ATLANTA (Nov. 4, 2026) — 2026 winner Sarah Strong of Connecticut headlines the 2026-27 watch list for the 50th Wade Trophy, the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
Strong is joined on the 15-player “Wade Watch” list by fellow 2026 WBCA Coaches’ All-Americans Mikayla Blakes of Vanderbilt, Madison Booker of Texas, Jaloni Cambridge of Ohio State, Joyce Edwards of South Carolina, and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame. Blakes and Booker also were finalists for the Wade Trophy last season.
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 Player of the Year since 2001. The Wade Trophy 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.
“We proudly announce the 2026-27 Wade Trophy watch list, recognizing exceptional players whose talent and leadership represent the best of women’s basketball,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “As we celebrate the 50th presentation of our game’s most prestigious award, these athletes are building on a legacy established by generations of legends. Through our ‘Made for Wade’ campaign, we look forward to sharing their stories and celebrating the head coaches shaping their growth as players, people, and leaders, connecting the award’s proud past with its promising future.”
Here is the complete 2026-27 Wade Watch list:
| Name | Institution | Position | Height | Current Year |
| Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt | Guard | 5-8 | Junior |
| Madison Booker | Texas | Forward | 6-1 | Senior |
| Jaloni Cambridge | Ohio State | Guard | 5-7 | Junior |
| Aaliyah Chavez | Oklahoma | Guard | 5-10 | Sophomore |
| Audi Crooks | Oklahoma State | Center | 6-3 | Senior |
| Joyce Edwards | South Carolina | Forward | 6-3 | Junior |
| Toby Fournier | Duke | Forward | 6-2 | Junior |
| Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame | Guard | 5-7 | Senior |
| Kymora Johnson | Virginia | Guard | 5-7 | Senior |
| Liv McGill | Oklahoma State | Guard | 5-9 | Junior |
| Olivia Olson | Michigan | Guard | 6-1 | Junior |
| Clara Strack | Kentucky | Center | 6-5 | Senior |
| Sarah Strong | Connecticut | Forward | 6-2 | Junior |
| JuJu Watkins | USC | Guard | 6-2 | Senior |
| Mikaylah Williams | LSU | Guard | 6-0 | Senior |
The Wade Watch list of candidates for the Wade Trophy is composed of players selected by the WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee. The committee will review the list midseason to determine if additional players will be added based on their play during the first half of the 2026-27 season. The winner of the award will be announced in April during the 2027 WBCA
Convention in Columbus, Ohio — site of the 2027 NCAA Women’s Final Four.
Email your questions about the Wade Trophy and the Wade Watch list to wadetrophy@wbca.org.
Contact: Jack Watford, WBCA Director of Communications, 770-279-8027 ext. 112
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. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.
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