U.S. Basketball Writers Association News

Duke forward Cameron Boozer met his opportunity and his hype this season as yet another outstanding freshman who became a consensus First Team All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Boozer, who has guided the Blue Devils into the Sweet 16 this weekend, has been selected as the winner of both the 2025-26 Oscar Robertson Trophy as the Men's National Player of the Year and the 2025-26 Wayman Tisdale Award as the National Freshman Player of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated, who has quickly established himself as a respected voice across platforms in an evolving industry, has been named a winner of the 2026 Rising Star Award by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Sweeney will be honored on Monday, April 6 during the USBWA Awards Luncheon at Xiber Square in Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 11:30 a.m.

Gene Wang, whose versatility for more than three decades made his reporting an essential part of college basketball coverage in The Washington Post, has been named recipient of the Jim O’Connell Award for excellence in beat reporting by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Wang will be honored at the annual awards luncheon at Xiber Square at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 6.

Three freshmen, guard Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas and forwards Cameron Boozer of Duke and AJ Dybansta of BYU, plus graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan and senior guard Braden Smith of Purdue, headline the 2025-26 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Men’s All-America First Team. Freshmen dominate the complete 15-man All-America team with six selections, a record since the USBWA expanded to add a third team to its All-America selections following the 2018-19 season.

In his second season in Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Dusty May has been named the 2025-26 recipient of the Henry Iba Award as the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Men's National Coach of the Year.

Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph has been named the 2025-26 U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Women’s National Coach of the Year, recognizing a historic season in which she has led the Commodores to unprecedented success and national prominence.

Senior center Lauren Betts of UCLA, sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes of Vanderbilt, graduate guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong of UConn junior guard Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame headline the 2025-26 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Women’s All-America First Team.

In recognition of her long and distinguished service to collegiate women’s basketball, Diana Koval, Associate Athletics Director/Communications and Public Relations at the University of South Carolina, has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Mary Jo Haverbeck Award recipient for 2026.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, March 8.

For the period through Sunday, March 1 the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are James Madison forward Ashanti Barnes; Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes; BYU guard Delaney Gibb; Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo; and South Dakota State forward Brooklyn Meyer. The Tamika Catchings freshman of the week is Gonzaga forward Lauren Whittaker, and the team of the week is Texas A&M.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, March 1.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association is excited to reveal the fourth pair of winners for our new in-season feature, the Oscar Robertson Player of the Month. The dual honor is handed out to one player apiece at the high-major and mid-major level in an effort to bring attention to both levels of men’s Division I basketball. 

For the period through Sunday, Feb. 22, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Rice guard Hailey Adams; Iowa center Ava Heiden; Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo; TCU guard Olivia Miles; and South Carolina center Madina Okot. The Tamika Catchings freshman of the week is USC guard Jazzy Davidson, and the team of the week is Clemson.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 22.

Ethan Edwards of Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio) and Mary Schleusner of Washington & Lee University (Lexington, Va.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending February 22.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 15.

Aaron Coston of SUNY Cortland (Cortland, N.Y.) and Kathleen Smith of Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending February 15.

For the period through Sunday, Feb. 15, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Villanova guard Jasmine Bascoe; Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes; Richmond forward Maggie Doogan; UC Davis center Megan Norris; TCU guard Olivia Miles. The Tamika Catchings freshman of the week is USC guard Jazzy Davidson, and the team of the week is Maryland.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 8.

For the period through Sunday, Feb. 8, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Ohio State guard Jaloni Cambridge; South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards; Marshall guard Timaya Lewis-Eutsey; California guard Gisella Maul; andf UCLA guard Kiki Rice. The Tamika Catchings Co-National Freshmen of the Week are Kansas forward Jaliya Davis and Siena guard Francesca Schiro, and the National Team of the Week is North Carolina.