Arizona women’s basketball 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 avaeraged 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. 

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Four-star Pennsylvania guard Makayla Presser-Palmer committed to Arizona’s 2026 recruiting class. 

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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.

‘Miracle’ Akpotayobo no longer at Arizona

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

Akpotayobo’s paged 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 on Thursday, Oct. 23, at McKale Center. 

Contact Justin Spears, the Star’s Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports

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