Who is the Next Women’s Sports Mega-Star?

Women’s sports are currently enjoying unprecedented levels of attention, with the NCAA women’s basketball tournament breaking records, the WNBA finishing a highly successful season, and top female tennis players ushering in a new Golden Age.

Underscoreg Review, the leading platform for sports betting sites, is dedicated to spotlighting the up-and-coming elite female athletes of the next generation. The burning question we aim to answer is: Who will be the next big thing in women’s athletics according to sports fans?

Crazy for Coco

It comes as no shock that one of the top players in a widely adored individual sport has secured this prestigious honor. However, the dominance that Coco Gauff is displaying over her competitors is somewhat surprising, considering her impressive record of reaching the semifinals in three consecutive Grand Slam singles events and claiming the 2026 French Open doubles title.

The 20-year-old tennis sensation is experiencing success both professionally and on social media. After winning the US Open last year, she has gained a massive following of 2.7 million across her Instagram, X, and TikTok accounts. This surge in popularity has propelled her to the top spot on the list, up from No. 3 in 2026.

Gauff has the third-best odds to win the U.S. Open women’s singles title at +600, trailing only Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek at +300.

Check out the top 25 female athletes under 25 who have been searched the most in the United States in the past year, based on average monthly keyword searches.

Gauff is like a speeding locomotive in terms of global popularity. At just 20 years old, she is poised to remain at the forefront of this list for years to come.

A power trio at No. 2

Although Gauff may reign as the undeniable queen of women’s sports under 25, she is closely followed by a host of impressive competitors.

The list begins with two of the most renowned women’s basketball players in NCAA history, who are very familiar with each other. Iowa standout Caitlin Clark and LSU icon Angel Reese competed in a memorable 2026 national championship game, with Reese’s Tigers emerging victorious with a 102-85 scoreline.

A year after leading Iowa past LSU in the national quarterfinal, Clark sought revenge and defeated them 94-87. However, the Hawkeyes fell short in the title game against South Carolina. Now, as WNBA rookies, Clark was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever at the 2026 WNBA Draft, while Reese was chosen seventh by the Chicago Sky, continuing their rivalry at the professional level.

Clark is the heavy favorite at -800 odds to win WNBA Rookie of the Year, while Reese is the second favorite at +900 odds.

Former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, now a social media star, is on the same level as these women’s basketball stars after previously holding the top spot on this list.

Even though Dunne’s search volume leveled off in 2026, she remains one of the most adored female athletes under 25 worldwide. With over seven million followers on TikTok and an additional four million on Instagram, she is a social media sensation. Additionally, she is the highest-earning gymnast in U.S. college sports, making approximately $1 million per year.

Variety in the top 10

The fact that five different sports are represented among the top-12 most-searched female athletes under 25 highlights the status of women’s sports.

Here are the other individuals who ranked in the top 10:

Trinity Rodman, known for being the daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, is making a name for herself as one of the top women’s soccer players in the country.

At just 21 years old, she became the youngest player ever drafted in National Women’s Soccer League history. She has scored 16 goals in 62 total appearances for the Washington Spirit and has also netted seven goals in 34 matches for the national women’s team.

Sophia Smith (soccer) is a dynamic force to be reckoned with in the women’s 25-and-under soccer scene, ranking sixth overall. Since being drafted first overall in 2020, she has consistently been one of the top scorers in the NWSL, netting an impressive 34 goals in just 61 games for the Thorns.

Smith, a NCAA champion with Stanford, has scored 16 goals in 44 national team appearances. Prior to this, Smith scored 21 goals in 25 appearances with the U20 team.

Haley Cavinder of NCAA basketball has climbed from the outskirts of the top 10 to tie for the No. 7 spot, surpassing her twin sister Hanna once again. Despite being seen as a duo for media recognition, Haley is making a name for herself individually.

The pair has a popular TikTok account with over 4.5 million followers, successfully transitioning from college basketball stars to social media influencers. However, Haley’s athletic achievements should not be overlooked. In 2021, she was named the Mountain West player of the year and received Second-team All-ACC honors after transferring to Miami in 2026. She will be playing for TCU in the upcoming season.

Nelly Korda, a golfer in the LPGA Tour, is one of just two members on the list, but she is a deserving inclusion. Turning 26 at the end of July, Korda is among the most accomplished female golfers globally, with 16 titles to her name, including the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship.

In 2021, Korda established herself as one of the world’s top athletes by securing four tournament victories, including the prestigious PGA Championship, an Olympic gold medal, and claiming the number one ranking in the world.

Paige Bueckers, a standout in NCAA basketball, is the fourth player on the list and is known for having one of the best nicknames in college (Paige Buckets, anyone?).

The journey has been challenging for the 21-year-old Connecticut standout, who sat out her junior season due to a torn ACL. Instead of entering the WNBA Draft, she decided to come back to UConn for the 2026-24 season. With an impressive comeback performance, averaging 21.9 points on 53.6% shooting, she is determined to lead the Huskies to a national championship.

Aliyah Boston of the WNBA may not receive as much recognition as NBA phenoms, but the second-year forward for the Indiana Fever has already proven she is destined to be a future mega-star.

The first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft proved her worth by winning the Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous vote. She averaged 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks for the Indiana Fever. Prior to that, she was named the NCAA Most Outstanding Player in 2026 after averaging 16.8 points and 12.5 rebounds for South Carolina.

In her last season at Stanford, Cameron Brink dominated the court, winning Pac-12 Player of the Year with averages of 17.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocked shots per game. The 22-year-old was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA Draft and has already made a strong impact in her rookie season.

Mallory Swanson is the third athlete from the national women’s soccer team to be included on this list, showing the increasing popularity of the sport in the United States.

Swanson, who will not turn 26 until the end of April, has already made 88 appearances for the senior national women’s team and scored 32 goals. She currently plays for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL, while her husband Dansby is the starting shortstop for the Chicago Cubs.

Rose Zhang, a golf player, is the second LPGA star on this top-10 (actually top-12 due to ties) list. Despite having only one professional victory, Zhang’s strong pedigree as the 2026 NCAA women’s champion before joining the LPGA sets her apart.

Although Zhang won’t reach the age of 21 until May, she has already achieved remarkable success in a few notable areas. She holds the women’s course record at the prestigious Pebble Beach Golf Links with a score of 9-under 63 and made history as Adidas’ first sponsored student-athlete in June 2026.

Most searched 25-and-under women’s athletes by state

Methodology

We created a list of over 60 young American female athletes who are frequently searched for, and analyzed their search volume using Semrush data over the past year. Additionally, we gathered information on each state’s interest in these athletes using Google Analytics.

Here are our best women’s sports betting sites:

• Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUS1000 | Read our Caesars Review
• BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
• bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
• BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetRivers Review
• FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
• DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review

You must be 21 or older to participate in gambling activities. If you have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. Please note that bonuses are not available in Ontario.

Related pages

• Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sports Betting Apps | Best Underscoreg Promos (U.S. only) | Best Underscoregs | Betting Sites Canada