USBWA Awards Articles

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association will name its annual award for Women’s National Coach of the Year after Geno Auriemma of the University of Connecticut, it was announced on Wednesday.

Purdue center Zach Edey maintained his dominance in the paint and over all opponents again this season, leading the nation in scoring at 24.6 points per game and listing second in rebounding average at 12.1. Those marks that helped lead the Boilermakers (33-4) to the Big Ten regular season title and eventually their first Final Four since 1980 earned Edey a repeat honor as the 2023-24 Oscar Robertson Trophy winner as the USBWA National Player of the Year.

Hailed as a generational player as the most prolific scorer in women’s college basketball history, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark commanded attention not just from Hawkeye opponents but fans as well as she continued to rewrite assorted record books this season. The three-time Big Ten Player of the Year’s iconic season that has led Iowa to its third Final Four earned Clark a repeat selection as the winner of the 2023-24 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the USBWA National Player of the Year.

Emily Adams of the Hartford Courant, who has covered two of the most successful women’s college basketball programs in the nation, has been named a winner of the 2024 Rising Star Award by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Joye Lee-McNelis, who coached the women’s basketball team at the University of Southern Mississippi for a 20th season despite a recurrence of stage 4 lung cancer, is the winner of the 2024 Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award. Lee-McNelis will be honored on Friday at the USBWA Awards Brunch at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Cleveland.

Michelle Smith, the first women’s basketball columnist at two organizations, and Dan Fleser, who covered championship teams at the University of Tennessee, will be honored as part of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Their presence will give the Class of 2024 more than 180 years of experience covering college basketball at the highest levels of the game.

Last season’s Oscar Robertson Trophy winner and the nation's leading scorer, three repeat selections, a pair of North Carolina teammates and four SEC stars headline the 2023-24 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Men's All-America Team. The 15-man team includes a player from each of the NCAA Tournament’s four No. 1 seeds and six players who were their conference players of the year.

Jeremiah Armstead, who overcame homelessness throughout his high school years to earn a spot on the basketball team at Fisk University, is the winner of the 2024 Perry Wallace Most Courageous Award. Armstead, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, will be honored on April 8 at the USBWA Awards Luncheon at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Glendale, Ariz.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 40 standout men's college basketball players for its 2023-24 Oscar Robertson Trophy and All-America Watch List. Members of the association's board of directors chose the players that will be considered as contenders for the National Player of the Year.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 40 standout women's college basketball players for its 2023-24 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and All-America Watch List. Members of the association's board of directors chose the players that will be considered as contenders for the National Player of the Year.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 18.

For their performances in the period through Sunday, Feb. 18, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale national honorees are South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, Princeton guard Kaitlyn Chen, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, Connecticut forward Aaliyah Edwards, and N.C. State guard Madison Hayes. The Tamika Catchings freshman award goes to Southern California guard JuJu Watkins, and the National Team of the Week is Virginia Tech.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 11.

For their performances in the period through Sunday, Feb. 11, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale national honorees are Stanford forward Cameron Brink, Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair, Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley, Indiana guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, and Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke. The Tamika Catchings freshman award goes to Purdue forward Mary Ashley Stevenson and the National Team of the Week is Oregon State.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – For their performances in the period through Sunday, Feb. 4, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale national honorees are Virginia Tech guard Georgia Amoore, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, UConn forward Aaliyah Edwards, Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon, and USC guard JuJu Watkins. The Tamika Catchings freshman award goes to Texas forward Madison Booker and the National Team of the Week is Mississippi State.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 4.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Jan. 28.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – For their performances in the period through Sunday, Jan. 28, this week's five Ann Meyers Drysdale national honorees are Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, the reigning national player of the year; South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso; Penn State guard Makenna Marisa; West Virginia guard JJ Quinerly; and Oklahoma forward Skylar Vann. The Tamika Catchings freshman award goes to Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo and the National Team of the Week is Oregon State.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Jan. 21.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – For their performances in the period through Sunday, Jan. 21, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale national honorees are Marshall guard Abby Beeman, UConn guard and past USBWA national player of the year Paige Bueckers, Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair, North Carolina guard Deja Kelly, and Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon. The Tamika Catchings freshman award goes to Virginia guard Kymora Johnson and the National Team of the Week is Stanford.