Wickstrom on the move with March Madness in sight

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One of the premier scorers in women's college basketball has become one of the most sought-after athletes in the transfer portal with Australian guard Hannah Wickstrom announcing she is on the move.

After two seasons at UC Riverside, Wickstrom - who was the fifth leading scorer (23.4 points per game) in the entire nation this season - had a breakout sophomore year and the Victorian native isn’t shying away from what she wants to achieve in the future.

“I was so blessed to have such a great opportunity at UCR over these past two years,” Wickstrom told basketball.com.au.

“I want to play pro, I want to develop my game, and I want to be the best I can be.

“I did everything I could at UCR, got my game to where I wanted it to be, and I think a new opportunity will be great for me. “

The new opportunity will give Wickstrom a chance to shine even brighter, and programs will be lining up to try to secure the services of the deadly offensive player. Whilst she was one of the best scorers in college basketball, she does so much more than just that, averaging 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals on top of her efficient 23.4 points (48.5% FG) per game.

Wickstrom sat atop of our weekly NCAAW player power rankings for the entirety of the second half of the season, off the back of monster performances and a consistency that saw her become the must-watch player in the Big West Conference.

Scoring in double figures in all except one game, Wickstrom lit up every court she stepped onto, delivering 25-plus points on a ridiculous 14 occasions. She took full advantage of the added responsibility in her second season with the Highlanders as her minutes doubled from 17 per game in her freshman year to 34 in 2025-26.

Her stellar season was duly recognised with All-Big West First Team honours and she was proud to see the countless hours she has put into her game pay dividends.

“It just shows all the hard work I put in paid off,” she said.

“I just really wanted to be consistent throughout the season and I did that.

“Each game people would defend me differently, so I would always have to adjust to the different defences. I'd always have the opposition’s best defender on me, and I had some pretty tough matchups, but that's all just such a blessing and made me a better player.

“I'm grateful I had the opportunity to show everyone what I can do, and that was all thanks to my coaches and everyone at UCR. The coaches just poured so much into me and it's a place where I really thrived.

“The UCR gym was such a safe space for me, and that's just credit to the people that they have on the staff and the people that they recruited too.”

Still early in the transfer portal process, Wickstrom admits she has a difficult decision ahead of her.

“It's going to be tough figuring out where I will be next, but I just really want to be somewhere that I'm wanted and where I can thrive on the court and also off the court,” she said.

“I want to be in a good environment, somewhere where I can really take my game to the next level.

With such skill, it’s scary to think about what the next level for Wickstrom looks like. Already a polished offensive threat, she can score the ball in a variety of ways and doesn’t rely on one singular shot type, which makes her a nightmare to defend.

With March Madness and the NCAA Tournament currently in full swing, Wickstrom knows that’s where she wants to get to.

“I've been watching all the games,” she said.

“You see all the girls play with such emotion, they play so hard, and it makes me emotional when you see those big game-winners or you see everyone running onto the court.

“It's somewhere I want to be, and getting to [the NCAA Tournament] is a goal for me. I just love basketball, and I get so much FOMO [fear of missing out] watching it all knowing that our season has ended and these girls are still playing.”

With goals of playing well into March, one thing is for sure; the program which secures Hannah Wickstrom’s signature will be getting a player that propels them forward.

About the Author

Hayley Wildes is passionate about all things Australian women’s basketball and loves to highlight the stories of players from all levels and competitions across the globe. From our own backyard in the WNBL, to the WNBA and the Opals, and everything in between, Hayley has you covered.