A day after advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in over a decade, the Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball program got exciting news for the coming seasons. Earlier this afternoon, the undisputed top-rated 2025 prospect Aaliyah Chavez committed to coach Jennie Baranczyk and the Sooners on ESPN SportsCenter.
“They have great coaches, coaches that I’ve been talking to since I was in eighth grade,” Chavez said on ESPN why she chose the Sooners, “And just a great playing style. They match how I want to play. I want to play fast, and that’s why I chose it.”
Sweet 16 Team Secures Commitment Of Top-Rated 2025 Recruit & What It Means For Program
From Lubbock (TX), Chavez held over 100 scholarship offers and chose Oklahoma over several other top women’s programs, including a few 2025 Sweet 16 participants. While UCLA, South Carolina, and LSU were very much involved in the 5-9 point guard’s recruiting, ON3 learned that Texas and Oklahoma were the frontrunners for her services earlier this month, with Texas Tech coming in at No. 3.
Chavez visited Oklahoma this past weekend. While on campus, Chavez watched OU, a No. 3 seed in the 2025 tournament, defeat No. 14 seed Florida Gulf Coast 81-58 on Saturday as Reagan Beers, Skylar Vann, and Payton Verhulst combined for 62 points.
“OU is definitely a great experience,” Chavez told SoonerScoop. “They play great basketball, play fast — that’s how I play. And I just have a great relationship with all of the coaches. She’s (Baranczyk) a great coach. I have a great relationship with her, and just the way they play matches the way I play.”
“It was a great experience,” Chavez added. “OU fans definitely show out for their team. Just being able to come out here for a live game just means a lot.”
Other factors influenced Chavez’s school choice. According to Pete Nakos of On3, Chavez wanted to be relatively close to home. Nakos added that NIL would also likely be a factor, as he said Chavez was seeking around $1.5 million in NIL.
Chavez also took campus trips to Texas, Texas Tech, and UCLA. She also made the trek to LSU.
What Does Aaliyah Chavez Bring To Oklahoma?
Chavez is a pure “bucket-getter” who can score in various ways and from anywhere on the court. She has a lightning-quick release and can score off the catch or off the bounce and create for herself. She is a fierce competitor with a high motor and a high basketball IQ.
“Rated as the No. 1 player in the class, Chavez is a prolific yet efficient scoring option at the guard position, “247Sports scouting director Brandon Clay said in his scouting report. “She can play on the basketball or off, though she might be best suited to be a primary lead guard in college. Chavez gets her shot off as easily as any high school guard I can remember, dating back to the days of Kelsey Mitchell as a prep prospect. A five-star guard, Chavez has legitimate shooting range to 25 feet with the ability to get into the teeth of the defense on a consistent basis to make a shot or find a corner shooter.”
Chavez averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.7 steals per game this past season, leading Monterey to a 37-5 record. The recently named Naismith Girls High School Player of the Year and Gatorade National High School Player of the Year finished her career as the No. 14 scorer on the Texas girls’ all-time ledger, with 4,796 points.
Sooners in 2025-26 Prospective
While Oklahoma focuses on its Sweet 16 matchup against Oklahoma, it doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead to next season. The Sooners have a bright future.
Baranczyk has done an excellent job re-establishing OU as a top-flight program. After struggling in former coach Sherri Coale‘s final three seasons, Baranczyk immediately made an impact after coming over from Drake.
Baranczyk is 101-33 in four seasons with the Sooners, winning 20+ games in each of her four seasons. The 44-year-old coach has directed OU to two Big 12 regular-season championships and four NCAA tournament berths, going 5-3, though the Sooners were eliminated in each of the previous three tournaments. They also have posted at least 11 conference wins in each of the past four years.
Oklahoma’s 27 wins are its most under Baranczyk and the fourth most in school history. The Sooners average 85.2 points a game this year, the second most in the country. The Sooners have finished in the top 25 of the nation in each of Baranczyk’s four seasons, including finishing in the top 3 three times.
Oklahoma won’t have two of its top four scorers next season as Verhulst and Vann’s eligibility expires. Key rotational players Liz Scott, Nevaeh Tot, and Lexi Keys also have no eligibility left.
On the positive side, All-SEC first-team selection Beers is slated to return. Baranczyk should also get starting small forward Sahara Williams and key freshman guard Zya Vann. Veterans Reyna Scott, Kierston Johnson, and Beatrice Culliton could also return.
So, Chavez should step right in to replace Verlust as Baranczyk’s floor general. Four-star prospect Keziah Lofton and 6-2 wing Brooklyn Stewart are also part of the Sooners’ class next year.
Photo Credit: Jacob Lujan of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal
