USC's Jazzy Davidson Named Big Ten Women's Basketball Freshman of the Year

USC's Jazzy Davidson Named Big Ten Women's Basketball Freshman of the Year

March 03, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Davidson, Kara Dunn, Kennedy Smith and Brooklyn Shamblin earn Big Ten honors.

ROSEMONT, Ill. –– USC women's basketball was well represented across the board as the Big Ten Conference announced its 2025-26 Postseason Awardsrecipients on Tuesday, March 3.

Freshman Jazzy Davidson headlined the group as Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-Big Ten selection, while also claiming spots on the All-Defensive and All-Freshman Teams. Senior Kara Dunn earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors from the coaches, while Kennedy Smith joined Davidson on the All-Defensive Team. Sophomore Brooklyn Shamblin rounded out the honors as USC's Sportsmanship Award recipient.

Jazzy Davidson Named Big Ten Freshman of the Year:
After a record-setting regular season, USC freshman Jazzy Davidson has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, while also earning First-Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Defensive Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. Davidson was a unanimous First-Team selection for both the All-Big Ten and All-Freshman Team, and was the lone freshman selected to both the All-Big Ten and All-Defensive Team.

Davidson becomes USC's first conference newcomer of the year since Juju Watkins earned the honor during the 2023-24 Pac-12 season and is the seventh Trojan all-time to claim conference freshman/newcomer of the year accolades. She joins Monica Lamb (1987), Lisa Leslie (1991), Tina Thompson (1994), Briana Gilbreath (2009), Alissa Pili (2020) and Watkins (2024) in the USC record book.

From opening night to the regular-season finale, Davidson delivered one of the most complete rookie campaigns in the country. She wrapped the regular season leading USC outright in every major statistical category, including points (17.9), rebounds (5.9), assists (4.3), steals (2.0) and blocks per game (2.1), a feat unmatched by any other Division I player this season.

Nationally, Davidson ranks 20th in blocks per game (2.07) and 18th in total blocks (60), both second in the Big Ten. Offensively, she sits fourth in the conference and 14th nationally in field goal attempts (484) while ranking second among all Division I freshmen in attempts (452), underscoring the offensive load she carried for the Trojans.

Her consistency defined the season, recording 28 double-figure scoring games, including 26 straight since Nov. 18. She tallied 12 performances of 20 or more points and one 30-point outing.

After debuting with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, Davidson quickly proved herself as one of the nation's elite newcomers. Against NC State, she poured in 21 points with five blocks and delivered the game-winning layup with eight seconds remaining. She recorded her first double-double against Tennessee Tech with 20 points and 16 rebounds (the most boards by a USC freshman since 2021) and added four assists and two blocks.

She added another double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds against No. 21 Washington and later posted 14 points and 13 rebounds against Oregon for her third of the year. In a statement win over No. 8 Iowa, Davidson totaled 21 points and eight assists, accounting for 40 points in the victory at the Galen Center. Against Illinois, she scored a then-career-high 27 points with eight rebounds and eight assists, contributing to 47 total Trojan points.

Her signature performance came against No. 10 Ohio State, where Davidson erupted for a career-high 32 points, knocking down six three-pointers. It marked USC's first 30-point game since Kiki Iriafen in March 2025 and made Davidson the first Trojan freshman to score 30+ since Watkins in 2024.

On the national stage, Davidson has been recognized throughout the season. She was ranked No. 1 in ESPN's Freshman Impact Rankings both preseason and on Dec. 18. She has earned four USBWA National Freshman of the Week honors (the most in the country), along with a conference-leading seven Big Ten Freshman of the Week selections. Davidson has also been named to the Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Late-Season Team, the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Late-Season Team and the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List.

Kara Dunn Earns All-Big Ten Second Team Honors:
Senior guard Kara Dunn was named to the 2025-26 All-Big Ten Second Team, recognizing a dominant stretch run and one of the most consistent scoring campaigns in the Big Ten Conference this season.

Dunn elevated her play throughout conference action, averaging 17.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game against Big Ten opponents. She recorded seven consecutive 20-point performances from Jan. 6-29, one of the most prolific scoring stretches in league play this year.

With a 25-point outing against No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball, Dunn surpassed 1,500 career points, adding another milestone to her standout career. She has posted 18 or more points in nine of her last 11 games, highlighted by a season-best 29 points against Purdue.

Throughout the season, Dunn delivered in marquee matchups. She led USC in scoring with 21 points against No. 24 Notre Dame and matched that total against Oregon, adding nine rebounds and four assists while going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.

On the road at Minnesota, Dunn poured in 27 points behind five three-pointers while also contributing six steals and three assists. She followed with 23 points, six rebounds and three steals against No. 13 Michigan State.

Her first double-double of the season came against No. 7 Michigan, where she totaled 26 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in a statement performance.

Dunn's impact earned her Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Feb. 2, 2026, further cementing her role as one of the league's premier performers.

For the regular season, the senior averaged 15.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field.

Kennedy Smith Named to All-Big Ten Defensive Team:
USC sophomore guard Kennedy Smith earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, recognizing her impact on both ends of the floor for the Women of Troy this season.

Smith, who ranks second on the team in steals per game (1.9), has served as one of the Trojans' most versatile and disruptive defenders throughout conference play. In 26 games this season, she is averaging 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 41.0 percent from the field. She has also added 31 blocks on the year, showcasing her ability to protect the rim from the guard position.

Beyond her defensive presence, Smith has consistently elevated her game in high-pressure matchups. She scored in double figures against seven ranked opponents this season, including 13 points against No. 21 Washington, 16 against No. 2 UConn, 17 at No. 20 Nebraska, 15 at No. 13 Michigan State, 12 against No. 8 Iowa, 18 at No. 10 Ohio State and 11 against No. 2 UCLA.

Her performance at Nebraska marked a then-season best 17 points, and she stuffed the stat sheet with nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal. She later recorded the second double-double of her career (first of the season) with 17 points and a season-high 11 rebounds against Northwestern, adding five assists in the win.

Smith delivered one of her most dominant all-around outings against Illinois, scoring a season- and career-high 20 points while tallying a career-best six blocks (a season high for USC), along with seven rebounds. At Ohio State, she was nearly flawless offensively, finishing with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting (2-of-3 from three, 4-of-4 from the line) while adding three rebounds, four assists and a game-high three blocks.

Despite missing three games due to injury (Oregon, Minnesota and No. 12 Maryland), Smith's relentless perimeter pressure and shot-blocking ability has established her as one of the conference's premier two-way guards.

Brooklyn Shamblin Selected as Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Recipient:
Sophomore guard Brooklyn Shamblin has been named USC's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, the conference announced as part of its 2025-26 postseason honors.

A native of Carpinteria, California, Shamblin has appeared in 12 games for the Trojans this season, bringing steady energy and a team-first mindset to every opportunity. While her impact may not always show up in the box score, her presence is consistently felt by teammates and coaches alike.

Also coming in with Big Ten honors for 2025-26, Shamblin represents USC as its official Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree. The Big Ten recognizes one student-athlete from each institution who has distinguished themselves through hard work, sportsmanship and honorable behavior. Honorees must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate good citizenship outside of athletics.

Both on and off the court, Shamblin embodies those qualities. A loyal teammate known for her positivity and daily commitment to the program, she plays an important role in fostering the culture within USC's locker room.
Off the court, Shamblin is majoring in human biology and plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist, continuing her passion for helping others beyond basketball.

USC's complete list of Big Ten Postseason Award recipients can be found below.

Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Jazzy Davidson (Coaches and Media) *

All-Big Ten First Team
Jazzy Davidson (Coaches and Media) *

All-Big Ten Second Team
Kara Dunn (Coaches)

Big Ten All-Defensive Team
Jazzy Davidson
Kennedy Smith

Big Tenn All-Freshman Team
Jazzy Davidson (Coaches and Media)

Sportsmanship Honoree
Brooklyn Shamblin

*Unanimous selection