PHOENIX (April 2, 2026) – Sarah Strong of the University of Connecticut is the 2026 Wade Trophy winner and headlines the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America team, announced today by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. University of Kansas head coach Brandon Schneider, chair of the WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee, and WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew will present the Wade Trophy to Strong here later today.
Now in its 49th year, the prestigious Wade Trophy is the oldest national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. The award 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. The Wade Trophy is presented annually to the WBCA’s NCAA Division I Player of the Year.
“Brandon Schneider, the WBCA’s awards committee chair, and I are pleased to present the 2026 Wade Trophy to Sarah Strong,” said Donehew. “Sarah has led her team, the UConn Huskies, through a tremendous season. She has lifted the game with her dominance, efficiency, and ability to play multiple positions. She is a rare talent and exciting to watch.”
Strong is the eighth Connecticut player to win the Wade Trophy. Previous Huskies to receive the award are Paige Bueckers (2025), two-time winner Breanna Stewart (2015, 2016); lone three-time winner Maya Moore (2009, 2010, 2011); Diana Taurasi (2003); Sue Bird (2002); Jennifer Rizzotti (1996); and Rebecca Lobo (1995).
Hannah Hidalgo of the University of Notre Dame, who joins Strong on the 2026 WBCA Coaches’ All-America team, was named 2026 WBCA Defensive Player of the Year.
“Defense is about determination, intensity, effort and teamwork. Hannah Hidalgo is an outstanding student-athlete who embodies these characteristics at the highest level,” said Donehew. “Hannah has consistently presented a challenge to opposing coaches and players. We celebrate her contribution to her team and to the game of women’s basketball.”
The Coaches’ All-America team is composed of the 10 best players in NCAA Division I regardless of position as chosen by the division’s head coaches.
Here are the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-Americans:
| Player | Institution |
| Lauren Betts | UCLA |
| Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt |
| Madison Booker | Texas |
| Jaloni Cambridge | Ohio State |
| Joyce Edwards | South Carolina |
| Azzi Fudd | Connecticut |
| Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame |
| Raven Johnson | South Carolina |
| Olivia Miles | Texas Christian |
| Sarah Strong | Connecticut |
Here are the student-athletes who received 2026 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America honorable mention:
| Player | Institution |
| Raegan Beers | Oklahoma |
| Zoe Brooks | North Carolina State |
| Aaliyah Chavez | Oklahoma |
| Shay Ciezki | Indiana |
| Audi Crooks | Iowa State |
| Jaliya Davis | Kansas |
| Maggie Doogan | Richmond |
| Gabby Elliott | Arizona State |
| Toby Fournier | Duke |
| Micah Gray | Oklahoma State |
| Rori Harmon | Texas |
| Jordan Harrison | West Virginia |
| Ava Heiden | Iowa |
| Uche Izoje | Syracuse |
| Ashlon Jackson | Duke |
| Flau’jae Johnson | LSU |
| Kymora Johnson | Virginia |
| Ta’Niya Latson | South Carolina |
| Darianna Littlepage-Buggs | Baylor |
| Taina Mair | Duke |
| Bailey Maupin | Texas Tech |
| Liv McGill | Florida |
| Cotie McMahon | Mississippi |
| Brooklyn Meyer | South Dakota State |
| Mia Moore | Clemson |
| S’Mya Nichols | Kansas |
| Oluchi Okananwa | Maryland |
| Olivia Olson | Michigan |
| Khamil Pierre | North Carolina State |
| Kiki Rice | UCLA |
| Taliah Scott | Baylor |
| Sayvia Sellers | Washington |
| Hannah Stuelke | Iowa |
| Marta Suarez | Texas Christian |
| Syla Swords | Michigan |
| Riley Weiss | Columbia |
| Carleigh Wenzel | Virginia Tech |
| Jada Williams | Iowa State |
Click here for a list of past winners of the Wade Trophy.
Click here for a list of past WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Players of the Year.
Click here for listings of past WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-Americans by year and by institution.
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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