, and it certainly helped that she had two 50+ point games as a freshman.

She hasn't reached those numbers yet this season, but as coach Shea Ralph put it, "The sky is the limit for her." The sophomore scored 35 points in 35 minutes in Vanderbilt's win over Arkansas on Thursday. In the process, she also tied a career-high eight assists while adding four rebounds and three steals. That was her second 35-point game of the season and she is currently averaging almost 24 points per game.

9. Olivia Miles | G | Sr. | TCU

Preseason: 7

Olivia Miles has registered four triple-doubles in the last five games, with the most recent one happening during TCU's 72-48 win over BYU on Dec. 31. The 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists marked the 10th triple-double of her career, which started at Notre Dame before she transferred to TCU. This is the same player who a few years ago became the first freshman in the men's or women's NCAA Tournament history to record a triple-double.

Miles' four triple-doubles are the most in a single season in the Big 12 conference. She also tied Sabrina Ionescu for the most by a DI player in a single month (Feb. 2020). Miles is in an exclusive club now, joining Ionesco and former Iowa star Caitlin Clark as the only players to register at least 10 triple-doubles through their college career.

8. Lauren Betts | C | Sr. | UCLA

Preseason: 2

Her stats are a little quieter than last season, but Lauren Betts is still the Bruins' trusted leader. She is averaging a team-best 16.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. 

Betts is considered a traditional big due to her height and ability around the basket. She was last year's Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, but she has also shown efficiency on offense, with the most recent example being a season-high 25 points in 25 minutes against Penn State. In that road win, Betts reached 1,500 career points.

7. Rori Harmon | G | RS Sr. | Texas

Preseason: 8

Texas coach Vic Schaefer describes Rori Harmon as the best point guard in the nation and she seems to be proving him right. She leads the country in assist-to-turnover ratio and her chemistry with her costar Madison Booker is unmatched. Her impact is one of the main reasons Texas is still undefeated and the No. 2 team in the country -- and could potentially challenge UConn for the top spot. 

Her stats might not get as much attention as others' on this list, but she knows how to make her team better. Earlier this season, Harmon became Texas's all-time career assists leader. Another highlight was hitting the game-winning shot against South Carolina during the Players Era championship in November. 

6. Joyce Edwards | F | So. | South Carolina

Preseason: NR

South Carolina is the No. 3 team in the nation and Joyce Edwards is one of the key reasons they have been so competitive. She is versatile with great handles and a high basketball IQ despite only being a sophomore.

Edwards is averaging over 21 points per contest and has the ability to score at every level. She has reached at least 25 points in five of her last six games and recently became the first Gamecock with four straight 25-point games since Shannon Johnson during the 1995-96 season. Edwards is also a menace on defense as South Carolina's leader in steals. She is also second in blocks and rebounds.

5. Azzi Fudd | G | RS Sr. | UConn

Preseason: 4

Fudd has an elite shooting form with a quick release, but that's not all she brings to the table. She is shooting 50% from the field while averaging around 20 points per game. She is also shooting almost 50% from beyond the arc and 100% from the charity line. This season she looks physically stronger and her defense has also improved to the point that she got complimented by coach Geno Auriemma.

UConn has a deep and talented roster, but Fudd is one of the leaders of the team and is making a case to potentially become the No. 1 pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft.

4. Hannah Hidalgo | G | Jr. | Notre Dame

Preseason: 3

Notre Dame as a team has a lot of work to do and could use more depth, which was on full display in the loss to Georgia Tech on Thursday. But even with the Fighting Irish struggling during this rebuilding season, there is no question regarding Hannah Hidalgo's talent. She is disruptive on both sides of the court and her energy is unmatched.

Hidalgo is the nation's second leading scorer behind Audi Crooks with an average of 25.5 points per contest while shooting almost 50% from the field. She is also averaging 5.9 steals per game, which is the best in the country. In November, she set a school record with 44 points and an NCAA record with 16 steals in Notre Dame's win over Akron. The urgency she plays with every time she steps on the court could be the difference between a win or a loss in March.

3. Madison Booker | F | Jr. |  Texas

Preseason: 6

Booker is a true two-way player who makes Texas a very dangerous team. Just like with Harmon, Schaefer talks highly of Booker and describes her as "the best in the country."

Her midrange game is one of the best in the nation, but she is also athletic and can be disruptive on defense, which is a mandatory skill for any player under Schaefer. She has reached 20+ points in six games this season and got her first career triple-double on Dec. 10 with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The SEC is one of the toughest conferences to get through, so she will be a key piece for the Longhorns' success.

2. Audi Crooks | C |  Jr. | Iowa State

Preseason: NR

Realistically, I think Audi Crooks is currently the only one who can really challenge Strong for POY. Strong is compared to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, while Crooks is often compared to Shaquille O'Neal. However, Crooks' efficiency puts her on a very exclusive list of basketball players.

She is currently averaging 29.5 points per game in 26.1 minutes. The only players to officially average at least one point per minute in a single season, men or women at any level, are Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. Nobody has really been able to stop Crooks, who has scored in double figures in 80 consecutive games. She has a lot of momentum right now with five straight games reaching at least 30 points. 

1. Sarah Strong | F |  So. | UConn

Preseason: 1

Strong is often referred to as "baby Jokic" because of her impressive versatility as a forward. She has not yet registered a 30-point game this season, but there hasn't really been a need due to UConn's talent and depth. Regardless, her impact is truly felt in multiple areas on both sides of the court. Strong is putting up 18 points per game while shooting an efficient 58% from the field and over 40% from beyond the arc. She is also adding 8.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per contest. 

With UConn being the defending national champion, still undefeated and the No. 1 team in the country, it's hard to argue Strong is not the top POY candidate. There are a lot of things that make her special, including the maturity she plays with, basketball IQ, hand-eye coordination and, according to Auriemma, her "aura."

"It's like there's a halo over her — and I don't mean in a religious way — but it's like there's an aura that she has....Everything she does just seems to flow from a place where the game is like in her soul." Auriemma said.