Meet the local players to watch in the NCAA women's basketball tournament
Columbia
Nasi Simmons, G, freshman
Simmons, 19, is from Brockton. She attended Noble and Greenough and led her team to three NEPSAC AA championships — a school record — and earned the 2024 NEPSAC AA Championship MVP. At Columbia, Simmons has appeared in 24 games, averaging 3 points and 1.7 rebounds over 12.2 minutes.
Next game:
Columbia vs. West Virginia in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday at 2 p.m., ESPNEWS
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Duke
Taina Mair, G, junior
Mair, 21, is a Boston native who attended Brooks School. During her high school career, she led her team to the 2018-19 NEPSAC Class D title and the 2019-20 NEPSAC Class B championship, earning NEPSAC Class B Player of the Year honors in 2019-20. She began her collegiate career at Boston College, where she was named to the All-ACC freshman team and set the program's freshman assists record with 217. After transferring to Duke, Mair has started in 33 games in her second year as a Blue Devil, shooting 37 percent from three and averaging 7.1 points.
Oluchi Okananwa, G, sophomore
Okananwa, 20, is from Boston and played at Worcester Academy. A 2023 McDonald's All-America nominee, she was named NEPSAC AA Player of the Year and an All-NEPSAC First Team selection. She helped lead Worcester Academy to an 18-7 record as a team captain. At Duke, Okananwa made an immediate impact as the ACC Sixth Player of the Year and an All-ACC freshman team selection. This season, she is averaging 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field.
Next game:
Duke vs. Lehigh in Durham, N.C., Friday at 8 p.m., ESPNU
Fairleigh Dickinson
Kailee McDonald, G, freshman
McDonald, 19, is from Lowell and played at Worcester Academy. She was a two-time NEPSAC All-Star, 1,000-point scorer, and the team captain in 2023-24. Before Worcester, she starred in New Hampshire, winning NHIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020-21 and earning NHIAA All-State first team honors. At FDU, McDonald has played a key role off the bench, averaging 4.8 points and 29 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from three.
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Next game:
No. 2 TCU vs. No. 15 FDU in Fort Worth, Texas, 3:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN2
Harvard
Abigail Wright, F/G, sophomore
Wright, 20, was a four-year letter-winner in both basketball and volleyball at Newton North. Wright was named Boston Globe All-Scholastic three times and earned Carey Division MVP honors in 2022. At Harvard, Wright has played in 28 games and is shooting 52 percent from the field while averaging 5.4 points.
Next game:
Harvard vs. Michigan State in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday at 4:30 p.m., ESPNEWS
Illinois
Shay Bollin, F, junior
Bollin, 20, was a three-time captain at Bridgewater-Raynham and earned multiple honors, including a Boston Globe All-Scholastic nod in 2020. Bollin began her career at Duke before transferring to Illinois prior to her sophomore year. In her first year at Illinois, Bollin has played in 29 games while shooting 45 percent from the floor.
Next game:
Illinois vs. Creighton in Austin, Texas, Saturday at 6:15 p.m., ESPNEWS
Richmond
Sam Dewey, F, junior
Dewey, 20, is from Melrose and played for the Brooks School, leading the team to two New England championships in her two seasons there. She began her collegiate career at Illinois, where she played for two seasons. In her first year at Richmond, Dewey has played in 30 games while shooting 44 percent from the field.
Payton Richard, G, freshman
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Richard, 18, is from Bolton and graduated from The Rivers School. During her high school career, she earned ISL All-League honorable mention honors and served as a captain. In her first college season, Richard has played in 14 games while shooting 43 percent from the field.
Courtney Swider, F, sophomore
Portsmouth, R.I., native Swider, 19, led Tabor to a NEPSAC Class AA Championship. In her sophomore season, Swider appeared in 25 games, shooting 44 percent from the field and 43% from beyond the arc.
Rachel Ullstrom, G, junior
Ullstrom, 20, is from Auburn and attended Marianapolis Prep in Connecticut. At Marianapolis, she set school records for the highest single-season 3-point percentage (43.7) and most 3-pointers in a game (10 on multiple occasions). She was a four-time team captain and earned MVP honors her sophomore year. In her junior season at Richmond, Ullstrom has played in 33 games (32 starts), while averaging 11.1 points and 52 percent and 41 percent from the floor and three, respectively.
Next game:
Richmond vs. Georgia Tech in Los Angeles, Friday at 7:30 p.m., ESPNEWS
UConn
Caroline Ducharme, G, senior
Ducharme, 22, is from Milton and was the 2019-20 Gatorade state player of the year at Noble and Greenough. As a junior in high school, she averaged 24.8 points, 14 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3 blocks per game, leading the Bulldogs to a 24-3 record and a berth in the NEPSAC Class AA tournament quarterfinals. At UConn, Ducharme made an immediate impact as a freshman, averaging 9.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game during the 2021-2022 season. As a whole, Ducharme has played in 64 games for the Huskies while averaging 7.7 points and 3.2 rebounds while battling injury.
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Next game:
UConn vs.Arkansas State in Storrs, Conn., Saturday at 1 p.m., ABC
Vermont
Natalie Beaudoin, G, freshman
Beaudoin, 18, attended Lewiston High School where she averaged 17 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2 assists per game her senior year, earning first-team all-conference honors, recognition as a McDonald's All-Star and was a finalist for Miss Maine Basketball in 2024. The freshman has not appeared in a collegiate game.
Catherine Gilwee, G, senior
Gilwee, 21, is from Shelburne, Vt., and graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School. She was named the 2021 Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year and Burlington Free Press's 'Miss Basketball.' In her final two high school seasons, Gilwee led CVU to a 30-0 record. As a college senior, Gilwee has started in all 33 games played, averaging 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Next game:
Vermont vs. NC State in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday at 2 p.m., ESPN
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