ATLANTA (March 25, 2026) — Madison Booker of Texas, Paige Bueckers of Connecticut, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, and JuJu Watkins of Southern California are the four finalists for the 2025 Wade Trophy, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today. The prestigious award is presented by the WBCA each year to the best player in college women’s basketball.
The Wade Trophy — now in its 48th year — is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001.
Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State was the first recipient of the Wade Trophy. Two-time winners include Nancy Lieberman (1979, 1980) of Old Dominion, Seimone Augustus (2005, 2006) of LSU, Brittney Griner (2012, 2013) of Baylor, Breanna Stewart (2015, 2016) of Connecticut, Sabrina Ionescu (2019, 2020) of Oregon, and Caitlin Clark (2023, 2024) of Iowa. Maya Moore (2009, 2010, 2011) of Connecticut is the only three-time recipient.
The WBCA also announced today the 50 finalists for this season’s 10-member WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America team. They are:
Player
Institution
Georgia Amoore
University of Kentucky
Sarah Ashlee Barker
University of Alabama
Raegan Beers
University of Oklahoma
Lauren Betts
University of California, Los Angeles
Mikayla Blakes
Vanderbilt University
Madison Booker
University of Texas
Zoe Brooks
North Carolina State University
Paige Bueckers
University of Connecticut
Jaloni Cambridge
Ohio State University
Sonia Citron
University of Notre Dame
Audi Crooks
Iowa State University
Katie Dinnebier
Drake University
Yvonne Ejim
Gonzaga University
Rori Harmon
University of Texas
Stailee Heard
Oklahoma State University
Hannah Hidalgo
University of Notre Dame
Maud Huijbens
Gonzaga University
Kiki Iriafen
University of Southern California
Aziaha James
North Carolina State University
Lauren Jensen
Creighton University
Flau’Jae Johnson
Louisiana State University
Kymora Johnson
University of Virginia
Ta’Niya Latson
Florida State University
Ayoka Lee
Kansas State University
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs
Baylor University
Cotie McMahon
Ohio State University
Brooklyn Meyer
South Dakota State University
Olivia Miles
University of Notre Dame
Emeralda Morales
Montana State University
Aneesah Morrow
Louisiana State University
S’Mya Nichols
University of Kansas
Aaliyah Nye
University of Alabama
Lucy Olsen
University of Iowa
Te-Hina Paopao
University of South Carolina
Khamil Pierre
Vanderbilt University
Sedona Prince
Texas Christian University
JJ Quinerly
West Virginia University
Kiki Rice
University of California, Los Angeles
Saniya Rivers
North Carolina State University
Emma Ronsiek
Colorado State University
Madison Scott
University of Mississippi
Shyanne Sellers
University of Maryland
Sarah Strong
University of Connecticut
Serena Sundell
Kansas State University
Makayla Timpson
Florida State University
Allie Turner
Gonzaga University
Harmoni Turner
Harvard University
Hailey Van Lith
Texas Christian University
JuJu Watkins
University of Southern California
Mikaylah Williams
Louisiana State University
NCAA Division I head coaches who are WBCA members may nominate players from their own teams for Coaches’ All-America. They then vote for the top players in their respective regions from among those players who are nominated. The WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee, which is composed of head coaches from each region who are elected by their peers, may select up to 12 additional at-large finalists from the remaining pool of nominees.
The committee will meet in Tampa, Florida, in conjunction with the annual WBCA Convention to select the 2025 Wade Trophy winner and the 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America team. Both will be announced on April 3.
Click here for a complete list of past winners of the Wade Trophy. For complete lists of past Coaches’ All-America teams by year and Coaches’ All-Americans by institution, clickhere.
About the WBCA
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
