Experienced stars are expected to shine in women’s college basketball with UCLA center Lauren Betts and Connecticut forward Sarah Strong leading the USA TODAY Sports preseason All-America team.
The two frontcourt stars were unanimous selections on teams that feature several players that played in the 2025 Final Four and are on teams expected to reach Arizona in 2026 for the chance to win a title. Betts was a dominant force in leading the Bruins to its first Final Four appearance in NCAA history, and Strong was excellent in her freshman season as the Huskies won the national championship.
Strong is one of two players from Connecticut – this year’s preseason No. 1 – to make the first or second team, with South Carolina the only other program to have multiple selections. All established players headline the team with no freshman named.
All-America first team
G Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
A certified bucket-getter, Hidalgo is coming off a campaign where she averaged 23.8 points per game, fifth-most in the NCAA and a Notre Dame single-season record. While her offense is what makes headlines, her defense is just as good. She had 119 steals in the 2024-25 season, fifth-most in the country, which helped her earn ACC defensive player of the year honors. Hidalgo will be the focal point of the Fighting Irish’s success.
G Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina
Dawn Staley got a gem in the transfer portal with the addition of Latson from Florida State. She was the nation’s leading scorer with 25.2 points per game, leading to Seminoles as they lead the country at 86.9 points a game. Latson had more games scoring at least 30 points (eight) than less than 10 points (two). She was a major reason why Florida State won its first tournament game since 2019, and becomes the top scoring option for South Carolina.
F Sarah Strong, Connecticut
Strong is indeed the best way to describe the forward, smashing the freshman program record for rebounds in a season (356) and joining Maya Moore as the only Huskies to score at least 600 points in their first season. The WBCA freshman of the year started all 40 games and stepped up her play in the tournament, averaging 19 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in the big dance. She becomes the leader for Geno Auriemma’s team aiming for back-to-back titles.
F Madison Booker, Texas
Booker is one of the most versatile threats in the country, able to have an impact anywhere on the court. The reigning SEC player of the year had no problem playing in a new conference, leading Texas with 16.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. She was great behind the arc, as her 40.3% mark would be among the best forwards in the country if she qualified. She has proven to be the best small forward in the sport by winning back-to-back Cheryl Miller Awards.
C Lauren Betts, UCLA
Standing at 6-foot-7-inches, Betts commands the interior for UCLA and is nearly unstoppable. The WBCA defensive player of the year was just as good on offense, leading the Bruins with 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Her 100 blocks were also fifth-most in the country. She added a jump shot heading into her final season, making her an even more dangerous threat for a Bruins team that is expected to return to the Final Four. Betts is the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.
All-America second team
G Azzi Fudd, Connecticut
Fudd bounced back from her ACL injury, averaging 13.6 points per game in her junior season and getting better as the year went along. She is one of the best shooters in the country, making 3-point attempts at a 43.6% clip. Fudd, however, really solidified herself as an all-around star for the Huskies in the Final Four, when she put up a magical performance in the title game that earned her Final Four Most Outstanding Player. She’ll now command the back court for Connecticut with a fully healthy offseason.
G Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Despite the SEC getting tougher with expansion, Vanderbilt held its own thanks to the play of Blakes. She was great at the start of the season, but turned it up in conference play, which included a 53-point game against Florida and a 55-point showing at Auburn. Her 23.3 points per game were the most for a freshman last year. Now Blakes tries to build upon that stellar start and lead the Commodores back to the tournament.
F Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
The South Carolina-native made an immediate impact in her freshman season with the Gamecocks, leading the team with 12.7 points per game. What was really encouraging was she improved as the season went on, as her 57.2% field goal percentage was second-best in the SEC. It only carried into the tournament as she was stuffing the stat sheet in the postseason. She will be heavily relied on to command the interior for Dawn Staley’s club.
F Toby Fournier, Duke
The Canada-native took Duke to new heights in her first college season. Not only did she lead the Blue Devils in almost every statistical category, including scoring (13.4) and field goal percentage (52.6%), but she did it all while coming off the bench. She earned ACC rookie of the year and led Duke to its first ACC tournament title and Elite Eight appearance since 2013. Fournier can now have more expanded role on a Duke team picked to win the conference again.
C Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
There was no letdown from Oregon State transfer in her first season with the Sooners. Beers averaged 17.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while leading the SEC in player efficiency rating (35.9). Beers was the model of consistency, finding any way to affect the game. She propelled Oklahoma to its first Sweet 16 since 2013 and has generated more hype in her final college season with the Sooners starting 2025-26 in the top 10 of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
