USBWA 2025-26 Season News

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Nov. 30.

Quamir Ingram of Greensboro College (Greensboro, N.C.) and Caroline Peper of New York University (New York, N.Y.) were named the Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending November 30.

For the period through Sunday, Nov. 30, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes; Iowa State center Audi Crooks; Murray State forward Sharnecce Currie-Jelks; UCLA guard-forward Gabriela Jaquez; and North Carolina guard Indya Nivar. The Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Week is Mississippi State forward Madison Francis, and the National Team of the Week is Texas.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association is proud and excited to unveil a new monthly feature for the 2025-26 season. At the beginning of each month the association will be awarding two Oscar Robertson Player of the Month honors. One will go to a player at a high-major program, the other at a mid-major school. This will continue to spotlight big-time performers and add a little more attention and recognition beyond our five-man Player of the Week spotlights.

For the period through Sunday, Nov. 23, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Richmond forward Maggie Doogan; UConn guard Azzi Fudd; Iowa center Ava Heiden; South Carolina guard Ta’Niya Latson; and Kentucky center Clara Strack. The Tamika Catchings National Freshman Player of the Week is Stanford forward Lara Somfai, and the National Team of the Week is Rhode Island.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Nov. 23.

Reph Stevenson of DePauw University (Greencastle, Ind.) and Elaina Beckett of McDaniel College (Westminster, Md.) were named the Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending November 23.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Nov. 16.

Marcus Montagnino of Endicott College (Beverly, Mass.) and Alexa Charles of Hunter College (New York, N.Y.) were named the Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending November 16.

For the period through Sunday, Nov. 16, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Navy guard Zanai Barnett-Gay, Iowa State center Audi Crooks; Michigan guard Olivia Olson, Washington guard Sayvia Sellers, and West Virginia guard Sydney Shaw. The Tamika Catchings freshman of the week is Maryland guard Addi Mack, and the team of the week is UCLA.

For their performances from the season's opening through Sunday, Nov. 9, the first five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees are Fairfield roadrunner Meghan Andersen; Iowa State center Audi Crooks; Florida guard Liv McGill; Baylor guard Taliah Scott; and Princeton guard Fatima Tall. The first Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Week goes to USC guard Jazzy Davidson, and the Team of the Week is reigning NCAA champion UConn.

Sam Grieger of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (La Crosse, Wisc.) and Mary Schleusner of Washington & Lee University (Lexington, Va.) were named the Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the period ending November 9.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Nov. 9.

Nine All-Americans from last season highlighted by first-teamers Lauren Betts of UCLA and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame are among 50 top players who make up the preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award created by the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. 

Twenty standout first-year players have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Tamika Catchings Award by the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Fifty standout returning players have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Oscar Robertson Trophy by the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Twenty-five standout first-year players have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Wayman Tisdale Award by the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

President's Letter: Are you feeling what I’m feeling? Every October-into-November, that certain sensation of anticipation settles in that I can hardly bear. It’s a tingle of anxiousness and eagerness. It’s been so long since San Antonio. But the season has finally arrived once more, and with it, four of the best words are again our reality: college basketball is back.

The longtime head coach and recipient of the USBWA's Dean Smith Award passed away Tuesday.

After 50 years of chronicling some of the most memorable moments in local and national sports, Rick Bozich will soon step away from full-time journalism.