AP All-America team includes milestone for Kentucky's Rhyne Howard

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Rhyne Howard has joined an exclusive group by becoming a three-time Associated Press All-American.

The Kentucky senior became the ninth player in women's basketball history to earn first-team honors three times, getting a spot on the team announced Wednesday.

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"That's huge. Definitely selective company. To be a three-time, and one of nine, now that's something you had to work for," Howard said. "I don't know how to explain it. I was glad I was able to accomplish that."

Howard was joined on the first team by South Carolina's Aliyah Boston, Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Baylor's NaLyssa Smith, Michigan's Naz Hillmon and Stanford's Haley Jones. Hillmon and Jones tied for the fifth spot.

Boston, Clark and Smith were unanimous choices from the 30-member national media panel that votes in the AP Top 25 each week. It was the first time that there has been a tie for the first team since the AP started honoring women's All-Americans in 1995.

The last player to be a three-time All-American was Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu. Boston could join the club next year.

South Carolina's A'ja Wilson, Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Tennessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw, Duke’s Alana Beard, Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris, and UConn’s Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore are the only other players to earn first-team honors at least three times. Paris and Moore did it four times.

Howard helped Kentucky get on a roll at the end of the regular season and win the SEC Tournament. She averaged 20.6 points this season to go with 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals for the Wildcats.

"She is the most versatile player I have ever coached," Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy