Brihanna Crittendon, the No. 8 recruit in the girls' SC Next 100 class of 2026, committed to Texas on Wednesday, choosing the Longhorns over Tennessee, TCU, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State and UCLA.
"Texas was everything I was looking for -- the culture, the players, the staff and the environment," Crittendon told ESPN. "Add in the university's strong commitment to women's sports, and it just felt right. It's the SEC, and I'm excited to be a Longhorn!"
At 6-foot-3, Crittendon is the quintessential face-up forward in today's game. She is long and agile with sharpshooter ability from beyond the arc.
Over the summer while playing with her Jason Kidd Select squad on the Power 24 circuit, Crittendon showed an impressive dedication to the glass as well as the defensive end. That competitive effort, coupled with her scoring ability, saw her profile in the class rise over the summer.
In her junior season at Riverdale Ridge (Col.), she averaged 26.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 57% shooting from the field, 33% shooting from 3, and 73% free throw shooting.
Crittendon will bring a different dynamic at the forward position than the Longhorns have had during Vic Schaefer's tenure. She has a more perimeter-oriented game than the typical Texas roster. She will help the program address its shooting needs and provide versatility at the position that will help spacing in the half court.
She will need to adjust to the elite defensive demands that have helped make Texas a Final Four contender, but this growth seems consistent with all of the players who come through Austin.
Crittendon joins a major class for Texas that already includes No. 20 Aaliah Spaight and No. 57 Amalia Holguin. The Longhorns are still in the mix for No. 10 Addison Bjorn, who is expected to announce her decision Thursday.