Sarah Strong and JuJu Watkins Lead 2026 Preseason AP All-America Women’s Basketball Team
UConn's Sarah Strong and USC's JuJu Watkins headline the 2026 AP preseason All-America women's basketball team. See the full list of top college stars.
POLICY WIRE — New York, USA — The Associated Press unveiled its 2026 preseason All-America women’s college basketball team on Thursday, featuring a star-studded lineup led by previous AP Players of the Year Sarah Strong and JuJu Watkins.
Joining the two headliners on the prestigious list are Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes, Texas forward Madison Booker, and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo. The selections were determined by a 31-member national media panel, with Strong securing 30 votes, followed by Hidalgo and Booker with 28, Blakes with 27, and Watkins with 26.
Strong, a sophomore forward for UConn, enters the season following a campaign where she averaged 18.4 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 58.2% from the field. USC’s Watkins returns to the court after missing the previous season due to an ACL tear, while Notre Dame’s Hidalgo looks to build on a standout year where she averaged 25.3 points and 5.6 steals per game.
Texas forward Madison Booker, who helped lead the Longhorns to back-to-back Final Four appearances, averaged 18.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists last season. This marks the third consecutive year that both Booker and Hidalgo have been named to the preseason All-America team.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
