Women's Final Four X-factors: Four players who can be key to national title
The 2026 Women's NCAA Tournament national title may come down to an unsung hero. Here's a look at a player from each team that must make an impact:
The month of March might have come to a close, but the madness of the 2026 Women's NCAA Tournament is marching into April with the Final Four in Phoenix rapidly approaching. The remaining four teams — No. 1 UConn, No.
1 UCLA , No. 1 Texas and No. 1 South Carolina — have been powered to the Final Four by superstar talent.
We're talking about UConn's Sarah Strong , UCLA's Lauren Betts , Texas' Madison Booker and South Carolina's Raven Johnson . But the national title might come down to an unsung hero that steps up when the lights are the brightest. Here's a look at a player from each team that must make an impact when it matters most for their team to hoist a trophy: Agot Makeer, South Carolina South Carolina is back in the Final Four for the sixth consecutive year, but the key to defeating the reigning champion UConn Huskies might come down to an 18-year-old freshman coming off the bench.
Agot Makeer, a 6-foot guard from Canada, was limited to 5. 8 points across 26 games this season after dealing with various injuries. But Makeer has made an impact during March Madness and quickly became "a vital piece to our success," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said.