Four-star guard Makayla Presser-Palmer commits to Arizona women's basketball

The Arizona women’s basketball team added another player to its 2026 recruiting class on Saturday.

The Wildcats received a commitment from Pennsylvania guard Makayla Presser-Palmer.

The 5-11 Springfield, Pennsylvania, native and Northwestern High School star is rated by ESPN as a four-star prospect and the 55th-best player nationally.

As a three-year starter at Northwestern, Presser-Palmer is averaging 23.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.3 steals per game. Last season, she averaged 28.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Presser-Palmer is the fourth player to commit to first-year head coach Becky Burke and the UA women’s basketball program, along with four-star Florida guard Jasleen Green, New Jersey forward Priyanka Ponnam and Australian center Callie Hinder, who plays for PHH Prep, a basketball academy based in Chandler.

The Wildcats are also recruiting four-star Tennessee guard Natalya Hodge and four-star post player Cydnee Bryant, the younger sister of former Arizona men’s basketball star and San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

‘Miracle’ Akpotayobo no longer at Arizona

Freshman post player Ogheneruona “Miracle” Akpotayobo is no longer with the UA women’s basketball program.

Akpotayobo’s page on the roster has been removed from the team website. Akpotayobo’s status with Arizona was first reported by Kim Doss of AZ Desert Swarm.

The 6-3 Akpotayobo, a native of Nigeria who attended high school in the Dallas area, signed with the Auburn Tigers in November, but Auburn changed coaches and replaced Johnnie Harris with Larry Vickers. Less than a week after entering the transfer portal, Akpotayobo committed to Arizona.

Arizona currently has 13 players on its roster — mostly newcomers, except former McDonald’s All-American and five-star wing Montaya Dew. Arizona’s frontcourt players include Nigeria native Blessing Adebanjo, Tucson product Achol Magot, fifth-year senior and New Orleans transfer Nora Francois and Kansas transfer Fredriecka Wallace.

The Wildcats tip off their season against West Texas A&M in an exhibition game on Thursday, Oct. 23, at McKale Center.