Villanova is the only school representing the Big 5 in the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats, a No. 10 seed, are set to play No. 7 seed Texas Tech on Friday (8:30 p.m.) in Baton Rouge, La.
But players connected to the Philadelphia area are competing on rosters across this year’s March Madness bracket.
Here are the local women’s basketball players to watch:
Philly names in the Big Dance
While many know graduate guard Olivia Miles as one of the nation’s top players with No. 3 seed TCU, Miles got her start with the Philadelphia Belles, an AAU team. The Phillipsburg, N.J., native is a three-time All-American who spent her first four years of college at Notre Dame.
Several Catholic League standouts will also be taking the court during March Madness.
Three players will represent Cardinal O’Hara: senior forward Annie Welde of Villanova, Richmond senior forward Maggie Doogan, and Fairfield’s Sydni Scott, a senior guard. From Archbishop Wood, sophomore guard Ava Renninger will compete with Fairleigh Dickinson and senior guard Ryanne Allen with Villanova.
Also for Villanova, senior guard Maggie Grant is an Archbishop Carroll graduate. And freshman forward Grace McDonough, who attended Lansdale Catholic, will compete with James Madison.
No. 1 seed Connecticut looks to defend last year’s national championship with Tonya Cardoza on staff as an assistant coach. Cardoza was Temple’s head coach from 2008 to 2022.
Other local names
- Navy: Freshman forward Quinn Boettinger, Schenksville, Perkiomen Valley
- Howard: Senior foward Nile Miller, Woodbury, Woodbury High
- FDU: Freshman forward Akeelah Lafleur, Willingboro, Burlington County Institute of Technology
- FDU: Junior forward Bella Toomey, Philadelphia, Penn Charter
- FDU: Sophomore forward Sydney Stokes, Linwood, Mainland Regional
- FDU: Freshman forward Madison Stuart, Voorhees, Eastern Regional
- Villanova: Graduate forward Kylee Watson, Linwood, Mainland, previously Notre Dame
- Villanova: Senior forward Denae Carter, Philadelphia, St. Basil Academy, previously Mississippi State
- Notre Dame: Junior guard Hannah Hidalgo, Merchantville, Paul VI
- Illinois: Junior guard Maddie Webber, Bridgeville, South Fayette, previously Villanova
- Colorado: Freshman forward Logyn Greer, Lansdowne, Friends’ Central School
- Colorado: Junior guard Maeve McErlane, Philadelphia, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, previously DePaul
- Holy Cross: Senior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan, Plymouth Meeting, Plymouth Whitemarsh
- Holy Cross: Junior guard Hannah Griffin, Conshohocken, Gwynedd Mercy Academy
- Louisville: Senior forward Laura Ziegler, Herlev (Denmark), previously St. Joseph’s
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