USBWA News from Mel Greenberg News

For the period through Sunday, Dec. 22, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are TCU guard Madison Conner; Colorado Guard Frida Formann; South Florida guard Sammie Puisis; USC guard JuJu Watkins; and Saint Joseph’s forward Laura Ziegler. The Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Week is North Carolina guard Lanie Grant and the National Team of the Week is Alabama.

For the period through Sunday, Dec. 15, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, Kansas guard S’Mya Nichols, Vanderbilt forward Khamil Pierre, California forward Marta Suarez, and Wisconsin forward Serah Williams. The Tamika Catchings freshman of the week is Rutgers guard Kiyomi McMiller, and the National Team of the Week is Georgia Tech.

For the period through Sunday, Dec. 8, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, Temple guard Tiarra East, Colorado State forward Emma Ronsiek, USC guard JuJu Watkins, and LSU guard Mikaylah Williams. The Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Week is Penn guard Sarah Miller, and for the first time there are two National Teams of the Week, both out of the Southeastern Conference in defending NCAA champion South Carolina and the program returning to prominence in Tennessee.

For the period through Sunday, Dec. 1, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Florida State guard Ta’Niya Latson, LSU forward Aneesah Morrow, TCU guard Hailey Van and center Sedona Prince, and Kentucky center Clara Strack. The Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week is Texas forward Justice Carlton and the National Team of the Week is Duke.

For the period through Sunday, Nov. 24, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, Creighton guard Lauren Jensen, Northern Iowa guard Maya McDermott, Virginia Tech forward Rose Micheaux, and Connecticut guard Sarah Strong. The Tamika Catchings freshman of the week is Duke forward Toby Fournier and the team of the week is UCLA.

For the period through Sunday, Nov. 17, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Connecticut guard Paige Bueckers, Miami guard Haley Cavinder, Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper, UTSA forward Jordyn Jenkins, and Harvard guard Harmoni Turner. The Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week is Notre Dame forward Kate Koval and TCU is the National Team of the Week.

The return of collegiate basketball means the return of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association handing out its women’s five-member Ann Meyers Drysdale national players of the week, its Tamika Catchings freshman award, and noting its National Team of the Week. For the period through Sunday, Nov. 10, the first five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the season are Rutgers guard/forward Destiny Adams, Oklahoma center Raegan Beers, UCLA center Lauren Betts, Norfolk State guard Diamond Johnson, and Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles. The initial Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week is Michigan guard Syla Swords and Oregon is the USBWA National Team of the Week.

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.

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.

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) – 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) – 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.

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.

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.

For their performances in the past seven days, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale honorees are UCLA center Lauren Betts, UConn guard Paige Bueckers, Middle Tennessee guard Jalynn Gregory, Toledo guard Quinesha Lockett, and Utah forward Alissa Pili. The Tamika Catchings national freshman award goes to NC State guard Zoe Brooks while Washington is the National Team of the Week.

For their performances in the past seven days, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honorees are South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, Gonzaga forward Yvonne Ejim, Texas guard Rori Harmon, Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon, and Maine guard Anne Simon. 

Week 3 of the current women’s basketball season through Sunday night, Nov. 26, was a Thanksgiving feast of tournaments, most with predetermined matches, across the nation and down in the Caribbean, once again providing dynamic performances, stunning upsets, and a wealth of candidates to fill the USBWA expansion to five Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honorees in addition to the singular Tamika Catchings freshman and team citations.

For their performances in the past seven days, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honorees are Stanford forward Cameron Brink, Texas forward Taylor Jones, Kansas State center Ayoka Lee, Villanova guard Lucy Olsen, and Harvard guard Harmoni Turner. The Tamika Catchings freshman award goes to Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo while Baylor is the team of the week.