(Correction: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect order on our All-America teams. Paige Bueckers is a member of The Athletic’s All-America first team, and Ta’Niya Latson is a second-team All-America selection.)

With the regular season in the rearview, The Athletic’s team of dedicated writers and contributors got together to take stock of everything they’ve witnessed since November and made some tough decisions about the best of the best in an impressive year of hoops. Some of their preseason predictions came true as four preseason All-America members were also on the season-end first-team.

But two big surprises they didn’t see coming? Two freshmen who have been steadying forces on their respective teams and played their way onto the second team in a very deep year in women’s college hoops.

The committee — Chantel Jennings, Sabreena Merchant, Ben Pickman, Zena Keita and Mark Schindler — each ranked their top 10 players, and totals were tallied to determine this season’s year-end accolades.

(Stats as of March 2)

First team

JuJu Watkins, USC

Sophomore wing

Stats: 24.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.1 spg, 2.0 bpg

The fact that the race for national player of the year was undecided until the penultimate day of the season, and that finally — on the last day — the choice became unanimously Watkins, says a lot about the sophomore’s ability to rise to the biggest moments of the year. Her 30 points, five assists, two steals and three blocks in the Big Ten regular season championship game against UCLA ultimately gave her the final edge over Lauren Betts.

Watkins showed what we’ve seen from her all season. A scorer’s mentality. A defensive playmaker. An acute awareness of how much her team needs her on the floor (after picking up her third foul in the early parts of the second quarter, she didn’t foul again through the rest of the game). Last season, as a freshman, Watkins proved herself as the best first-year player in America. This season, you can remove any qualifier. She was the best player. Full stop.

Cheryl Miller 🤝 JuJu Watkins

Miller HYPED with JuJu’s big night 🙌

(via @CBBonFOX)
pic.twitter.com/RzyT8XKIeM

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— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 2, 2025

Lauren Betts, UCLA

Junior center

Stats: 19.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.8 bpg

Only four power conference players in the past decade have averaged 19-plus points, nine-plus rebounds and 2.5-plus assists through a full season: Napheesa Collier, Aerial Powers, Nia Coffey … and now Betts. It’s not bad company to keep. In her second year with UCLA, Betts was the main reason the Bruins maintained the No. 1 ranking the majority of the season, and her dominance in the paint is also the Bruins’ best shot at a national title. An elite rim protector, defensive magnet who creates greater space and freedom for her teammates and one of the nation’s top offensive rebounders — Betts proved her value daily for UCLA.

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

Sophomore guard

Stats: 24.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 spg

Few players, if any, can stat-stuff like Hidalgo. She’s an improved 3-point shooter and for the second consecutive year, she lights up opponents on offense and disrupts them on defense. She is first nationally in defensive win shares and leads the ACC in win shares for the second time in two seasons. Her production is integral to everything the Irish achieve, and a big reason Notre Dame will certainly be a top-two seed for the second consecutive year. Hidalgo may have another All-American playing alongside her in Olivia Miles as well as another likely 2025 first-round WNBA draft pick (Sonia Citron), but Hidalgo is also a force unto herself. She is smart enough to bring out the best in her teammates, yet skilled enough to take over games when the situation warrants.

Paige Bueckers, UConn

Fifth-year senior guard

Stats: 18.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2 spg

After her (in all likelihood) final regular-season game in Gampel Pavilion, Bueckers was inducted into the Huskies’ Ring of Honor and added to UConn’s impressive list of national players of the year (honoring her freshman season), marking the near end of a remarkable college career. She adds yet another All-America honor to her resume. Bueckers’ hallmark — her clutch scoring gene — was on display this season as she ranked among the top 20 players nationally in points per play (1.17), but she was also the only player in the country in major hoops to average better than a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

Madison Booker, Texas

Sophomore wing

Stats: 16.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.6 spg

One of the best freshman classes in recent memory has only gotten better as sophomores, with Watkins and Hidalgo reprising their 2024 All-America campaigns and Booker joining them on this year’s first team. Now in her natural position on the wing with the return of point guard Rori Harmon, Booker has been a more efficient scorer and impactful defender in her second season. She is the No. 1 option for the SEC champs, on track to capture her second conference player of the year award. Booker has also been emboldened to attack the offensive glass without as many playmaking responsibilities, and it follows that the Longhorns are second in the country in second-chance points.

Second team

Aneesah Morrow, LSU

Senior forward

Stats: 17.8 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 2.6 spg

The double-double queen has had at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in 26 of her 30 games this season and is leading the country in offensive rebounds and total boards. Despite being undersized as a power forward, Morrow has held up as a four in the SEC and even played a significant amount of center for the Tigers thanks to her motor and quickness. She is 19th nationally in total steals, fueling a top-10 LSU defense and jump-starting the Tigers in transition.

Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State

Junior guard

Stats: 26.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.6 rpg

Latson is one of the nation’s most prolific offensive players. She led the NCAA in scoring, becoming one of just two players to have multiple performances against opponents of at least 20 points and seven assists. Despite being 5-foot-8, Latson is fearless in attacking the basket. She draws 6.4 fouls per game, which leads the nation. Latson is the engine in Florida State’s high-scoring attack, and her greatness has been on display throughout the season. Just last week against Notre Dame, Latson played the best of any All-American in the game, finishing with 23 points, nine assists and five rebounds in the Seminoles’ upset road win. Her game winner against North Carolina in late January is one of the highlights of the season.

Olivia Miles, Notre Dame

Senior guard

Stats: 16.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 6.0 apg, 41.3 3-pt FG%

Miles was arguably the country’s best passer before tearing her ACL, capable of manipulating the defense in the half court and in transition with brute force and flair. She added an elite jump shot to her offensive arsenal this season, hitting 41.3 percent of her 3s while still connecting on 70 percent of her attempts in the restricted area. She might be the most complete offensive guard in Division I with her combo of passing and scoring, and she helms one of the most devastating offenses heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Sarah Strong, UConn

Freshman forward

Stats: 16.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.5 bpg

Since 2009, the only player to ever have a 15-point, eight-rebound, three-assist season as a freshman is Strong. She was one of two players to start every game for the Huskies this season, and her ability to impact every facet of the game made her a critical part of UConn’s success this year. The 6-2 forward was remarkably poised in big moments, and proved versatile as a consistent scorer, averaging 9.4 points a game in the paint while shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.

Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Freshman guard

Stats: 23.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 45.7 FG%

It didn’t even take a full season for Blakes to arrive in Nashville and change the Commodores’ trajectory. From her first game in college, she proved to be a difference-maker by scoring 23 points in only 25 minutes. From there, Blakes routinely has proven to be one of the nation’s most dynamic players. The high point of Blakes’ season (so far) was a 55-point outing against Auburn in which she set the NCAA all-time freshman single-game scoring record. The performance was also her second 50-piece of the season, as she had scored 53 against Florida on Jan. 30. Blakes became the first NCAA freshman and the fourth NCAA Division I player since 1999-2000 to record multiple 50-point games in the same season. She led the SEC in offensive win shares, an especially impressive feat considering the conference’s depth.

(Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Photos of Hannah Hidalgo, JuJu Watkins, Lauren Betts: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images, Ryan Hunt / Getty Images, Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)