Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins headline the preseason AP All-America team, showcasing their remarkable talent alongside fellow athletes Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Madison Booker of Texas, and Kiki Iriafen of USC. All three players—Watkins, Hidalgo, and Booker—are entering their second year of college basketball.
“It’s unbelievable. Those players excelled as freshmen and their teams won. They did it in multiple ways,” said USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “It’s really exciting for the game and the future of it.”
Watkins and Iriafen made history as the first pair of teammates selected to the All-America team since the 2017-18 season, when UConn had three representatives. Iriafen’s transfer to USC came shortly after the announcement of Stanford Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer’s retirement in April.
“Kiki came because she wanted to play with JuJu, who recruited her because she wanted to play with Kiki,” Gottlieb remarked, highlighting the chemistry between the two players.
Watkins made a splash last season, averaging an impressive 27.1 points per game, trailing only Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. She set a national record for freshmen, scoring 920 points and leading the Trojans to their deepest NCAA Tournament run in 30 years, reaching the Elite Eight.
The Trojans are entering the season with high expectations, currently ranked third in the preseason poll, following South Carolina and UConn. Iriafen contributed significantly at Stanford last year, averaging 19.4 points and 11.0 rebounds, including a standout performance of 41 points in a second-round NCAA Tournament victory over Iowa State.
Like Watkins, Hidalgo had a stellar freshman year, averaging 22.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists for the Fighting Irish. Her efforts were pivotal in helping Notre Dame win the ACC Tournament and advance to the Sweet 16.
Booker rose to the occasion for Texas after Rori Harmon suffered an ACL injury in late December. Stepping into the starting point guard role, she averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, with her performance improving even further after Harmon’s injury.
Bueckers, Watkins, and Hidalgo were all recognized as first-team AP All-Americans in the spring, while Booker earned a spot on the second team with Iriafen receiving honorable mention.
Since the AP began releasing a preseason All-America team in the 1994-95 season, this year’s selections reflect the growing talent and competitive spirit in women’s college basketball.
