UCLA center Lauren Betts, Texas forward Madison Booker and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, who were among the five finalists for the Wooden Award last season, are on the 50-player watch list for the 2026 Wooden Award.
Two other members of the 10-player Wooden All-American team from 2025, TCU guard Olivia Miles and South Carolina guard Ta'Niya Latson, are also on the 2026 list, which was released Tuesday.
USC guard JuJu Watkins won the women's Wooden Award last season but suffered a knee injury during the NCAA tournament and is not playing this season.
The players on this list are considered strong candidates for the 2026 honor, but those not selected still remain eligible for inclusion on the midseason and late-season lists, along with the national ballot, which will have 15 players.
Four players from No. 1-ranked UConn are on the list: guards Azzi Fudd and Kayleigh Heckel and forwards Sarah Strong and Serah Williams. No. 2 South Carolina also has four active players on the list: Latson and fellow guards Raven Johnson and Agot Makeer, and forward Joyce Edwards. Forward Chloe Kitts was also on the list for Gamecocks, but it was announced Oct. 13 that she was lost for the season due to a knee injury.
There are four players listed for No. 3 UCLA: Betts, her sister and fellow post player Sienna Betts, and guards Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens.
No. 5 LSU has five players on the list: guards Flau'jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley and forwards Kate Koval and Grace Knox.
Makeer, Knox and Sienna Betts are among six freshmen on the list; the others are Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez, USC guard Jazzy Davidson and Iowa guard Addie Deal.
