2024-25 WCBK AP All-American teams: JuJu Watkins, Paige Bueckers lead the way

JuJu Watkins of USC and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame have joined an elite group, making The Associated Press All-American team in their first two seasons playing college basketball.

The duo on Wednesday became only the third and fourth players to earn first-team All-America honors in their freshman and sophomore years, joining Oklahoma's Courtney Paris and UConn's Maya Moore.

Watkins was a unanimous choice from the 31-member national media panel that chooses the AP Top 25 each week. Hidalgo received all but two first place votes.

UConn's Paige Bueckers earned All-American honors for the third time, becoming just the 12th player to do that. UCLA's Lauren Betts and Texas' Madison Booker rounded out the first team. Bueckers and Betts were also unanimous choices.

Watkins led USC to the Big Ten regular-season title, the school's first conference championship since 1994, and its highest ranking in the poll. She averaged 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists to lead the Trojans.

"She set her own bar so high last year and then she managed to surpass it," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "She has the ability to lock in and get to a zone, raise her own level and galvanize those around her. Above all else, she's a winner."

Hidalgo has been dominant on both ends of the floor for the Fighting Irish. She earned both ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. She averaged 24.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 steals. She's fourth in the country in steals a year after leading in that category.

"What a well-deserved honor for Hannah. To be one of just four players to ever make the AP All-America first team in both of their first seasons is a major accomplishment," Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said. "I'm so proud of