Big 5 women’s basketball: Names to know ahead of the 2025-26 season

From Jasmine Bascoe at Villanova to Mataya Gayle at Penn and Amaris Baker at Drexel, here are the players who figure to make an impact this season.

Annie Welde (43) is among the returning players at Villanova. Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

by Staff Reports

Published Oct. 29, 2025, 2:34 p.m. ET

Beginning Monday, college basketball will be in full swing, with all 12 Big 5 men’s and women’s programs returning to action.

There are teams with big expectations and those looking to create more noise than last season, another year that found both the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments devoid of a Big 5 program.

But several players across the six Big 5 teams have returned and are on a mission to impact not just their programs but also return Philly college hoops to its throne.

On the women’s side of the ball, many programs saw little roster turnover, while others are welcoming new faces they believe will give them a boost. Ahead of the season, these are the names you need to know in the women’s Big 5.

Jasmine Bascoe, sophomore guard, Villanova

After embracing the spotlight as a freshman star, Bascoe looks to continue spearheading Villanova’s offense as a sophomore.

In her rookie season, Bascoe led the Wildcats by averaging 16.2 points, adding 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists. She also set the school record for steals by a freshman with 66.

Bascoe finished with first-team All-Big East honors and a spot on the conference’s All-Freshman team. She starts her sophomore season with summer experience playing for her home country, Team Canada, in the FIBA under-19 World Cup.

Bascoe was the only player named to the preseason All-Big East team on a Villanova squad ranked fourth in the conference preseason poll. She collected 32 points, three rebounds, and three assists in Villanova’s latest exhibition against Towson on Friday.

Denae Carter, senior forward, Villanova

The Wildcats will look to Carter to lead the team as a fifth-year player and is one of their most important returners. In 2024-25, the Philly native started 35 games and averaged 8.6 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds. She also reached double digits in points in 16 games last season.

Carter began her college career with two seasons at Mississippi State before transferring to Villanova. But an ACL tear prevented her from playing in the 2023-24 season, her first as a Wildcat. She returned from the injury in full force last season, and Villanova has her leadership back on a loaded roster.

Kaylah Turner, junior guard, Temple

Turner enters the season projected to be one of the best players in the American Conference. She was named to the all-conference preseason first team after she averaged 9.9 points off the bench last season for the Owls. Turner earned Sixth Player of the Year honors last season in the American. She will be one of Temple’s leaders on and off the court.

Saniyah Craig, junior forward, Temple

Craig joins the Owls after spending two years at Jacksonville University, where she was one of the best rebounders in the country. Craig led the Atlantic Sun in rebounds per game with 11.6 and was 21st in the country in total rebounds with 332 last season. Craig also averaged 11.3 points. She will give the Owls another strong frontcourt presence, which will be important for a team who struggled to rebound at times last season.

Aleah Snead, junior guard, St. Joseph’s

Snead was a spark plug for St. Joe’s, averaging 6.4 points last season. Her efforts earned her the Atlantic 10’s Sixth Player of the Year award. The Philly native was one of the Hawks’ most efficient scorers at 51.9% shooting. She also became a factor on the glass, averaging 3.9 rebounds. In 18 A-10 games, Snead averaged 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. She was named second-team all-conference and comes into this year with preseason All-Defensive team honors.

Gabby Casey, junior guard, St. Joseph’s

Casey became a staple in the Hawks’ lineup last season, starting all but one game. Her 7.7 points per game doubled her average of 3.8 from her freshman year. She also was third on the team with 76 assists and led the team with 36 steals. The Quakertown native won the Big 5’s Most Improved Player award. After the departure of guard Mackenzie Smith, Casey becomes the Hawks’ major three-point threat. She sank 43 shots from deep and knocked down 35.5% of her three-pointers last season.

Ashleigh Connor, redshirt junior guard, La Salle

Connor averaged 9.6 points and 3.3 assists last season after transferring from St. Louis. The Pittsburgh native was a mainstay in Explorers coach Mountain MacGillivray’s backcourt, starting in 29 games. Connor finished in double figures 17 times, including a 20-point performance against Rider and a 21-point outburst in the Explorers’ 68-54 win over Delaware.

Joan Quinn, sophomore guard, La Salle

Quinn was a surprise impact player as a freshman for the Explorers last season, averaging 10.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19 games. Quinn, who is from Newtown Square and a graduate of Cardinal O’Hara, was the first Explorer named to the Atlantic 10’s All-Rookie team since Claire Jacobs earned a spot on the team in 2019-20.

Mataya Gayle, junior point guard, Penn

Gayle, the 2023 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, has powered the Penn offense as its point guard for the last two season. A Woodstock, Ga., native, Gayle has ranked in the top 10 in assists in the Ivy League in each of her seasons. The All-Ivy League honorable mention player will be expected to handle increased defensive attention this season after playing behind All-Ivy first team forwards Stina Almqvist and Jordan Obi in previous years.

Katie Collins, sophomore forward, Penn

Collins impressed in her freshman season at Penn, being unanimously voted Ivy League Rookie of the Year after racking up nine Rookie of the Week awards while leading the league in blocks. The Quakers’ starting center and third-leading scorer last season, Collins helped propel the team to an Ivy League playoff berth.

With fellow forward Almqvist leaving the program, the 6-foot-1 forward is expected to help take over her scoring load, relying on her growing connection with Gayle.

Amaris Baker, graduate guard, Drexel

Baker has been the consummate force behind the Dragons for two seasons since transferring from Harcum College in 2022. In her junior year, she became the key figure who propelled the Dragons to the Coastal Athletic Association women’s championship and their third NCAA Tournament appearance. Baker, a Philly native and Cardinal O’Hara graduate, has averaged 14.2 points over her two seasons. She was a first-team All-CAA preseason selection for a Dragons program picked to finish second in the conference.

Deja Evans, junior forward, Drexel

The Conshohocken native started in all but one of the Dragons’ games last season. As one of the team’s more dominant rebounders and blockers, was named to the CAA All-Defensive team. Her 66 blocks were the most on the team, and she had herself a day against Temple, collecting 18 points, 11 rebounds, and nine blocks, the last of which set a single-game program record.

Staff writers Katie Lewis, Dylan Johnson, Ryan Mack, Colin Schofield, Owen Hewitt, Sean McKeown, and Kerith Gabriel contributed to this article.