USC’s Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins Selected To WBCA Coaches’ All-America Team
April 03, 2025 | Women's Basketball
It’s Iriafen’s first pick to the team and Watkins’ second.
After USC's second straight NCAA Elite Eight run, USC post-guard tandem of senior Kiki Iriafen and sophomore JuJu Watkins have secured spots on the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team together, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today (April 3). Iriafen becomes the fifth Trojan to earn the award, while Watkins was USC's fourth WBCA All-American with her selection last year as a freshman. In all, USC has now claimed 10 total WBCA All-America awards from Paula McGee (1983), Pam McGee (1984), Cheryl Miller (1983-86), Lisa Leslie (1994), Iriafen and Watkins.
A unanimous selection to the 2025 All-Big Ten First Team and having earned spots on the AP and USBWA All-America Third Teams, Iriafen shined brightly in her first season as a Trojan. She notched 12 double-doubles in her senior season at USC and averaged 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Also effective from the stripe, Iriafen ranks No. 37 in the nation with 142 free throws made. She also ranks nationally at No. 15 with her 4.1 offensive rebounds per game and top-40 in points and field goals made.
In helping USC to its highest AP ranking since 1984 at No. 2 in the nation and on to the program's first regular-season conference title since 1994 in claiming the Big Ten title, Iriafen produced team-high scoring in USC wins over ranked Maryland, Ohio State and Illinois teams during conference play. Against top-10 opponents this season, Iriafen shot a hot 91.4 percent from the free-throw line and upped her rebounding and assists efforts, averaging 8.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in helping her Trojans post a 5-3 record against top-10 teams.
In addition to her All-Big Ten First Team honors, Iriafen's 2024-25 awards list also includes AP Preseason All-America status along with spots on the Wade Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List and Wooden Award Watch List as well as two selections to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll and a selection as a USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Week. She also is a repeat finalist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year award, looking to become a back-to-back winner of that prestigious honor. Iriafen earned AP All-America Honorable Mention last season while at Stanford.
Watkins, who sustained a season-ending injury on March 24 in the NCAA Second Round, won the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy and was named the Associated Press Player of the Year this week. She has also been named the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year by the USBWA and is one of four finalists for the Wade Trophy, which Miller won in 1985. A finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Watkins has a place on the John R. Wooden Award All-America Team and is also one of five players in the running for the Wooden Award.
Already named the National Player of the Year by The Athletic and Sporting News as well as an All-America First Team pick by the AP, USBWA and Sporting News, Watkins went big in the seven games she played against AP top-10 opponents this season in particular. Watkins posted her 20th career 30-point game to help propel her Trojans to an 80-67 win over rival No. 2 UCLA to claim the Big Ten regular-season championship. The Big Ten Player of the Year, Watkins is averaging 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 35.4 percent from 3-point range against top-10 opponents. That's better than her overall and also-impressive averages of 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in her sophomore season.
Also this year, Watkins became the first basketball player at the Division I collegiate, WNBA and NBA levels since 2000 to score 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks and five assists in a single game with her work for the Women of Troy their win over then-No. 1 UCLA at Galen Center.
In the USC record books, Watkins ranks No. 9 all-time in career scoring with 1,709 points — having become the fastest Trojan to score 1,000 career points in program history earlier this season — and with the second-most 30-point games by a Trojan. With 38 points and 30 points vs. USC rival UCLA this season, Watkins now has 21 career 30-point games — four shy of Cheryl Miller's career record of 25.
This is Watkins' second season on the AP, Sporting News and USBWA All-America First Teams as well as the Wooden All-America Team. A Sullivan Award semifinalist, Watkins also is a finalist for the Dawn Staley Award, which is given annually to a player who exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed throughout her career, ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win.
Earlier this season, Watkins collected AP Preseason All-America status as well as numerous USBWA Drysdale Player of the Week, AP National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week selections.
The WBCA Coaches' All-America Team is composed of the 10 best players in NCAA Division I regardless of position as chosen by the division's head coaches.
About the WBCA
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
A unanimous selection to the 2025 All-Big Ten First Team and having earned spots on the AP and USBWA All-America Third Teams, Iriafen shined brightly in her first season as a Trojan. She notched 12 double-doubles in her senior season at USC and averaged 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Also effective from the stripe, Iriafen ranks No. 37 in the nation with 142 free throws made. She also ranks nationally at No. 15 with her 4.1 offensive rebounds per game and top-40 in points and field goals made.
In helping USC to its highest AP ranking since 1984 at No. 2 in the nation and on to the program's first regular-season conference title since 1994 in claiming the Big Ten title, Iriafen produced team-high scoring in USC wins over ranked Maryland, Ohio State and Illinois teams during conference play. Against top-10 opponents this season, Iriafen shot a hot 91.4 percent from the free-throw line and upped her rebounding and assists efforts, averaging 8.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in helping her Trojans post a 5-3 record against top-10 teams.
In addition to her All-Big Ten First Team honors, Iriafen's 2024-25 awards list also includes AP Preseason All-America status along with spots on the Wade Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List and Wooden Award Watch List as well as two selections to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll and a selection as a USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Week. She also is a repeat finalist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year award, looking to become a back-to-back winner of that prestigious honor. Iriafen earned AP All-America Honorable Mention last season while at Stanford.
Watkins, who sustained a season-ending injury on March 24 in the NCAA Second Round, won the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy and was named the Associated Press Player of the Year this week. She has also been named the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year by the USBWA and is one of four finalists for the Wade Trophy, which Miller won in 1985. A finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Watkins has a place on the John R. Wooden Award All-America Team and is also one of five players in the running for the Wooden Award.
Already named the National Player of the Year by The Athletic and Sporting News as well as an All-America First Team pick by the AP, USBWA and Sporting News, Watkins went big in the seven games she played against AP top-10 opponents this season in particular. Watkins posted her 20th career 30-point game to help propel her Trojans to an 80-67 win over rival No. 2 UCLA to claim the Big Ten regular-season championship. The Big Ten Player of the Year, Watkins is averaging 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 35.4 percent from 3-point range against top-10 opponents. That's better than her overall and also-impressive averages of 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in her sophomore season.
Also this year, Watkins became the first basketball player at the Division I collegiate, WNBA and NBA levels since 2000 to score 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks and five assists in a single game with her work for the Women of Troy their win over then-No. 1 UCLA at Galen Center.
In the USC record books, Watkins ranks No. 9 all-time in career scoring with 1,709 points — having become the fastest Trojan to score 1,000 career points in program history earlier this season — and with the second-most 30-point games by a Trojan. With 38 points and 30 points vs. USC rival UCLA this season, Watkins now has 21 career 30-point games — four shy of Cheryl Miller's career record of 25.
This is Watkins' second season on the AP, Sporting News and USBWA All-America First Teams as well as the Wooden All-America Team. A Sullivan Award semifinalist, Watkins also is a finalist for the Dawn Staley Award, which is given annually to a player who exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed throughout her career, ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win.
Earlier this season, Watkins collected AP Preseason All-America status as well as numerous USBWA Drysdale Player of the Week, AP National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week selections.
The WBCA Coaches' All-America Team is composed of the 10 best players in NCAA Division I regardless of position as chosen by the division's head coaches.
About the WBCA
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb Media Availability 9/18/25
Thursday, September 18
USC WBB's Lindsay Gottlieb, Rayah Marshall and Talia von Oelhoffen | Trojan Press Conference
Monday, March 31
USC WBB heads to the Elite 8, defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16 | Rapid Reaction
Saturday, March 29
Kennedy Smith on USC WBB heading to the Elite Eight, Trojan freshmen getting the job done
Saturday, March 29
