As we watch the next generation of professional athletes in action, we must remember the work that brought them to this position. Before joining the pros, most of the time, these extraordinary athletes that we have come to love and respect, were once recruited to play at the collegiate level. Some of your favorites gained recognition during their debut in the pro league, and others fell into the limelight once they acquired a D1/D2 status. Nevertheless, an athlete's journey begins long before they step foot in the Olympics, WNBA, World Cup, or any other professional league.

To give you a peek at what's to come, let's take a look at the next generation of college athletes. In honor of Women's History Month, here are 12 women college athletes you should keep on your radar: 

Gymnastics: 

Trinity Thomas – University of Florida 

Throughout Thomas's career, she has always been an exceptional athlete. She is one of six finalists for the 2023 American Athletic Inc. (AAI) Award, which honors one senior college athlete each year from NCAA Division I Women's gymnastics. Thomas is a 27-time All-American and has received the highest honor of being the nation's top collegiate gymnast following a sweep of postseason wins, including the Southern Conference, NCAA Regionals, and NCAA Championships. Some of her top scores include 10 on bars, 9.975 on the vault, and 10.0 on the floor. 

Ava Piedrahita – Penn State University

According to the NCAA, Ava is one of the freshmen to keep on your radar. She is a five-star recruit who recently earned a career-high of 9.925 on vault with an Omeliaachik, a complex move that consists of a back dive with a one-quarter or three-quarter twist. Before she formed her collegiate career, she competed in her hometown of Gaithersburg, Maryland, where she made the Region 7 All-Star team and placed second at Nationals in 2021 and fifth in 2022. 

Haleigh Bryant – Louisiana State University 

Junior Haleigh Bryant has earned outstanding honors as a collegiate gymnast. Throughout her career, Bryant has scored a career-high on bars and beams, earning a 9.950 and a perfect 10.0 on vault. She is a six-time All-American, owns five perfect scores on vault, and is one of the top all-around gymnasts in the nation. 

Related: Up and Coming Female Athletes You Don't Want to Miss

Soccer: 

Michelle Cooper – Duke University

As a sophomore, Michelle Cooper has accomplished so much in a short amount of time. In 2022 she was a part of the U.S. Under 20 Women's National Team for the FIFA World Cup, named to the U.S. National Team following the Sud Ladies Cup in France, and totaled a goal or an assist in 29 of the 40 matches she has appeared in. To say this athlete has a bright future ahead is an understatement–Cooper has continued to prove herself to be a valued player and has dozens of awards and honors as testaments to her skills.

Rebecca Cooke – Quinnipiac University 

Since her start at Quinnipiac University, forward/midfielder Rebecca Cooke was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rookie of the year for the 2020-2021 season, tallied a career-high of 28 points on 13 goals and two assists during her sophomore year, and was named to the All-MAAC First-Team in 2021. This past season, Cooke was honored as a United Soccer Coaches Division I All-American and earned 1,459 minutes of playing time. 

Trinity Bars – the University of Texas 

Sophomore Trinity Bar has achieved high honors as a forward. This Texas native tallied 3,590 minutes during her 2021 and 2022 seasons. Following this last season, she was named to the United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American, All-Big Conference First-Team, and Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the year.  

Basketball: 

Hailey Van Lith – Louisville University

Hailey Van Lith is a junior point guard who has received multiple honors throughout this 2022-23 season. She has tallied 1,245 minutes of play with 233 field goals (FG) for her previous season and 539 during her overall career as a Cardinal. This last year she had a team-high of 26 points, with 17 in the first quarter of an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament win against Wake Forest. 

Destinee Wells – Belmont University 

Junior Gaurd Destinee Wells has earned outstanding recognition for her skills as a basketball player. During her sophomore year, she was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Player of the year and ended the season with 519 points, 140 assists, 112 rebounds, and 30 steals. After being ranked among the top 65 players in the nation in both total assists and assists per game, Wells is having a great season this year–in 2023 she's already been named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team, among seven more honors. 

Related: Athlete Feature: Keep Caitlin Clark on Your Radar 

Olivia Miles – Notre Dame University 

This past year, sophomore Olivia Miles was one of the top 5 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, earned First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), AP ALL-American Honorable mention, and received a career-high of 30 points against Boston College. Sadly, Miles is out for March Madness right now, but she has a promising career ahead as she continues to shock us all.   

Track and Field: 

Kevona Davis – University of Texas 

Junior sprinter Kevona Davis was recently named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) First Team All-American for the 4×100, 100m, 200m, and outdoor league, and among the runners who were champions of the 2022 NCAA Outdoor 4×100 team. Before starting her collegiate career, Davis achieved a personal record of 11.16 in the 100m and 22.72 in the 200m dash. With great standings ahead of her start at the University of Texas, we all should look forward to seeing what is to come from this remarkable athlete. 

Charokee Young – Texas A&M 

Jamaica native Cherokee Young has a list of career highs that have led her to achieve great standings within her division. In 2022, her team was the number one 4x400m team in the outdoor and indoor league, with both times remaining under 3:25.43. Young has competed in multiple NCAA championships and was named to the 2022 First-Team All-American Outdoor and Indoor 400m during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and 4x400m in 2021 and 2020. 

Anna Hall – University of Florida 

Recent transfer Anna Hall wasted no time proving herself to her counterparts. Within this last year, she has earned 13 recognitions in the University of Florida's Top 10 list ranging in events including the 400m hurdles, heptathlon, pentathlon, 4x400m relay, 60-meter hurdles, high jump, 100m, and the list goes on. This exceptional all-around sophomore has made a name for herself. With five championship titles under her belt throughout her last season, Young has a bright future ahead of her.

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Image Credit: GatorSports/Quinnipiac Athletics/University of Texas Athletics

* Originally published on March 28, 2023, by Daesha Harper