To build a dynasty in women’s college basketball, a culture of success must be replicated and refined regardless of a team’s experience level.

Consider South Carolina: Yesterday, the Gamecocks clinched their third national title and an undefeated season without a single returner to their starting lineup from the previous year. Or the University of Connecticut, where Head Coach Geno Auriemma has mentored a roster worth of Naismith winners across 11 championships. Then there’s Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer, whose success has spanned generations, from her initial crown in 1989-90 to her most recent title in 2020-21.

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Although USC Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb is only entering her fourth season, she’s looking to build off this past season’s Elite Eight run to construct a dynasty of her own. And like all coaching legends before her, Gottlieb will face serious personnel turnover in the process. 

Graduate guard McKenzie Forbes declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft Thursday, and two more graduate starters Kayla Padilla and Kaitlyn Davis are expected to move on from college ball. With more than half of the Trojans’ starting roster departing, Gottlieb has scoured the nation’s top talent and is bringing in six freshmen from across the country.

Three of these incoming Trojans’ competed in the McDonald’s All-American game Tuesday, and USC stood out with the most commits in the game.

G Kayleigh Heckel

Heckel was one of three representatives from Long Island Lutheran — the top high school for women’s basketball — in the All-American game. She shot 3-9 from the field, contributing nine points to the East, and was a whopping +18 while on the court. Heckel also tied for the game-high with three assists.

In her first year at USC, Heckel may fill a catch-and-shoot role because guard JuJu Watkins draws much of the defense’s attention. But Tuesday, a different aspect of Heckel’s game was on display — her wheels. In the opening minutes of the game, Heckel surged ahead in transition and sank a mid-range jumper for the second basket of the game. 

F Avery Howell

Renowned for her leadership qualities, the 6-foot forward from Idaho logged nearly 21 minutes on the court, with no player exceeding 22 minutes of playtime. Howell made a strong defensive impact, seemingly on the ball the entire game, and upheld her reputation as a fierce rebounder, tallying four. Howell didn’t have a great shooting night — she shot 0-3 from the field and her lone basket came from the free-throw line — but is working to become a threat from downtown. 

F Kennedy Smith

The 6-foot-1- California native represented the West — who lost to the East 74-98 — in the All-American game. Smith scored a team-high 15 points while tying UConn and No. 1 overall recruit forward Sarah Strong for a game-high of three 3-pointers. 

Besides being lethal from beyond the arc, Smith is known for her defensive prowess on the perimeter and strength on the interior. In her 19 minutes of action, Smith recorded a block and hauled down a pair of defensive rebounds.

Heading into 2024-25 with the No. 1 recruiting class on ESPN, the Trojans have plenty of promise, but there’s still work to be done before this team meshes into a title contender.

“It’s a number and it’s cool … but once you get out of high school, [rankings are] kind of gone,” Howell said in an interview with Elite is Earned Saturday. “You’re part of a school playing for a national championship.”