USBWA News Articles

A pair of Ann Meyers Drysdale National Players of the Year headline the 2023-24 USBWA Women's All-America Team. Iowa's Caitlin Clark, now a four-time All-American, and UConn's Paige Bueckers, earning her second honor, join LSU's three-time selection Angel Reese to bolster a power-packed six-woman first team. In all, 16 players were honored among three teams, in addition to five honorable mention selections.

After leading USC to its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, JuJu Watkins has been named the winner of the Tamika Catchings Award as the national freshman player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, one of the country’s top three-point shooters, the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year and a member of its all-conference second team, has won the 2023-24 Wayman Tisdale Award as the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's National Freshman Player of the Year.

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson led the Cougars to the Big 12 Conference regular-season title with a 15-3 record in their debut season in the league using a frenetic defense to post a 30-win season and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region. For leading his program to its fifth conference regular-season title in the last six seasons and a sixth straight NCAA Tournament, Sampson has been named the winner of the 2023-24 Henry Iba Award, given annually by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to its national coach of the year.

For the fourth time in her career and for the third straight season, South Carolina's Dawn Staley has been named the Women's National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

In recognition of his long service and commitment to the game of women’s basketball, NCAA associate director, media coordination and statistics Rick Nixon has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Mary Jo Haverbeck Award winner for 2024.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association is pleased to honor Mike Jensen, longtime college basketball writer and columnist for the Phildelphia Inquirer, as the winner of the Jim O'Connell Award for excellence in beat reporting. Jensen will be recognized April 8 at the association's annual awards luncheon in Glendale, Ariz., site of the Men's Final Four.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association is pleased to honor John Fanta of FOX Sports as the Rising Star Award winner in men’s basketball. He will be recognized at the association's annual awards luncheon in Glendale, Ariz., site of the Men's Final Four.

Gavin Barrett of Penn College (Williamsport, Pa.) and Paris Kiser of Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, Texas) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending February 18.

Josiah Johnson of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, Texas) and Tanaesha Ellison of William Peace University (Raleigh, N.C.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending February 11.

Jaquan Adams of Principia College (Elsah, Ill.) and Brianna Fitzgerald of SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz, N.Y.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending February 4.

Josh Van Gorp of Central College (Pella, Iowa) and Lauryn Milne of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (La Crosse, Wis.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending January 28.

Jalen Overway of Calvin University (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Caitlyn Scott of Albertus Magnus College (New Haven, Conn.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending January 21.

Calvin Williams IV of the University of St. Thomas (Houston, Texas) and Arieona Rosborough of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, Texas) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending January 14.

Khai Seargeant of Virginia Wesleyan University (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Mary Schleusner of Washington and Lee University (Lexington, Va.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending January 7.

Davidson Hubbard of Hampden-Sydney College (Hampden-Sydney, Va.) and Brianna Fitzgerald of SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz, N.Y.), were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending December 31.

When it came to choosing the newest recipients for the five USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale national players of the week, the Tamika Catchings freshman award and the team of the week, many outstanding performances continued to occur, some with special achievements. Moreso considering there were a slimmer number of games on a shortened schedule as the NCAA Division l women concluded action on December 22 to head into the Christmas break. For their performances through December 24, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale honorees are College of Charleston guard Alexis Andrews, Saint Joseph’s forward Talya Brugler, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, USC guard/forward McKenzie Forbes and Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon.

Bryant Smith of Manchester University (North Manchester, Ind.) and Mary Schleusner of Washington and Lee University (Lexington, Va.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending December 17.

While the bulk of teams in the Associated Press women’s poll are affiliated with the Power 5 conferences meaning a lot of movement will be occurring once league races get under way with the arrival of the 2024 portion of the season schedule, quiet as it is now due to finals and less games, it still was not difficult to find standout performances from which to select the five USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Players of the Week, the Tamika Catchings freshman award and the National Team of the Week for the period ending Sunday, Dec. 17. For their performances in the past seven days, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale honorees are Seton Hall guard Azana Baines, Marshall guard Breanna Campbell, Mississippi State center Jessika Carter, UConn guard Aubrey Griffin, and Marquette forward Liza Karlen.

Jordan Oates of Salisbury University (Salisbury, Md.) and Lauren Klieber of Neumann University (Aston, Pa.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending December 10.