INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 35 outstanding players for its 2019-20 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List. Members of the association's board of directors chose the players to be included on the list as contenders for the National Player of the Year.
The 2019-20 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award winner will be presented at the 2020 NCAA Women's Final Four in New Orleans, along with the Tamika Catchings Award honoring the women's freshman player of the year. The winner will also be honored at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Mon., April 13, 2020.
Four returning All-Americans highlight the list and six schools have multiple players on the Watch List topped by four from UConn and three from Oregon, both Women's Final Four participants last season. The Pac-12 Conference leads the field with eight members followed by the American Athletic and Southeastern Conferences with five each and the ACC and Big Ten with four apiece. A total of 26 schools and 11 conferences are represented and there are 21 seniors or graduate students on the list and five underclassmen.
Oregon senior guard Sabrina Ionescu, a two-time All-American, headlines the Watch List. Ionescu is already the NCAA's all-time leader in triple-doubles (18) after averaging 19.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.2 assists last season, and earlier this season topped 2,000 career points (she has 2,079 going into Sunday's game) and can become the first player in NCAA history to top 2,000 career points, 1,000 assists (852 to date) and 1,000 rebounds (812). Oregon teammates Ruthie Hebard and Satou Sabally, both forwards, are also on the Watch List.
Lauren Cox, a senior forward and returning All-American from defending national champion Baylor, returns to the list after two seasons as the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year. Maryland's scoring leader, senior guard Kaila Charles, also returns from an All-American season, as does Texas A&M's junior guard Chennedy Carter, who was the only sophomore on last year's All-America team.
Four of UConn's starters guards Crystal Dangerfield and Chrystyn Williams and forwards Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Megan Walker · are on the list from last year's NCAA semifinalists. Duke, South Carolina, Maryland and Oregon State each have two players on the list. While all Division I players are eligible for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the USBWA board has chosen the players on the watch list to promote the award and give the membership, which votes on all USBWA awards, an early look at some of the best players in the country. In January, the USBWA will release a second watch list, followed by finalists after All-America balloting is complete in March. Last season, Megan Gustafson of Iowa won the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, Baylor's Kim Mulkey was the National Coach of the Year Award and Rhyne Howard of Kentucky won the National Freshman of the Year based on voting by the USBWA membership.
The USBWA formally expanded its All-America team to 15 players in 2019 and many of the players on this watch list will contend for All-America honors. In addition, the USBWA continues to name an Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week each Tuesday.
Following is the complete 2019-20 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List:
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected a women's All-America team since the 1996-97 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
Related links:
• USBWA Women's Honors
• Download the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award logo