5 Best Michigan State Spartans Women’s Basketball Players, Ranked

The Michigan State Spartans women’s basketball team’s NCAAW betting odds of winning games have been fairly low in recent years, as they’ve been to the NCAA Tournament three times since 2020.

Michigan State has never made good on its short championship basketball odds, but the Spartans did get to the national championship game in 2005.

With that said, who are the five best Spartans women’s basketball players of all time? Let’s find out.

5 Best Michigan State Spartans Women’s Basketball Players, Ranked

Michigan State Spartans All-Time Greatest Women’s Basketball Players

1. Kristin Haynie

Kristin Haynie has the most steals (346) and second-most assists (574) in program history.

The 2005 first-team All-Big Ten guard helped Michigan State get to the national championship game that year before falling to the Baylor Bears 84-62. She recorded a triple-double (13 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) in the Spartans’ 76-64 Sweet 16 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores during that run.

Haynie was drafted No. 9 overall by the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs in 2005, helping them win a championship that year.

2. Aerial Powers

Aerial Powers has the third-most points (1,817) and fourth-most rebounds (937) in program history.

The three-time first-team All-Big Ten and one-time All-American guard averaged 21.9 points and 21.8 points per game in her sophomore and junior years, which are the second and third-highest scoring averages in Michigan State women’s history.

Powers was selected No. 5 overall by the WNBA’s Dallas Wings in 2016, later helping the Washington Mystics win a championship in 2019.

3. Liz Shimek

Liz Shimek has the most rebounds (1,130), fourth-most points (1,780), and sixth-most blocks (108) in program history.

The 2006 first-team All-Big Ten member put up 24 points and 10 rebounds against the Stanford Cardinal in the Elite Eight in 2005.

Shimek played for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky in 2006 and 2007.

4. Tori Jankoska

Tori Jankoska has the most points (2,212), 3-pointers made (320), and the third-most assists (489) in program history, as she’s the only Spartan women’s player to eclipse the 2,000-point mark.

The 2017 first-team All-Big Ten member averaged 22.6 points, eight rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game that season.

Jankoska was drafted No. 9 overall by Chicago in 2017.

5. Lindsay Bowen

Lindsay Bowen has the second-most 3-pointers made (294) and fifth-most points (1,739) in program history.

The 2023 Freshman of the Year averaged 13.3 points per game and shot 40.1% from 3-point range during her time at Michigan State.

Bowen played for the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2007.