By Jalon DixonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Texas Longhorns women’s basketball program just delivered the strongest recruiting statement of the 2026 cycle thus far—and it took only 24 hours.
On Wednesday, five-star guard Brihanna Crittendon, one of the top scorers in the country, announced her commitment. By Thursday, the Longhorns landed another top-10 prospect when versatile wing Addison Bjorn chose Texas over a national list of bluebloods including the UConn Huskies and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Two Top-10 Recruits in 24 Hours
...Crittendon, ranked No. 8 nationally in the Class of 2026, chose Texas over Tennessee, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and TCU. The five-star guard from Riverdale Ridge High School (Thornton, Colorado) is one of the most prolific young scorers in the country.
She has already surpassed 2,300 career points, averages close to 29 points per game across her high school career, and led Riverdale Ridge to a Colorado 4A state championship as a sophomore.
Her rise has been even more impressive on the club circuit. Competing for Jason Kidd Select, she has dominated top-tier national events while maintaining elite defensive numbers—averaging nearly three steals per game and ranking among Colorado’s best in both steals and scoring.
Bjorn, ranked No. 10 in the SC Next 100, brings a different type of star power. The 6-foot-2 Park Hill South (Riverside, Missouri) standout chose Texas over Duke, North Carolina, UConn, Kansas, Iowa and Notre Dame.
A three-time gold medalist with Team USA, Bjorn averaged more than 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists last season while becoming her school’s all-time leading scorer. She has showcased elite two-way ability at the FIBA U17 and U19 World Cups, where she averaged as many as 9.1 points and 6.7 rebounds on the international stage.MORE: Mark Pope, Kentucky Face Identity Crisis After Early Struggles
What This Means for Texas
...With Crittendon and Bjorn on board, Texas now holds the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2026.
Their commitments pair with star junior forward Madison Booker, a projected top-five pick in the 2027 WNBA draft, giving the Longhorns a future core built around size, scoring versatility, and national-team-level talent.
For head coach Vic Schaefer’s program, the message is clear: Texas isn’t just recruiting well — it's positioning itself to stay among the nation’s elite for years to come.
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