University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
USC’s JuJu Watkins Named Finalist For Wade Trophy And Naismith Trophy
March 26, 2024 | Women's Basketball
The freshman is one of four finalists in line for awards going to the top collegiate women’s basketball player in the nation.
USC guard JuJu Watkins is in line for two more prestigious national awards, named a finalist today (March 26) for the Wade Trophy and the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy. One of four finalists for each honor, Watkins has helped the top-seeded Trojans reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 1994. Cheryl Miller is the only Trojan to have won a Wade Trophy (1985). Miller and Lisa Leslie are USC's two past Naismith Trophy winners.
Watkins set USC's single-season scoring record during the Trojans' NCAA First-Round victory, and she now holds 861 points in her freshman campaign. She already holds another USC record (male or female) with 13 games with 30 or more points scored — a mark that beats out Iowa's Caitlin Clark previous national record of 12 for the most such games for a freshman over the last 25 seasons. The No. 2 scorer in the nation with her 26.9 points per game, Watkins set yet another USC record with a 51-point outing in a USC road upset of Stanford, and that mark still stands as the most points scored by any player in the nation this season. Additionally, Watkins' 42 points vs. Colorado on Feb. 23 is the most points ever scored by a USC basketball player (male or female) at Galen Center. Watkins currently ranks No. 3 all-time in single-season scoring by a true freshman in the nation, and her 861 points also ranks her No. 5 all-time in Pac-12 history.
But Watkins provides more than just scoring for these No. 3-ranked Trojans. Entering the NCAA Tournament, she stood as the only player in the country averaging multiple steals per game as well as 1.5 blocks per game, and also as the only player in the nation to rank inside the top-75 for both steals and blocks per game.
After USC's NCAA Second Round win on Sunday, Watkins is averaging a team-high 2.4 steals and 3.3 assists per game is the team's second leading rebounder with 7.3 per game and second in shot blocks with 1.6 per game. In fact, she is one of just five Pac-12 players ever to tally at least 750 points, 150 rebounds and 50 steals in a season.
Watkins was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team for her work helping the Trojans win the 2024 Pac-12 Tournament Championship. That run including wins over two more top-10 opponents — No. 7 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford — to give USC its most wins over top-10 opponents since 1985-86. Also this season, the Trojans have captured the most wins (27) in a season since 1985-86, and No. 3 USC has its highest AP national ranking since 1986. The Trojans have earned the program's first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, and USC is making back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time since 2006.
Watkins has also been selected as the National Freshman of the Year by the USWBA and The Athletic, and she is in the running for several more national honors as the postseason progresses. Watkins and the Trojans open the NCAA Tournament this Saturday (March 23) with a first-round meeting against No. 16 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. A win there would put USC up against either No. 8 seed Kansas or No. 9 seed Michigan in the second round on Monday (March 25) — all at USC's Galen Center.
Watkins is now one of just five freshmen ever to earn AP All-America First Team honors. Spanning several national organizations since 1982, Watkins stands as the sixth Trojan all-time to score first-team All-America accolades, joining Cheryl Miller (Kodak, Naismith), Lisa Leslie (USBWA), Pam McGee (Kodak), Paula McGee (WBCA) and Thompson (USBWA).
The 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year will be awarded on Wednesday, April 3, at a press conference at the Key Bank Club in Cleveland Browns Stadium during the Women's Final Four.
Fans will once again be able to support their favorite finalist through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote presented by Jersey Mike's, which runs Tuesday, March 26, through Tuesday, April 2, at naismithfanvote.com. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall final vote. Fans may also vote by visiting @naismithtrophy, @MarchMadness and @MarchMadnessWBB Twitter pages.
The four finalists were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's national voting academy, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners, all of whom base their selections on outstanding coaching performances during the 2023-24 college basketball season. The vote was tabulated and verified by the Atlanta team of J.S. Held, a global consulting firm.
Each winner will be awarded with the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, produced and provided by Herff Jones, leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. A replica trophy will be donated by Herff Jones to the player's university.
For more information, visit naismithtrophy.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men's and women's college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men's and women's college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA's Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women's recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include AXIA Time, Jersey Mike's and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE'S SUBS
Jersey Mike's Subs, with more than 2,500 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike's local communities is reflective in its mission statement "Giving…making a difference in someone's life." For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram.com/jerseymikes), and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes.com).
JUJU WATKINS — 2023-24 HONORS
• Wade Trophy Finalist
• Naismith Trophy Finalist
• Associated Press, USBWA, The Athletic & Sporting News All-America First Team
• Tamika Catchings Award — USBWA Freshman of the Year
• ESPN Player of the Year Runner-Up
• ESPN Freshman of the Year
• ESPN All-America Team
• The Athletic National Freshman of the Year
• The Athletic First Team All-America
• Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Finalist
• Dawn Staley Award Finalist
• Sullivan Award Semifinalist
• Dawn Staley Award Later Season Watch List
• Naismith Midseason Watch List
• Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 10 List
• Wade Watch List
• Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 Watch List
• Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 Watch List
• Wooden Award Preseason Top-50 Watch List
• Jersey Mike's Naismith Award Watch List
• Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
• All-Pac-12 Team
• Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention
• Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
• Pac-12 All-Tournament Team
• Preseason All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
• Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas Player of the Game (11/6)
• Pac-12 Player of the Week (3x)
• Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (14)
• AP National Player of the Week (2)
• USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (2/6)
• USBWA Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Week (3)
Watkins set USC's single-season scoring record during the Trojans' NCAA First-Round victory, and she now holds 861 points in her freshman campaign. She already holds another USC record (male or female) with 13 games with 30 or more points scored — a mark that beats out Iowa's Caitlin Clark previous national record of 12 for the most such games for a freshman over the last 25 seasons. The No. 2 scorer in the nation with her 26.9 points per game, Watkins set yet another USC record with a 51-point outing in a USC road upset of Stanford, and that mark still stands as the most points scored by any player in the nation this season. Additionally, Watkins' 42 points vs. Colorado on Feb. 23 is the most points ever scored by a USC basketball player (male or female) at Galen Center. Watkins currently ranks No. 3 all-time in single-season scoring by a true freshman in the nation, and her 861 points also ranks her No. 5 all-time in Pac-12 history.
But Watkins provides more than just scoring for these No. 3-ranked Trojans. Entering the NCAA Tournament, she stood as the only player in the country averaging multiple steals per game as well as 1.5 blocks per game, and also as the only player in the nation to rank inside the top-75 for both steals and blocks per game.
After USC's NCAA Second Round win on Sunday, Watkins is averaging a team-high 2.4 steals and 3.3 assists per game is the team's second leading rebounder with 7.3 per game and second in shot blocks with 1.6 per game. In fact, she is one of just five Pac-12 players ever to tally at least 750 points, 150 rebounds and 50 steals in a season.
Watkins was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team for her work helping the Trojans win the 2024 Pac-12 Tournament Championship. That run including wins over two more top-10 opponents — No. 7 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford — to give USC its most wins over top-10 opponents since 1985-86. Also this season, the Trojans have captured the most wins (27) in a season since 1985-86, and No. 3 USC has its highest AP national ranking since 1986. The Trojans have earned the program's first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, and USC is making back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time since 2006.
Watkins has also been selected as the National Freshman of the Year by the USWBA and The Athletic, and she is in the running for several more national honors as the postseason progresses. Watkins and the Trojans open the NCAA Tournament this Saturday (March 23) with a first-round meeting against No. 16 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. A win there would put USC up against either No. 8 seed Kansas or No. 9 seed Michigan in the second round on Monday (March 25) — all at USC's Galen Center.
Watkins is now one of just five freshmen ever to earn AP All-America First Team honors. Spanning several national organizations since 1982, Watkins stands as the sixth Trojan all-time to score first-team All-America accolades, joining Cheryl Miller (Kodak, Naismith), Lisa Leslie (USBWA), Pam McGee (Kodak), Paula McGee (WBCA) and Thompson (USBWA).
The 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year will be awarded on Wednesday, April 3, at a press conference at the Key Bank Club in Cleveland Browns Stadium during the Women's Final Four.
Fans will once again be able to support their favorite finalist through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote presented by Jersey Mike's, which runs Tuesday, March 26, through Tuesday, April 2, at naismithfanvote.com. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall final vote. Fans may also vote by visiting @naismithtrophy, @MarchMadness and @MarchMadnessWBB Twitter pages.
The four finalists were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's national voting academy, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners, all of whom base their selections on outstanding coaching performances during the 2023-24 college basketball season. The vote was tabulated and verified by the Atlanta team of J.S. Held, a global consulting firm.
Each winner will be awarded with the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, produced and provided by Herff Jones, leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. A replica trophy will be donated by Herff Jones to the player's university.
For more information, visit naismithtrophy.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men's and women's college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men's and women's college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA's Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women's recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include AXIA Time, Jersey Mike's and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE'S SUBS
Jersey Mike's Subs, with more than 2,500 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike's local communities is reflective in its mission statement "Giving…making a difference in someone's life." For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram.com/jerseymikes), and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes.com).
JUJU WATKINS — 2023-24 HONORS
• Wade Trophy Finalist
• Naismith Trophy Finalist
• Associated Press, USBWA, The Athletic & Sporting News All-America First Team
• Tamika Catchings Award — USBWA Freshman of the Year
• ESPN Player of the Year Runner-Up
• ESPN Freshman of the Year
• ESPN All-America Team
• The Athletic National Freshman of the Year
• The Athletic First Team All-America
• Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Finalist
• Dawn Staley Award Finalist
• Sullivan Award Semifinalist
• Dawn Staley Award Later Season Watch List
• Naismith Midseason Watch List
• Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 10 List
• Wade Watch List
• Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 Watch List
• Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 Watch List
• Wooden Award Preseason Top-50 Watch List
• Jersey Mike's Naismith Award Watch List
• Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
• All-Pac-12 Team
• Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention
• Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
• Pac-12 All-Tournament Team
• Preseason All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
• Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas Player of the Game (11/6)
• Pac-12 Player of the Week (3x)
• Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (14)
• AP National Player of the Week (2)
• USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (2/6)
• USBWA Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Week (3)
USC Women's Basketball vs Portland Post Game Press Conference (11/18/25)
Tuesday, November 18
USC Women’s Basketball vs Portland Highlights | Trojans win 78-51
Tuesday, November 18
USC Women's Basketball vs. University of South Carolina Post Game Press Conference (11/15/25)
Saturday, November 15
USC Women's Basketball vs NC State Post Game Press Conference (11/09/25)
Monday, November 10
