LOS ANGELES – Junior Lauren Betts of UCLA Women's Basketball has been named to the John R. Wooden Award®, presented by Principal, 2024-25 Women's Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Tuesday.
The Bruin center is averaging a team-leading 19.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game on the No. 1-ranked UCLA squad. Betts is shooting 63.1 percent from the field, which ranks third in the Big Ten Conference and ninth nationally. She's set single-game career highs in points (33 at No. 8 Maryland), assists (11 vs. Minnesota) and blocks (nine vs. No. 25 Baylor) during her junior campaign. Her nine blocks against the Bears set a new single-game program record for rejections; the 11 assists also mark the most helpers by a student-athlete 6-foot-7 or taller since women's college basketball game logs began in 2002-03 (previous high: 9 – Brittney Griner vs. Kansas State – March 9, 2013).
The winners and the All Americans of the 2025 John R. Wooden Award®, presented by Principal, will be honored at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Women's Late Midseason Top 20 (Alphabetical)
Georgia Amoore | Kentucky
Lauren Betts | UCLA
Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt
Madison Booker | Texas
Paige Bueckers | UConn
Talaysia Cooper | Tennessee
Audi Crooks | Iowa State
Yvonne Ejim | Gonzaga
Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame
Aziaha James | NC State
Flau'jae Johnson | LSU
Ta'Niya Latson | Florida State
Cotie McMahon | Ohio State
Olivia Miles | Notre Dame
Aneesah Morrow | LSU
Te-Hina Paopao | South Carolina
Sedona Prince | TCU
Sarah Strong | UConn
Hailey Van Lith | TCU
JuJu Watkins | USC
About the John R. Wooden Award®
Created in 1976, the Los Angeles Athletic Club John R. Wooden Award Program™ represents the pinnacle of honors in college basketball. It recognizes the Wooden Award® Most Outstanding Player for both men and women, the Wooden Award All-America™ Teams for both men and women, and annually selects the Wooden Award® Legend of Coaching recipient.
Wooden Award® All-Americans have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the standards of the John R. Wooden Award®, as set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award® Steering Committee. These qualifications include progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Previous recipients include legends such as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07, '08), Maya Moore ('09, '11), Breanna Stewart ('15, '16), and the most recent winners, Caitlin Clark of Iowa ('23, '24) and Zach Edey of Purdue ('23, '24).
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award® has contributed nearly one million dollars in charitable gifts in the names of its All-American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps. Wooden Award All-Americans are invited to celebrate their personal charitable efforts, for which the John R. Wooden Award Foundation will make charitable gifts in support of the character of the student. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award® partners annually with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) to host the Wooden Award® Special Olympics Basketball Day. This event unites Special Olympics athletes with Wooden Award® All-Americans and coaches during Wooden Award® Weekend at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The 2025 Wooden Award® Legends of Coaching honoree is Mark Few of Gonzaga, who will receive his award alongside the 2025 Wooden Award® Men's and Women's Players of the Year on April 11, 2025.
For the latest updates, visit www.WoodenAward.com and follow the Wooden Award® on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward, and on Twitter and Instagram at @WoodenAward.
For more information about Principal Financial Group and its sponsorship activities, visit their Sports Partnerships and Sponsorships page. To learn more about the Los Angeles Athletic Club, visit www.LAAC.com.
The Bruin center is averaging a team-leading 19.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game on the No. 1-ranked UCLA squad. Betts is shooting 63.1 percent from the field, which ranks third in the Big Ten Conference and ninth nationally. She's set single-game career highs in points (33 at No. 8 Maryland), assists (11 vs. Minnesota) and blocks (nine vs. No. 25 Baylor) during her junior campaign. Her nine blocks against the Bears set a new single-game program record for rejections; the 11 assists also mark the most helpers by a student-athlete 6-foot-7 or taller since women's college basketball game logs began in 2002-03 (previous high: 9 – Brittney Griner vs. Kansas State – March 9, 2013).
The winners and the All Americans of the 2025 John R. Wooden Award®, presented by Principal, will be honored at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Women's Late Midseason Top 20 (Alphabetical)
Georgia Amoore | Kentucky
Lauren Betts | UCLA
Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt
Madison Booker | Texas
Paige Bueckers | UConn
Talaysia Cooper | Tennessee
Audi Crooks | Iowa State
Yvonne Ejim | Gonzaga
Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame
Aziaha James | NC State
Flau'jae Johnson | LSU
Ta'Niya Latson | Florida State
Cotie McMahon | Ohio State
Olivia Miles | Notre Dame
Aneesah Morrow | LSU
Te-Hina Paopao | South Carolina
Sedona Prince | TCU
Sarah Strong | UConn
Hailey Van Lith | TCU
JuJu Watkins | USC
About the John R. Wooden Award®
Created in 1976, the Los Angeles Athletic Club John R. Wooden Award Program™ represents the pinnacle of honors in college basketball. It recognizes the Wooden Award® Most Outstanding Player for both men and women, the Wooden Award All-America™ Teams for both men and women, and annually selects the Wooden Award® Legend of Coaching recipient.
Wooden Award® All-Americans have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the standards of the John R. Wooden Award®, as set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award® Steering Committee. These qualifications include progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Previous recipients include legends such as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07, '08), Maya Moore ('09, '11), Breanna Stewart ('15, '16), and the most recent winners, Caitlin Clark of Iowa ('23, '24) and Zach Edey of Purdue ('23, '24).
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award® has contributed nearly one million dollars in charitable gifts in the names of its All-American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps. Wooden Award All-Americans are invited to celebrate their personal charitable efforts, for which the John R. Wooden Award Foundation will make charitable gifts in support of the character of the student. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award® partners annually with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) to host the Wooden Award® Special Olympics Basketball Day. This event unites Special Olympics athletes with Wooden Award® All-Americans and coaches during Wooden Award® Weekend at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The 2025 Wooden Award® Legends of Coaching honoree is Mark Few of Gonzaga, who will receive his award alongside the 2025 Wooden Award® Men's and Women's Players of the Year on April 11, 2025.
For the latest updates, visit www.WoodenAward.com and follow the Wooden Award® on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward, and on Twitter and Instagram at @WoodenAward.
For more information about Principal Financial Group and its sponsorship activities, visit their Sports Partnerships and Sponsorships page. To learn more about the Los Angeles Athletic Club, visit www.LAAC.com.