ATLANTA (Jan. 31, 2024) — The WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee has added four student-athletes to the “Wade Watch” list of candidates for the 2024 Wade Trophy, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
Joining the preseason list of 16 Wade Trophy hopefuls are Yvonne Ejim of Gonzaga, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Ayoka Lee of Kansas State and JuJu Watkins of Southern California.
The Wade Trophy 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.
The committee will narrow the watch list for the honor to four finalists in mid-March. The winner of the 2024 Wade Trophy will be announced April 4 in Cleveland — site of the 2024 WBCA Convention and NCAA Women’s Final Four.
Here is the complete 20-member 2023-24 “Wade Watch” list:
| Name | Institution | Position | Height | Current Year |
| Georgia Amoore | Virginia Tech | G | 5-6 | Senior |
| Cameron Brink | Stanford | F | 6-4 | Senior |
| Paige Bueckers | Connecticut | G | 6-0 | RS-Junior |
| Kamilla Cardoso | South Carolina | C | 6-7 | Senior |
| Caitlin Clark | Iowa | G | 6-0 | Senior |
| Aaliyah Edwards | Connecticut | F | 6-3 | Senior |
| Yvonne Ejim | Gonzaga | F | 6-1 | Senior |
| Rori Harmon | Texas | G | 5-6 | Junior |
| Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame | G | 5-6 | Freshman |
| Mackenzie Holmes | Indiana | F | 6-3 | Grad |
| Rickea Jackson | Tennessee | F | 6-2 | 5th Year |
| Elizabeth Kitley | Virginia Tech | C | 6-6 | Grad |
| Ta’Niya Latson | Florida State | G | 5-8 | Soph |
| Ayoka Lee | Kansas State | C | 6-6 | Senior |
| Olivia Miles | Notre Dame | G | 5-10 | Junior |
| Aneesah Morrow | LSU | G | 6-1 | Junior |
| Alissa Pili | Utah | G | 5-10 | Senior |
| Angel Reese | LSU | F | 6-3 | Junior |
| Hailey Van Lith | LSU | G | 5-7 | Grad |
| JuJu Watkins | USC | G | 6-2 | Freshman |
About the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
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 coaches to those 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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