Miami Guard Named to John R. Wooden Award Women’s Top 50 Watchlist
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University of Miami sophomore guard Gal Raviv was named to the 2025-26 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Top 50 Watchlist, announced Tuesday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The Wooden Award, presented by Principal, is one of the most prestigious honors in college basketball and recognizes the nation’s top Division I players. The Top 50 Watchlist highlights student-athletes considered frontrunners for the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Most Outstanding Player award.
Raviv enters the 2025-26 season as a key contributor for the Hurricanes, bringing versatility, leadership, and high-level scoring ability to Miami. Selected by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, she joins a list that features top returning stars and emerging talent from programs across the country, including UCLA, South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee.
The Wooden Award will continue to track eligible players throughout the season, with midseason, late-season, and National Ballot selections narrowing the field to the 15 players who meet the award’s rigorous performance and academic standards. Winners of the 2026 John R. Wooden Award will be honored at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Friday, April 10, 2026
Miami Women's Basketball Dips into the International Pool Signing Two Players
University of Miami head women’s basketball coach Tricia Cullop announced the signing of international talents, Maja Uranker (Slovenia) and Anna Liepina (Latvia), to the Hurricanes’ 2026 recruiting class.
Uranker, a 6-foot guard from Celje, Slovenia, and Liepina, a 6-foot-3 forward from Daugavpils, Latvia, add a blend of size, versatility, and international pedigree to the Miami roster. Both have represented their home countries in multiple FIBA competitions, showcasing their skill and experience on the global stage.
Uranker is a versatile, physical guard who immediately stands out with her size, skill set, and on-court presence. Her combination of length, shooting touch, and basketball IQ make her a matchup challenge at several positions. A proven three-level scorer with strong vision and passing instincts, Uranker has been evaluated as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 international class by multiple sources.
Liepina adds a strong interior presence as a skilled post player with excellent size, hands, and scoring efficiency. Ranked as the No. 8 international recruit in the 2026 class, she possesses the combination of physicality and finesse that Miami’s frontcourt emphasizes. Liepina has represented the Latvian national team at the senior level and is currently competing in her second EuroCup season, facing professional-level talent to further develop her game for collegiate play.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.