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 a list of past WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America teams, click here.
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.
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