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/ Women's Basketball
USC’s JuJu Watkins Wins Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award
April 06, 2024 | Women's Basketball
She is the first USC recipient of the award, and stands out as the sixth Trojan ever to be named a First Team All-American.
In her first season as a Trojan, USC's JuJu Watkins has won the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award, announced today (April 6) on ESPN's College GameDay along with the other national positional award winners. The Basketball Hall of Fame is partnered with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association in presenting five annual awards, named after arguably the best women to ever play the game, to the top college women's basketball players in the country each season at the five positions. Watkins is the first USC player to win any of the women's positional awards, which began with the point guard position in 2000 and expanded to five positions in 2018.
Watkins wrapped the Trojan's 2023-24 season as the nation's highest-scoring freshman in history with 920 points scored in her freshman campaign. Her point total also ranks her No. 4 all-time among all Pac-12 players. She already holds another USC record (male or female) with 14 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 27.1 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. And with 241 free throws made this season, Watkins stands tall in setting yet another USC single-season record.
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.
On the season, Watkins averaged a team-high 2.3 steals and 3.3 assists per game and was the team's second leading rebounder with 7.3 per game and second in shot blocks with 1.7 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. She also finished out her first season as a Trojan with nine double-doubles, and was named to the NCAA Portland Region 3 All-Tournament Team.
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 earned the program's first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, and USC made 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 WBCA, USWBA, The Athletic and USA TODAY. Watkins is 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 Tina Thompson (USBWA).
ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE AWARD
Ann Meyers' career escalated women's basketball to a new level. Meyers was the first high school player to make the United States national team and the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship to UCLA. Her high-octane approach translated into wins and awards and she finished her stellar career at UCLA owning 12 of 13 school records. A supremely talented all-around player with natural basketball ability and instincts, Meyers was the first player, male or female, named to the All-America team in four straight seasons. She also played on the first women's Olympic team in 1976. After an All-America career, she became the first woman player drafted into the Women's Basketball League and made history by becoming the first female player to try out with an NBA team, the Indiana Pacers. Meyers pushed the envelope in women's basketball, bringing a feel and sense for the game that few players ever experience.
JUJU WATKINS — 2023-24 HONORS
• Ann Meyers Drsydale Shooting Guard of the Year
• USA TODAY Freshman of the Year
• USA TODAY All-American
• WBCA Freshman of the Year
• WBCA All-American
• Wooden Award Finalist
• Wooden Award All-American
• NCAA Portland Region 3 All-Tournament Team
• Honda Award Finalist
• Wade Trophy Finalist
• Naismith Trophy Finalist
• Associated Press, USBWA, The Athletic & Sporting News All-America First Team
• Tamika Catchings Award — WBCA 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 wrapped the Trojan's 2023-24 season as the nation's highest-scoring freshman in history with 920 points scored in her freshman campaign. Her point total also ranks her No. 4 all-time among all Pac-12 players. She already holds another USC record (male or female) with 14 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 27.1 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. And with 241 free throws made this season, Watkins stands tall in setting yet another USC single-season record.
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.
On the season, Watkins averaged a team-high 2.3 steals and 3.3 assists per game and was the team's second leading rebounder with 7.3 per game and second in shot blocks with 1.7 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. She also finished out her first season as a Trojan with nine double-doubles, and was named to the NCAA Portland Region 3 All-Tournament Team.
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 earned the program's first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, and USC made 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 WBCA, USWBA, The Athletic and USA TODAY. Watkins is 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 Tina Thompson (USBWA).
ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE AWARD
Ann Meyers' career escalated women's basketball to a new level. Meyers was the first high school player to make the United States national team and the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship to UCLA. Her high-octane approach translated into wins and awards and she finished her stellar career at UCLA owning 12 of 13 school records. A supremely talented all-around player with natural basketball ability and instincts, Meyers was the first player, male or female, named to the All-America team in four straight seasons. She also played on the first women's Olympic team in 1976. After an All-America career, she became the first woman player drafted into the Women's Basketball League and made history by becoming the first female player to try out with an NBA team, the Indiana Pacers. Meyers pushed the envelope in women's basketball, bringing a feel and sense for the game that few players ever experience.
JUJU WATKINS — 2023-24 HONORS
• Ann Meyers Drsydale Shooting Guard of the Year
• USA TODAY Freshman of the Year
• USA TODAY All-American
• WBCA Freshman of the Year
• WBCA All-American
• Wooden Award Finalist
• Wooden Award All-American
• NCAA Portland Region 3 All-Tournament Team
• Honda Award Finalist
• Wade Trophy Finalist
• Naismith Trophy Finalist
• Associated Press, USBWA, The Athletic & Sporting News All-America First Team
• Tamika Catchings Award — WBCA 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)
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