The richest of the rich in college women's soccer grew richer with the 2003 recruiting class as traditional powers divvied up the best players in a very talented group.

Santa Clara, NCAA champions in 2001 and runner-up last fall, topped Soccer America's list of the best recruiting classes, and the Broncos were followed in the Top 10 by a virtual Who's Who of the sport.

UCLA, reeling in its third sensational class under Jillian Ellis, placed second, followed by rising power Texas, reigning NCAA champion Portland, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia, Nebraska and rising powers Arizona State and Florida State.

U.S. national team forward Heather O'Reilly, headed to North Carolina, is Soccer America's choice as the No. 1 recruit in a class that's heavy on defenders, Californians and Canadian national-teamers.

Nebraska-bound Brittany Timko, a starting midfielder with Canada's national team, is No. 2 on SA's Top 25 recruits, followed by Stanford defender Rachel Buehler and Portland forward Angie Woznuk — both San Diego-area products who played with O'Reilly on the U.S. squad that captured the FIFA U-19 World Championship last summer.

Virginia's Becky Sauerbrunn and Notre Dame's Jen Buczkowski, defenders on the current U.S. under-19 squad, were ranked Nos. 5 and 6, and Canadian national team defender Melanie Booth, headed to Florida, is No. 7 on the list. Another defender, U-19 outside back Stephanie Lopez, is No. 8. Lopez, who just turned 17, is headed to Portland.

U-21 goalkeeper Kim Bingham, bound for Arizona State, and U-19 forward Bristyn Davis, headed to UCLA, complete the Top 10.

Santa Clara topped the list of teams after signing four players with national team experience — forward Tina Estrada, goalkeeper Julie Ryder, defender Lauren Zealer and forward Marian Dalmy — and two more with regional ODP backgrounds.

Broncos coach Jerry Smith compared the class with Santa Clara's groups from 1996, which featured five players now in the WUSA, and 1998, which included Aly Wagner and Danielle Slaton.

''I feel the same way about this class,'' Smith said. ''And not because it's Estrada, Ryder and Zealer, but because Dalmy, [midfielder Tiffany] Roberts and [defender Elyse] Shelger are better than people know.''

Five of the Top 17 recruits played for 2002 U-17 national champion Pleasanton Rage from Northern California, and another five of the Top 25 are from Southern California.

Nine of the Top 25 are defenders, although some could play elsewhere in college.

TOP 10 COLLEGE WOMEN'S RECRUITING CLASSES 2003

1. Santa Clara (West Coast Conference)
Poor goalkeeping cost the Broncos an NCAA title in 2002, but Julie Ryder has ''potential to be a difference-maker,'' Jerry Smith says. Tina Estrada and Lauren Zealer are also among the Top 25 recruits, and Marian Dalmy is a former U-16 and U-19 pool player. Regional ODP standouts Tiffany Roberts and Elyse Shelger will compete for starting jobs as freshmen.

2. UCLA (Pacific-10 Conference)
Jillian Ellis scores high again, bringing in five players with U.S. youth national team experience, including current U-19 standouts Bristyn Davis, Stephanie Kron and Mary Castelanelli. Davis, a natural finisher, is the sister of Chadd Davis, a senior on the Bruins' NCAA titlist men's team last fall. U-19 forward Caitlin Ursini is coming off a knee injury. Goalkeeper Arianna Criscione, a former U-16 pool player, may be joined in the battle to start by Cristin Shea, a Portland transfer who has been accepted at UCLA. The talented Bruins will rely on freshmen as four veterans may redshirt next fall: Jill Oakes (torn posterior cruciate ligament), Iris Mora (Mexico's World Cup campaign), and Katie Rivera and Crystal James (both torn ACLs).

3. Texas (Big 12 Conference)
Chris Petrucelli has lured to Austin another strong group, one featuring four U.S. U-19 players — forwards Amy Burlingham and Ashley Foster, midfielder Carrie Schmit and goalkeeper Dana Hall, who is skipping her senior year in high school. The Longhorns also inked four regional ODP players, including Texas' top prep (midfielder Priscilla Fite) and transfer Charisse Co (started 18 games on Georgia's backline last fall).

4. Portland (West Coast Conference)
The reigning NCAA champs nabbed two of SA's Top 8 recruits, dynamic forward Angie Woznuk and athletic outside back Stephanie Lopez, who just turned 17. Woznuk, U.S. under-19 coach Tracey Leone says, is ''starting to be a difference-maker'' for the U-19s. She compares Lopez, another U-19 star, to Joy Fawcett. Defender Kari Evans is in the U-19 pool, and forward Elsa Hume has Canadian national youth team experience.

5. Notre Dame (Big East Conference)
The Fighting Irish, who struggled with defensive injuries last fall, loaded up on backline help, adding U.S. U-19 standout Jen Buczkowski and Christie Shaner, who was in the previous U-19 pool. Three more regional ODP players, including All-American Lizzie Reed, and a solid group of walk-ons, including Arizona prep of the year Molly Iarocci, add depth.

6. North Carolina (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Heather O'Reilly, alone, would be a darned fine class, but the Tar Heels also picked up forward Libby Guess and defender Jessica Maxwell, both part of the U-19 pool. Forward Jennifer Perkins was the top prep in North Carolina.

7. Virginia (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Former U.S. U-16 coach Steve Swanson snagged two of his best pupils, U-19 standouts Becky Sauerbrunn and Shannon Foley. Sauerbrunn's a leader who reads the game like a pro. Foley is technically gifted and versatile. Goalkeeper Christina de Vries was the top goalkeeper at last year's ODP national championships.

8. Nebraska (Big 12 Conference)
Lincoln has long been home away from home for Canadian standouts. Add national team starter Brittany Timko and U19 forward Tanya Dennis to the list. Timko possesses international experience no other incoming freshman — O'Reilly included — can match. Tall midfielder Jessica Bruch is a recent U.S. U-19 call-up. Forward Ashley Carter was Gatorade's Nebraska Prep of the Year.

9. Arizona State (Pacific-10 Conference)
U-21 keeper Kim Bingham, a two-time Parade All-American, was battling Ashlyn Harris for the starting job with the last U-19 group before sidelined by injury. Forward Katie Mahoney, with the current U-19s, isn't the most gifted player, but few competitors can match her heart. Regional ODP forward Levise Robertson is one of three Arizona products to sign.

10. Florida State (Atlantic Coast Conference)
The Seminoles pulled in a strong group led by U-19 pool defender India Trotter, the top in-state prospect, and Jessica Schnugg, a Pleasanton Rage forward. Four ODP regional players, two of them from Pennsylvania, add depth.

TOP 25 COLLEGE WOMEN'S RECRUITS 2003

1. Heather O'Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), F, North Carolina
2. Brittany Timko (Coquitlam, British Columbia), M, Nebraska
3. Rachel Buehler (Del Mar, Calif.), D, Stanford
4. Angie Woznuk (El Cajon, Calif.), F, Portland
5. Becky Sauerbrunn (St. Louis), D, Virginia
6. Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove Village, Ill.), D, Notre Dame
7. Melanie Booth (Burlington, Ontario), D, Florida
8. Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove, Calif.), D, Portland
9. Kim Bingham (San Ramon, Calif.), G, Arizona State
10. Bristyn Davis (Locust Valley, N.Y.), F, UCLA
11. Shannon Foley (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), M/D, Virginia
12. Tina Estrada (Fremont, Calif.), F, Santa Clara
13. Julie Ryder (DeKalb, Ill.), G, Santa Clara
14. Stephanie Kron (Paradise Valley, Ariz.), M, UCLA
15. Darby Kroyer (San Ramon, Calif.), M, Duke
16. Mary Castelanelli (Lodi, Calif.), D, UCLA
17. Katie Mahoney (Dublin, Calif.), F, Arizona State
18. Lauren Zealer (Grass Valley, Calif.), D, Santa Clara
19. Amy Burlingham (Costa Mesa, Calif.), F/M, Texas
20. Megan Schnurr (Butler, Pa.), M, Connecticut
21. India Trotter (Plantation, Fla.), D, Florida State
22. Christie Shaner (Ambler, Pa.), D, Notre Dame
23. Ashley Foster (Athens, Ga.), F, Texas
24. Carrie Schmit (La Mesa, Calif.), M/F, Texas
25. Kat Krambeer (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), F/M, Texas A&M