USBWA UCLA News

UCLA head coach Cori Close guided a roster full of stalwart players to an historic regular season that included a 23-game win streak and a No. 1 ranking for half the season. For her success challenging for the regular-season title and then winning the school’s first conference championship at the Big Ten Tournament in their first season in the league, Close is the USBWA National Coach of the Year for the 2024-25 season.

Many familiar faces are featured on the 2024-25 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Women's All-America Team, with 11 of 15 players on the three teams having earned previous All-America honors from the USBWA.

For the period through Sunday, Jan. 26, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women's honorees of the week are Drexel guard Amaris Baker; UCLA center Lauren Betts; Florida State guard Ta'Niya Latson; Bucknell forward Ashley Sofilkanich; Murray State forward Katelyn Young; the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week is Vanderbilt guard Makayla Blakes and the National Team of the Week is Texas.

For the period through Sunday, Jan. 5, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore; UCLA center Lauren Betts; Drake guard Katie Dinnebier; Florida State guard Ta’Niya Latson; and Seton Hall forward Faith Masonius. The Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week is Texas guard Jordan Lee, and the National Team of the Week is Clemson.

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.

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.

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.

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.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – As 2023 came to a close, though many teams played just a single game coming out of the holiday break, a wealth of candidates still emerged for the latest USBWA women’s honors in the seven-day period through Sunday, December 31, especially as conference races got under way. For their performances, this week’s five Ann Meyers Drysdale national honorees are Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, UCLA’s Londynn Jones, Villanova’s Lucy Olsen, Colorado’s Jaylyn Sherrod and North Carolina forward Alyssa Ustby. 

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.

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.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – A three-time All-American, three repeat members, last year’s Oscar Robertson Trophy winner and four players from the Big Ten are all members of the 2022-23 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's All-America Team. The 15-man team includes a member from each of the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 seeds, seven players who were their conference players of the year, four players who were USBWA district players of the year, two of the country's top eight scorers and four of the top seven rebounders.

Three repeat selections, three first-teamers from the Big Ten including its top scorer, a pair of teammates from top-ranked Gonzaga and the country’s leading rebounder headline the 2021-22 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Men's All-America Team. The 15-man team includes two of the country's top shooters, the third-leading scorer, seven players who were their conference players of the year and four players who were USBWA district players of the year.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected UCLA guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, March 6.

For the season's fourth honorees for games ending Sunday, Jan. 24, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week goes to Louisville guard Dana Evans, the organization's Tamika Catchings women's freshman player honor goes to UConn guard Paige Bueckers, and our USBWA women's team citation goes to UCLA for performances in the voting period.

That said, as we begin the new year with a new system, for the season’s first honorees for games ending Sunday, January 3, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week goes to UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere, the organization's Tamika Catchings women's freshman player honor goes to Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, and our first ever USBWA women’s team citation goes to the University of Kentucky for performances in the voting period.

Three Oregon Ducks highlight the 2019-20 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Women's All-America Team. Pac-12 Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu is joined by teammates Ruthy Hebard on the first team and Satou Sebally as a second-team selection. Ionescu, a three-time USBWA All-American, is the lone repeat first-team selection.

Five first-team selections are fiNorth Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough headlines the 2007-08 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's All-America Team. The 6-9 junior from Poplar Bluff, Mo., has earned a spot on the first team for the second straight season.nalists for Oscar Robertson Trophy

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has announced nominees for the 2007-08 Oscar Robertson Trophy and Henry Iba Award.

Freshman sensation Kevin Durant of Texas headlines the 2006-07 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's All-America Team, announced today by USBWA President Tom Shatel of the Omaha World-Herald.