USBWA Washington News

For the period through Sunday, Dec. 29, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Georgia Tech guard Kara Dunn; Washington guard Elle Ladine; Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles; Maryland guard Kaylene Smikle; USC guard JuJu Watkins (National); Tori McKinney, Minnesota (Freshman) and Norfolk State (Team).

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 the season’s ninth weekly women’s awards from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, for games ending Sunday, Feb. 5, South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston, the reigning USBWA national player of the year, and Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, a past honoree, share the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honor, Washington guard Elle Ladine is the Tamika Catchings Award freshman recipient, and UNLV is the team of the week.

Two recipients from Pac-12 schools and a multi-repeat winner highlighted the annual U.S. Basketball Writers Association women's awards news conference Friday at the American Airlines Center preceeding the NCAA national semifinals in the arena. Washington's Kelsey Plum took the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the national player of the year, Connecticut's Geno Auriemma took the National Coach of the Year Award for a sixth time, and Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu took the National Freshman of the Year honor.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has pared its list of finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy down to five.