Photo by: Caren Nicdao
Four Bruins Named to Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List
October 30, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Four Bruins have been included in the 50-person 2025-26 Jersey Mikes Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year preseason watch list, the Naismith Awards announced Thursday.
Guards Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice join center Lauren Betts on the preseason list, marking the most student-athletes included from a single institution.
Kneepkens and Leger-Walker will suit up for the Bruins for the first time in 2025-26 after transferring from Utah and Washington State, respectively. During her senior season in 2024-25, Kneepkens averaged 19.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.03 assists and 1.03 steals per game; the shooting guard was ultra-efficient and shot 50.4 percent from the field, 44.8 percent from three and 89.0 percent from the free throw line. Leger-Walker – in Washington State's all-time career record books – finished third in career points (1,743), fourth in points per game (16.6), fifth in made field goals (607), second in made threes (199), fifth in made free throws (330), and fourth in assists (389).
Betts and Rice head into their senior season with the Bruins after a historic 2024-25 campaign; Betts set new program records for single-game blocks (9 vs. Baylor, 1/20/25) and single-season blocks (100 BLK) while shooting a program-best 64.8 percent from the field. Rice tallied a Big Ten-leading 170 assists, making her one of eight Bruins to have three or more seasons with 100+ assists, and shot career-bests from the floor (.485 FG%) and from long range (.365 3FG%). Betts was named UCLA's first Associated Press First Team All-American, and Rice was honorable mention for the AP postseason All-America team.
Kneepkens was named to the 20-person preseason watch list for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, and Rice was tabbed for the 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list; Betts is the defending Lisa Leslie Center of the Year.
2025-26 Jersey Mikes Naismith Trophy Women's College
Nunu Agara – Stanford
Raegan Beers – Oklahoma
Lauren Betts – UCLA
Mikayla Blakes – Vanderbilt
Madison Booker – Texas
Zoe Brooks – NC State
Addy Brown – Iowa State
Jaloni Cambridge – Ohio State
Aaliyah Chavez – Oklahoma
Talaysia Cooper – Tennessee
Audi Crooks – Iowa State
Jazzy Davidson – USC
Maggie Doogan – Richmond
Joyce Edwards – South Carolina
Skylar Forbes – Marquette
Toby Fournier – Duke
Azzi Fudd – UConn
MiLaysia Fulwiley – LSU
Yarden Garzon – Maryland
Delaney Gibb – BYU
Rori Harmon – Texas
Stailee Heard – Oklahoma State
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Ashlon Jackson – Duke
Flau'Jae Johnson – LSU
Raven Johnson – South Carolina
Kymora Johnson – Virginia
Reniya Kelly – North Carolina
Gianna Kneepkens – UCLA
Ta'Niya Latson – South Carolina
Charlisse Leger-Walker – UCLA
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs – Baylor
Cotie McMahon – Ole Miss
Olivia Miles – TCU
S'Mya Nichols – Kansas
Olivia Olson – Michigan
Khamil Pierre – NC State
Kiki Rice – UCLA
Tajianna Roberts – Louisville
Kaylene Smikle – Maryland
Kennedy Smith – USC
Clara Strack – Kentucky
Sarah Strong – UConn
Hannah Stuelke – Iowa
Syla Swords – Michigan
Grace VanSlooten – Michigan State
Payton Verhulst – Oklahoma
Mikaylah Williams – LSU
Serah Williams – UConn
Laura Ziegler – Louisville
Guards Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice join center Lauren Betts on the preseason list, marking the most student-athletes included from a single institution.
Kneepkens and Leger-Walker will suit up for the Bruins for the first time in 2025-26 after transferring from Utah and Washington State, respectively. During her senior season in 2024-25, Kneepkens averaged 19.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.03 assists and 1.03 steals per game; the shooting guard was ultra-efficient and shot 50.4 percent from the field, 44.8 percent from three and 89.0 percent from the free throw line. Leger-Walker – in Washington State's all-time career record books – finished third in career points (1,743), fourth in points per game (16.6), fifth in made field goals (607), second in made threes (199), fifth in made free throws (330), and fourth in assists (389).
Betts and Rice head into their senior season with the Bruins after a historic 2024-25 campaign; Betts set new program records for single-game blocks (9 vs. Baylor, 1/20/25) and single-season blocks (100 BLK) while shooting a program-best 64.8 percent from the field. Rice tallied a Big Ten-leading 170 assists, making her one of eight Bruins to have three or more seasons with 100+ assists, and shot career-bests from the floor (.485 FG%) and from long range (.365 3FG%). Betts was named UCLA's first Associated Press First Team All-American, and Rice was honorable mention for the AP postseason All-America team.
Kneepkens was named to the 20-person preseason watch list for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, and Rice was tabbed for the 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list; Betts is the defending Lisa Leslie Center of the Year.
2025-26 Jersey Mikes Naismith Trophy Women's College
Nunu Agara – Stanford
Raegan Beers – Oklahoma
Lauren Betts – UCLA
Mikayla Blakes – Vanderbilt
Madison Booker – Texas
Zoe Brooks – NC State
Addy Brown – Iowa State
Jaloni Cambridge – Ohio State
Aaliyah Chavez – Oklahoma
Talaysia Cooper – Tennessee
Audi Crooks – Iowa State
Jazzy Davidson – USC
Maggie Doogan – Richmond
Joyce Edwards – South Carolina
Skylar Forbes – Marquette
Toby Fournier – Duke
Azzi Fudd – UConn
MiLaysia Fulwiley – LSU
Yarden Garzon – Maryland
Delaney Gibb – BYU
Rori Harmon – Texas
Stailee Heard – Oklahoma State
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Ashlon Jackson – Duke
Flau'Jae Johnson – LSU
Raven Johnson – South Carolina
Kymora Johnson – Virginia
Reniya Kelly – North Carolina
Gianna Kneepkens – UCLA
Ta'Niya Latson – South Carolina
Charlisse Leger-Walker – UCLA
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs – Baylor
Cotie McMahon – Ole Miss
Olivia Miles – TCU
S'Mya Nichols – Kansas
Olivia Olson – Michigan
Khamil Pierre – NC State
Kiki Rice – UCLA
Tajianna Roberts – Louisville
Kaylene Smikle – Maryland
Kennedy Smith – USC
Clara Strack – Kentucky
Sarah Strong – UConn
Hannah Stuelke – Iowa
Syla Swords – Michigan
Grace VanSlooten – Michigan State
Payton Verhulst – Oklahoma
Mikaylah Williams – LSU
Serah Williams – UConn
Laura Ziegler – Louisville
Players Mentioned
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