USC’s Lindsay Gottlieb and JuJu Watkins Win Big Ten Women’s Basketball Coach, Player of the Year Awards

In its first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference, the USC women's basketball program has made a power move in packing the conference honor roll with Trojans. Leading the roll call for 2025 is Big Ten Player of the Year JuJu Watkins and Big Ten Coach of the Year Lindsay Gottlieb. Watkins and senior Kiki Iriafen both are unanimous selections to the All-Big Ten First Team, while senior Rayah Marshall and freshman Kennedy Smith both have earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention from both Big Ten coaches and the media.

Additionally, Watkins and Marshall are slotted on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, Smith is on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and sophomore Malia Samuels is the Trojans' Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree. The award announcements from the conference come just days after USC captured the Big Ten regular-season title — the first such championship for the program since 1994. At 26-2 overall, USC finished Big Ten play at 17-1, topping the title off with a second win over rival UCLA with an 80-67 victory over the No. 2 Bruins in Westwood. Soon after, USC took over that No. 2 AP national ranking for the first time since 1984 as the Trojans now turn to postseason play.

Sophomore guard JuJu Watkins is USC's first conference player of the year since Cherie Nelson in 1988. Coincidentally, Big Ten Player of the Year Watkins just tied Nelson's career mark of 20 games with 30 or more points scored. Also named The Athletic's National Player of the Year this week, Watkins wrapped the regular season with her seventh Big Ten Player of the Week pick. This season, Watkins led the conference in scoring (24.4 points per game) and free throws made (185) and was top-five in blocks and steals. That defensive savvy secured her spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team along with First Team honors.

In her fourth season at the helm at USC, Big Ten Coach of the Year Lindsay Gottlieb is USC's first conference coach of the year since 1993 when Marianne Stanley was the Pac-10 honoree. In USC's first season in the Big Ten, Gottlieb has guided her Trojans to a 9-1 record against ranked opponents, including a 4-1 mark against AP top-10 foes. Three of those wins came on the road — the most such since 1982-83. Gottlieb's Trojans lead the nation in blocks (7.1 per game) and are top-10 in field goal percentage defense, free throws made per game and scoring offense.

A unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team, senior forward Kiki Iriafen has shined brightly as a Trojan. She has notched nine double-doubles this season and has shot a steamy 49.4 percent from the floor during Big Ten games. Twice selected to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll, Iriafen produced team-high scoring in USC wins over ranked Maryland, Ohio State and Illinois teams during conference play. Overall, she's averaging 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Trojans, while standing ranked nationally at No. 16 with her 4.1 offensive rebounds per game and top-50 in field goals and free throws made.

Hauling in All-Big Ten Honorable Mention as well as slotted on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, senior center Rayah Marshall averages a team-high 8.6 rebounds and 2.07 blocks per game with four double-doubles added to her career count this season. Ranked No. 7 all-time at USC in career double-doubles, Marshall is now one of only eight Trojans to have recorded 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She also has upped her distribution this season, serving up 2.4 assists per game to help keep the powerful USC offensive train going in addition to her defensive duties.

Big Ten All-Freshman Team pick and Big Ten Honorable Mention recipient Kennedy Smith has come up big on both ends of the court in her freshman campaign. Whether she's knocking down clutch 3-pointers, nabbing key steals to turn into points or shutting down opposing top threats, Smith has been an impact player for USC since her first start back in the Trojans' season-opening win over then-No. 20 Ole Miss. She's USC's third leading scorer with 10.0 points per game and is second in steals with 2.1 per game.

Also coming in with Big Ten honors for 2024-25 is sophomore Malia Samuels, who is USC's Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree. A relentless defender and talented ball-handler, Samuels consistently steps up for the Trojans when she hits the court. Off the court, she's a loyal teammate who brings energy and positivity every day. The Big Ten recognizes Sportsmanship Award honorees from each institution who have set themselves apart through hard work, sportsmanship and honorable behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate good citizenship outside of the sports setting.

USC's 2025 All-Big Ten Honorees

Big Ten Player of the Year
JuJu Watkins

Big Ten Coach of the Year
Lindsay Gottlieb

All-Big Ten First Team
JuJu Watkins
Kiki Iriafen

All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
Rayah Marshall
Kennedy Smith

Big Ten All-Defensive Team
JuJu Watkins
Rayah Marshall

Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Kennedy Smith

Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree
Malia Samuels

Players Mentioned

Kiki Iriafen

Rayah Marshall

Malia Samuels

Kennedy Smith

JuJu Watkins