Brief

UConn’s Sarah Strong and USC’s JuJu Watkins lead preseason AP All‑America women’s basketball team

Strong and Watkins anchor the 2026‑27 preseason AP All‑America squad, with five other top players named.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:25 GMT

UConn forward Sarah Strong and USC guard JuJu Watkins were named the marquee selections on the Associated Press preseason All‑America women’s college basketball team released Thursday, according to the Independent.

What happened

The AP panel of 31 national media members voted Strong onto the team with 30 votes, the highest total. Watkins received 26 votes. Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes earned 27 votes, Texas forward Madison Booker 28 and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo also 28. The list marks the third straight year that both Hidalgo and Booker appear as preseason picks.

What the reports add

Strong, the reigning AP Player of the Year, posted 18.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and a 58.2% field‑goal rate as a sophomore, helping UConn reach the Final Four a year after winning its 12th national title. Watkins returns after missing the 2025 tournament with a right‑knee ACL tear; she was the AP Player of the Year in 2025. Hidalgo averaged 25.3 points and 5.6 steals last season, while Blakes led the nation with 27 points per game, rising to 30.5 in SEC play. Booker contributed 18.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists to Texas’s second straight Final Four appearance.

What was said

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said, “She was national player of the year, you know, and it’s pretty hard to get that much better… we’ll see a much more aggressive Sarah.” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb added, “We are obviously excited for JuJu to be back on the court… the joy and talent she brings to college basketball is a great thing not only for our team, but for anyone who is a fan of the game.” Hidalgo remarked, “I don’t focus on the numbers ever… the numbers just come with how I play.” Blakes explained, “My role is going to change… I feel like doing whatever the team needs me to do.” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said, “In my mind, Madison Booker is the best player in the country.”

How it came about

The AP has released a preseason All‑America team each year since the 1994‑95 season. Strong, Blakes and Booker were first‑team All‑Americans last spring, while Hidalgo made the second team. The selections follow strong individual seasons and the return of Watkins after her ACL recovery, a storyline previously covered by Felo News in a October 1 article on Watkins’s preseason player‑of‑the‑year honor.

Key facts

Sarah Strong received 30 of 31 possible votes for the preseason AP All‑America team (independent.co.uk)
JuJu Watkins returned from an ACL tear and earned 26 votes (independent.co.uk)
Mikayla Blakes led the nation in scoring with 27 points per game (independent.co.uk)
Madison Booker averaged 18.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season (independent.co.uk)
Hannah Hidalgo averaged 25.3 points and 5.6 steals last season (independent.co.uk)