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The Big Ten is a dominant conference for college women's basketball. This season alone, the conference produced two No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament in USC and UCLA and made up a fourth of the bracket with 12 postseason teams.
Big Ten players also find success in their professional careers. Last year, the conference produced two first-round WNBA Draft picks, including No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark. The Big Ten is well represented in the WNBA. Here's a look at the three Big Ten teams with the most all-time WNBA Draft picks.
Top 3 Big Ten teams with the most WNBA Draft picks
Tied #1: Maryland
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Maryland is tied for the top spot on this list, having produced 21 WNBA Draft picks. The Terrapins didn't have any players drafted last season, but had two first-round picks in 2023.
In the 2023 WNBA Draft, Diamond Miller was selected No. 2 overall and Maryland teammate Abby Meyers followed as the No. 11 pick. Miller currently plays forward for the Minnesota Lynx, while Meyers is a guard in the Israel league.
This year, star guard Shyanne Sellers is expected to be a first-round WNBA Draft pick. The Terrapins, who made a March Madness run to the Sweet 16 this season, have a history of producing WNBA Draft picks.
Tied #1: Rutgers
Rutgers is tied with Maryland, having also produced 21 WNBA Draft picks. The Scarlet Knights have struggled as of late, last appearing in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, but the school excels in producing draft picks.
It has been a while since Rutgers has had any WNBA Draft picks. The school went unrepresented in last year's draft, and the same is expected this year. However, the Scarlet Knights are still represented by some current WNBA players.
Rutgers alum Arella Guirantes was drafted No. 22 in the 2021 draft and currently plays guard for the Chicago Sky. Kahleah Copper, the No. 7 pick in the 2016 draft, plays for the Phoenix Mercury. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who was drafted No. 17 the year before, is a part of the New York Liberty.
Rutgers may not currently be considered a top women's basketball program, but the Scarlet Knights have previously found success in producing WNBA Draft picks.
#3. Iowa
Iowa rounds out this list with 19 all-time WNBA Draft picks. Notably, the Hawkeyes produced last year's No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark. Clark went on to be named the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Kate Martin was also drafted out of Iowa last year, going No. 18 overall. It was the first time since 1998 that the school had two draft picks in the same year. In this year's WNBA Draft, Hawkeyes point guard Lucy Olsen is expected to be a second-round pick.
This is a program that thrived on the court during Clark's college career and has also found success in producing WNBA Draft picks.
