2023 USBWA College Basketball Awards

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The Missouri Athletic Club A TRADITION

SINCE 1903

For more than a century, the Missouri Athletic Club has built a tradition of excellence unmatched by any city club in the United States. For the MAC’s prestigious membership, the Club has become a way of life, offering the finest in athletic facilities, plus gourmet dining and elegant guest accommodations.

When the Club first opened in September 1903, just months before the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904, the athletic tradition of the MAC was quickly established. Club members officiated the Olympic games held in conjunction with the World’s Fair, and a full team of athletes representing the MAC also competed. Other events helped shape the early athletic involvement of the MAC, including monthly amateur boxing matches at the Club and the debut of water polo in St. Louis. Club athletes and teams excelled in local and national Amateur Athletic Union competitions.

The MAC’s proud history of celebrating athletic excellence was enhanced in 1970 when MAC member Jack Buck created the Sports Personality of the Year Banquet to honor the top local sports figure. Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Joe Torre, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Brett Hull, Tony LaRussa, Ozzie Smith, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner and Albert Pujols are among the sports legends who have come to the MAC to receive the prestigious award. In 1986, the Club took another major step in enhancing its athletic reputation by creating the MAC Collegiate Soccer Player of the Year Award.

The MAC celebrates a proud past, but always has an eye on the future. In 1995, the MAC purchased the former Town and Country Racquet Club in suburban West St. Louis county, becoming one of the first private clubs in the country to offer its members two locations.

The Missouri Athletic Club is recognized as a Platinum Club of America, a distinction that puts the MAC in the top 5% of private clubs in America. In May of 2007, the MAC was again recognized for its prestige and history when the Downtown Clubhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the MAC remains the premier athletic, social and dining club in St. Louis. The MAC way of life is a proud one. As Club members continue that heritage, they ensure the MAC remains a vital institution well into the future.

1903 MENS WINTER BASKETBALL TEAM

BELOW (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE; 1904 OLYMPICS; BASKETBALL LEAGUES AT THE MAC.

Tom Ackerman

USBWA College Basketball Awards

Master of Ceremonies

Tom Ackerman is Sports Director at KMOX, overseeing a department that serves as the flagship station for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues. He is also the lead sports anchor on KMOX’s “Total Information A.M.” and a host on the Cardinals Radio Network.

In 1997, KMOX Radio hired Ackerman to work as a host, play-by-play announcer, anchor and reporter. He’s interviewed the biggest names in sports, covering Super Bowls, World Series, All-Star Games and Final Fours. He’s traveled throughout the NFL, launching his career in 1999 with his extensive coverage of the Rams’ Super Bowl title.

For the past decade, Ackerman has called college basketball play-by-play for the University of Missouri, the Missouri Valley Conference and various national rivalry games, including Syracuse-Georgetown, Kansas-Kansas State and North Carolina-N.C. State. He’s also handled play-by-play duties for the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In addition to the Jack Buck Awards, Ackerman emcees dozens of area events each year. A member of the “Red Ribbon Panel” that votes on the Cardinals Hall of Fame, Ackerman is also involved in the production of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Dinner, the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame induction and the Musial Awards. Ackerman has performed as a narrator for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and a public address announcer at the Edward Jones Dome.

Active in the community, Ackerman has a passion for helping local charities, volunteering for countless organizations each year. In 2013, Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club honored Ackerman for his role in raising funds to improve sports facilities for children in the inner city.

Ackerman is a past recipient of the Riverfront Times’ “Best Reporter” (Radio/TV) award and has been recognized and featured in the St. Louis Business Journal.

Ackerman began his broadcasting career calling play-by-play for Indiana University basketball, football, and baseball for WIUS-AM in Bloomington (1993-1997). A St. Louis native, Tom is a graduate of Indiana University and St. Louis Country Day School. He and his wife, Angie, live in St. Louis with their daughters, Erika and Audrey.

Michelle Smallmon

Q&A Moderator

Michelle Smallmon is one of the most sought-after radio hosts in sports media. Formerly a sports talk host at 101 ESPN in St. Louis, the Belleville, IL native was the first woman on-air at the radio station and the first to have her name on a show, Karraker & Smallmon. Last year, Smallmon headed to New York to host overnight SportsCenter updates on ESPN Radio.

Smallmon graduated from the University of Illinois with a broadcast journalism degree, beginning her career at KSDK where she was mentored by sportscasters Frank Cusumano and Rene Knott. She then moved on to 101 ESPN for the first time, where she worked as a producer and sportscaster on The Fast Lane. Smallmon briefly worked at ESPN headquarters in Connecticut before returning to St. Louis. In 2020, she began co-hosting Karraker & Smallmon alongside Randy Karraker. Fans of the show praised Smallmon for her work, giving a voice to women in the sports world. While her work in New York will no doubt propel her career even further, Smallmon is proud to call St. Louis her home. With the launch of St. Louis CITY SC, there’s a lot more content for her to cover from the Big Apple. Smallmon recently launched a soccer podcast with Moon Valjean of 105.7 The Point.

“Good Guy” Award Mike BrEy

Mike Brey is the 2023 recipient of the Good Guy Award presented by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) in recognition of his cooperation with members of the media in promoting college basketball. Throughout a distinguished 28-year head coaching career, Brey was among the most respected and well-liked in the coaching business. Even after a loss, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports says Brey is one of the most “professional and easy-tointerview coaches.”

Nicole Auerbach of USA Today said Brey is “particularly great during March because he understands that I am trying to find angles that have not been covered extensively and feels secure in helping the process. He is always up for one-on-one interviews outside of press conference settings and he also treats reporters exactly the same win or lose, which is something I admire.”

Brey is not only known for his media relations skills but he has also been recognized as one of the best coaches in the game. In 2011, the USBWA voted him the winner of the Henry Iba Award as the national coach of the year.

Brey recently concluded a 23-season stint at Notre Dame,

which ended with him as the winningest men’s basketball coach in school history. Over his time with the Irish, the team went 483-280 with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 2015 and 2016.

In his first season as head coach, Brey led the Fighting Irish to the 2001 Big East West Division championship, establishing the program as one of the best in the conference. He steered Notre Dame into the top five of the final Big East conference standings eight times in 13 seasons, advancing to the semifinals six times. Brey is currently tied for fifth on the all-time Big East wins list. In the 2013-14 season, Notre Dame moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference, as the Fighting Irish continued to dominate in the best basketball conference in the nation. In 2015, Notre Dame claimed the 2015 ACC Championship.

Prior to Notre Dame, Brey got his first head coaching job at Delaware in 1995. For five seasons he led the Blue Hens to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and an NIT appearance. He began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski from 1987 through 1995.

CONGRATULATIONS

FROM ALABAMA BASKETBALL

BRANDON MILLER YEAR FRESHMAN of the

About the USBWA

The 2022-23 season is the 67th year for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, founded in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. The primary goal of the USBWA has remained constant since its inception: to serve the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.

The USBWA annually selects a national player, coach and freshman of the year in college basketball and All-America teams for both men and women. The men’s player of the year award is named in honor of former Cincinnati and NBA legend Oscar Robertson, who was the first recipient of the USBWA award in 1959. The women’s award is named for UCLA legend Ann Meyers Drysdale.

The USBWA’s men’s coach of the year award is named for the legendary college and Olympic coaching great Henry Iba while the freshman of the year awards honors the late Oklahoma All-American Wayman Tisdale and Tennessee great Tamika Catchings.

The USBWA awards scholarships to students pursuing careers in sports journalism and to the sons or daughters of current members. Past and present members are also inducted each year into the USBWA Hall of Fame, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the USBWA and to the sports journalism profession. In addition, the USBWA presents Most Courageous Awards in honor of Perry Wallace and Pat Summitt to those in college basketball who demonstrate extraordinary courage. The USBWA also honors individuals in college basketball with the Katha Quinn Award for men and the Mary Jo Haverbeck Award for women for service to the media or for the inspiration they provide to those in the sports journalism profession.

MAC and USBWA Partner to Host College Basketball Awards

In 2018, when the USBWA was searching for a permanent home for the presentation of its college basketball awards, the Missouri Athletic Club was at the top of the list. The MAC previously put on a successful USBWA awards banquet in 2005 when St. Louis hosted the Final Four. The MAC’s tradition of celebrating athletic excellence for more than a century coupled with its history of working with USBWA made the Club a natural fit. Also, St. Louis’ location in the center of the country has made it a convenient gathering spot for the best in college basketball.

In just a few years, coaching greats and future NBA and WNBA players have gathered at the MAC for this celebration of college basketball. Trae Young, Tony Bennett, Jalen Brunson, Rick Barnes, Zion Williamson, Megan Gustafson, Aliyah Boston, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Jabari Smith are just some of the big names to be recognized at the banquet. The USBWA and MAC have quickly established a premier annual showcase event for the best in college basketball that will continue to grow in the future.

U.S. BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Wayman Tisdale AWARD

The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season. In 2017-18, the award was named in Wayman Tisdale’s honor. The late Wayman Tisdale was a threetime USBWA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. Following a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, Tisdale played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997 to focus on a blossoming jazz music career. In March 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer and, following a courageous and difficult battle that included the amputation of his right leg in 2008, Tisdale passed away in May 2009.

PAST wayman tisdale AWARD winners

2022 Jabari Smith, Auburn

2021 Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State

2020 Vernon Carey Jr., Duke

2019 Zion Williamson, Duke

2018 Trae Young, Oklahoma

2017 Lonzo Ball, UCLA

2016 Ben Simmons, LSU

2015 Jahlil Okafor, Duke

2014 Jabari Parker, Duke

2013 Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State

2012 Anthony Davis, Kentucky

2011 Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

2010 John Wall, Kentucky

2009 Tyreke Evans, Memphis

2008 Michael Beasley, Kansas State

2007 Kevin Durant, Texas

2006 Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

2005 Marvin Williams, North Carolina

2004 Luol Deng, Duke

2003 Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse

2002 T.J. Ford, Texas

2001 Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall

2000 Jason Gardner, Arizona

1999 Quentin Richardson, DePaul

1998 Larry Hughes, Saint Louis

1997 None selected

1996 None selected

1995 None selected

1994 Joe Smith, Maryland

1993 Jason Kidd, California

1992 Chris Webber, Michigan

1991 Rodney Rogers, Wake Forest

1990 Kenny Anderson, Georgia Tech

1989 Chris Jackson, LSU

Brandon Miller

Freshman of the Year

The 6-9 Forward becomes the first Alabama player to win Wayman Tisdale Award

Freshman Brandon Miller has become the most prominent rising star among college prospects this season. Leading all SEC players in scoring and fourth in the league in rebounds, he has led the Crimson Tide to its second Sweet 16 appearance in the last three years and ninth in program history. Miller continues to make history by becoming the first Alabama player to win the Wayman Tisdale Award as the National Freshman Player of the Year.

Before this season, the Antioch, Tenn. native was one of the top-rated players to ever sign at Alabama. In 2021 and 2022, Miller was named Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and the No. 1-ranked prospect in the state. In his first collegiate season alone, the spotlight on Miller has only grown along with his accomplishments. He became the first player to sweep the SEC Player of the Year,

Freshman of the Year and Tournament MVP awards in the same season. Miller is also a First Team All-SEC and All-Tournament selection, named a USBWA Second-Team All-America honoree and is the only freshman to make the 15-man roster. He became the fourth player in the last 50 years to lead the SEC in scoring as a freshman (19.6 ppg), joining Tennessee’s Bernard King (1975) and LSU’s Chris Jackson (1989) and Cameron Thomas (2021).

Among his other milestones on the court, Miller is the only player in Division I in the last 30 years to score 685 points, record 290 rebounds and make 105 three-pointers this season. Adding to his achievements, the Alabama forward is now the 2023 Wayman Tisdale Award winner.

WOMEN’S FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Tamika Catchings AWARD

The USBWA has been presenting the women’s freshman of the year since 1998. In 2019, the award was named after Tamika Catchings, the 1998 recipient of the award. During that 1997-98 season, she averaged 18.2 points per game to lead the Tennessee Lady Volunteers to a national championship in a 39-0 season.

During her collegiate career, Catchings set program records for most points with 711, including a 35-point game against DePaul. She went on to become a three-time USBWA All-American and the association’s National Player of the Year in the 1999-2000 season as she finished her career at Tennessee with 2,133 career points and 1,004 career rebounds. In her four seasons playing for the legendary Pat Summitt, the Lady Vols won four SEC titles and compiled a 134-10 record, including a 54-2 mark in conference play. She was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection. Catchings played for the United States on Olympic gold-medal winning teams in 2004, ‘08, ‘12 and ‘16.

PAST TAMIKA CATCHINGS AWARD winners

2022 Aneesah Morrow, DePaul

2021 Paige Bueckers, UConn; Caitlin Clark, Iowa

2020 Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

2019 Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

2018 Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M

2017 Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon

2016 Kristine Anigwe, California

2015 Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State

2014 Diamond DeShields, North Carolina

2013 Jewell Loyd, Notre Dame

2012 Elizabeth Williams, Duke

2011 Odyssey Sims, Baylor

2010 Brittney Griner, Baylor

2009 Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee

2008 Maya Moore, UConn

2007 Tina Charles, UConn

2006 Courtney Paris, Oklahoma

2005 Tasha Humphrey, Georgia; Candice Wiggins, Stanford

2004 Tiffany Jackson, Texas

2003 Seimone Augustus, LSU

2002 Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame

2001 Alana Beard, Duke

2000 LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State

1999 Linda Froehlich, UNLV

1998 Tamika Catchings, Tennessee

1997 Shea Ralph, UConn

1996 Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee

1995 Korie Hlede, Duquesne

1994 Leslie Johnson, Purdue

1993 Katie Smith, Ohio State

1992 Niesa Johnson, Alabama

Ta’Niya Latson

Freshman of the Year

Record-breaking Seminoles Guard is Nation’s Top Freshman

After just one season, Florida State freshman Ta’Niya Latson has quickly proven to be a force in college basketball. The Miami native recorded one of the best freshman seasons in collegiate basketball history, earning the Seminoles a No. 7 seed in their 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament.

Latson’s accomplishments in college basketball make an impressive list, and it only keeps growing. Latson averaged 21.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in her first season, shooting 45.5 percent overall and 36.2 percent from a 3-point range. The FSU star is the first freshman ever to lead the ACC in scoring, setting the singleseason scoring average record by a freshman in the conference with 659 total points. She also shot the second-most free throws made in a season at FSU with 85.9 percent from the free throw line.

Now retired FSU head coach Sue Semrau knew Latson could be a special player when she recruited her. “Ta’Niya is a dynamic player on both ends of the floor,” says Semrau of her playing style, something her teammates and fans love to experience.

This year alone, Latson has collected numerous awards and honors. After a record-breaking 10th ACC Rookie of the Week Award, she was named the 2023 ACC Rookie of the Year. She was also named National Freshman of the Week by the USBWA three times, named National Freshman of the Year by The Athletic, named to the 2023 All-ACC First Team and All-Freshman Team and is a WBCA Region Finalist. Tonight, Latson adds another trophy to her award collection as the USBWA presents her with the Tamika Catchings Award.

COACH OF THE YEAR

HENRY IBA AWARD

For more than four decades, Henry P. “Han” Iba reigned as the “Iron Duke of Defense” in college basketball, including 36 years at Oklahoma State University (formerly Oklahoma A&M). He led them to the NCAA championship in 1945 and ‘46, and he directed the U.S. Olympic team to two gold medals in 1964 and ‘68 and one silver medal in ‘72. His A&M/OSU teams won 655 games and lost 316 for a .675 percentage. He also coached A&M baseball until 1941 and he assumed the role of athletic director less than a year after arriving on campus. His teams were know for tough man-to-man defense and the “Iba deep freeze” in the final minutes of close games.

PAST henry iba AWARD winners

2022 Tommy Lloyd, Arizona

2021 Juwan Howard, Michigan

2020 Anthony Grant, Dayton

2019 Rick Barnes, Tennessee

2018 Tony Bennett, Virginia

2017 Mark Few, Gonzaga

2016 Chris Mack, Xavier

2015 Tony Bennett, Virginia

2014 Gregg Marshall, Wichita State

2013 Jim Larrañaga, Miami (Fla.)

2012 Frank Haith, Missouri

2011 Mike Brey, Notre Dame

2010 Jim Boeheim, Syracuse

2009 Bill Self, Kansas

2008 Keno Davis, Drake

2007 Tony Bennett, Washington State

2006 Roy Williams, North Carolina

2005 Bruce Weber, Illinois

2004 Phil Martelli, St. Joseph’s

2003 Tubby Smith, Kentucky

2002 Ben Howland, Pittsburgh

2001 Al Skinner, Boston College

2000 Larry Eustacy, Iowa State

1999 Cliff Ellis, Auburn

1998 Tom Izzo, Michigan State

1997 Clem Haskins, Minnesota

1996 Gene Keady, Purdue

1995 Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma

1994 Charlie Spoonhour, Saint Louis

1993 Eddie Fogler, Vanderbilt

1992 Perry Clark, Tulane

1991 Randy Ayers, Ohio State

1990 Roy Williams, Kansas

1989 Bob Knight, Indiana

1988 John Chaney, Temple

1987 John Chaney, Temple

1986 Dick Versace, Bradley

1985 Lou Carnesecca, St. John’s

1984 Gene Keady, Purdue

1983 Lou Carnesecca, St. John’s

1982 John Thompson, Georgetown

1981 Ralph Miller, Oregon State

1980 Ray Meyer, DePaul

1979 Dean Smith, North Carolina

1978 Ray Meyer, DePaul

1977 Eddie Sutton, Arkansas

1976 Johnny Orr, Michigan

1975 Bob Knight, Indiana

1974 Norm Sloan, N.C. State

1973 John Wooden, UCLA

1972 John Wooden, UCLA

1971 John Wooden, UCLA

1970 John Wooden, UCLA

1969 Maury John, Drake

1968 Guy Lewis, Houston

1967 John Wooden, UCLA

1966 Adolph Rupp, Kentucky

1965 Bill Van Breda Kolff, Princeton

1964 John Wooden, UCLA

1963 Ed Jucker, Cincinnati

1962 Fred Taylor, Ohio State

1961 Fred Taylor, Ohio State

1960 Pete Newell, California

Shaka Smart

Coach of the Year

Marquette Coach Captures Henry Iba Award

In his second season as head coach at Marquette University, Shaka Smart led the Golden Eagles to their first Big East outright regularseason title and tournament championship. Playing an integral role in MU’s success, the university saw one of the most successful seasons in its century-plus basketball history, winning a programbest 29 games.

Before his career at MU, Smart was the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth (2009-15) and Texas (2015-21), leading both programs to eight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2011, Smart guided VCU from the First Four to the Final Four. He has now led nine teams to the NCAA tournament. Smart has received much-

deserved recognition for his coaching this season, including being honored as the Big East coach of the year.

Smart defeated the league’s expectations heading into his second season – the Golden Eagles were picked to finish ninth in the 11-team Big East. Instead, the team became one of the best offenses in the nation. MU went 17-3 in the conference to set a Big East record and won the outright title for the very first time. The Golden Eagles also beat every team in the conference for the first time since joining the league in 2005. To cap off a historic season, Smart is honored with the 2023 Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD

The USBWA has presented the Coach of the Year in Women’s Basketball since 1990. Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer was the inaugural winner of the award and the most recent winner in 2021. Other coaches to win the award multiple times are Kim Mulkey (3), Muffet McGraw (3) and Geno Auriemma (6).

PAST women’s coach of the year winners

2022 Dawn Staley, South Carolina

2021 Tara VanDerveer, Stanford

2020 Dawn Staley, South Carolina

2019 Kim Mulkey, Baylor

2018 Vic Schaefer, Mississippi State

2017 Geno Auriemma, UConn

2016 Geno Auriemma, UConn

2015 Courtney Banghart, Princeton

2014 Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame

2013 Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame

2012 Kim Mulkey, Baylor

2011 Kim Mulkey, Baylor

2010 Connie Yori, Nebraska

2009 Geno Auriemma, UConn

2008 Geno Auriemma, UConn

2007 Gail Goestenkors, Duke

2006 Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina

2005 Pokey Chatman, LSU

2004 Joe Curl, Houston

2003 Geno Auriemma, UConn

2002 Brenda Frese, Minnesota

2001 Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame

2000 Andy Landers, Georgia

1999 Carolyn Peck, Purdue

1998 Pat Summitt, Tennessee

1997 Wendy Larry, Old Dominion

1996 Leon Barmore, Louisiana Tech

1995 Geno Auriemma, UConn

1994 Ceal Barry, Colorado

1993 Jim Foster, Vanderbilt

1992 Chris Weller, Maryland

1991 Debbie Ryan, Virginia

1990 Tara VanDerveer, Stanford

Dawn Staley

Coach of the Year

South Carolina Coach Wins Her Third USBWA Coach of the Year Award

Dawn Staley’s impact on the game of basketball, as both a player and a coach, cannot be overlooked. Staley has earned several awards and honors during her career, from being recognized by USA Today as the national high school player of the year to winning both the ACC Player of the Year and Naismith National Player of the Year (1991, 1992). As a Team USA women’s basketball member, Staley won three Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000, 2004). Now, as a coach at South Carolina, she has captured her third USBWA Coach of the Year Award.

This year, Staley led the Gamecocks to a 36-1 season, clinching the SEC regular and tournament for the seventh time. She celebrated her 400th win against South Florida to advance to

the Sweet 16. As the coach of the top-seeded team in women’s basketball, Staley has made the Gamecocks a mainstay in the battle for SEC and national championships. Since she began her coaching career at South Carolina, Staley has led the Gamecocks to National Championships, NCAA Final Fours, No. 1 rankings, National Players of the Year, WNBA No. 1 Draft pick and several more.

Her 14 seasons leading the Gamecocks have brought numerous accomplishments: two National Championships, five NCAA Final Fours, and ranking No. 1 in the AP Poll for 44 weeks, including two final No. 1 rankings (2019-20, 2021-22). Her team also posted a 42-game winning streak.

ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE AWARD

The USBWA has named a National Women’s Player of the Year since the 1987-88 season. In 2012, the award was named after Ann Meyers Drysdale, the four-time AllAmerican at UCLA from 1975-78. She was one of the first women to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. Her career escalated women’s basketball to a new level. Meyers was the first high school player to make the United States national team and the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship to UCLA. Her highoctane approach translated into wins and awards as she finished her stellar career at UCLA owning 12 of 13 school records.

A supremely talented all-around player with natural basketball ability and instincts, Meyers was the first player, male or female, named to the All-America team in four straight seasons. She also played on the first women’s Olympic team in 1976. After an All-America career, she became the first woman player drafted into the Women’s Basketball League and made history by becoming the first female player to try out with an NBA team, the Indiana Pacers. Meyers pushed the envelope in women’s basketball, bringing a feel and sense for the game that few players ever experience.

PAST ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE winners

2022 Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

2021 Paige Bueckers, UConn

2020 Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon

2019 Megan Gustafson, Iowa

2018 A’ja Wilson, South Carolina

2017 Kelsey Plum, Washington

2016 Breanna Stewart, Connecticut

2015 Breanna Stewart, Connecticut

2014 Breanna Stewart, Connecticut

2013 Brittney Griner, Baylor

2012 Brittney Griner, Baylor

2011 Maya Moore, Connecticut

2010 Tina Charles, Connecticut

2009 Maya Moore, Connecticut

2008 Candace Parker, Tennessee

2007 Candace Parker, Tennessee

2006 Ivory Latta, North Carolina

2005 Seimone Augustus, LSU

2004 Alana Beard, Duke

2003 Diana Taurasi, Connecticut

2002 Sue Bird, Connecticut

2001 Ruth Riley, Notre Dame

2000 Tamika Catchings, Tennessee

1999 Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee

1998 Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee

1997 Kate Starbird, Stanford

1996 Saudia Roundtree, Georgia

1995 Rebecca Lobo, Connecticut

1994 Lisa Leslie, USC

1993 Sheryl Swoopes, Texas Tech

1992 Dawn Staley, Virginia

1991 Dawn Staley, Virginia

1990 Jennifer Azzi, Stanford

1989 Clarissa Davis, Texas

1988 Sue Wicks, Rutgers

Caitlin Clark

Player of the Year

Iowa’s Double-double machine

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was the dominant offensive player in women’s basketball this past season, leading the nation in assists and three-pointers per game. The Hawkeyes point guard only improved her game as the spotlight grew. Clark posted back-toback double-doubles in the Sweet 16 NCAA tournament after a triple-double with 30 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. It was the second consecutive year that she led the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten tournament crown.

Clark continued to be a force in the NCAA tournament, scoring or assisting 31 of Iowa’s 33 points in the second half against Georgia. In the Elite Eight against Louisville she delivered a historic performance in leading Iowa to the Final Four. Clark

finished with 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, the first 40-point triple-double in any NCAA Tournament game, men’s or women’s. She followed it up with 41 points and eight assists in an upset victory over South Carolina that led the Hawkeyes to its first national championship game in program history.

The 21-year-old Des Moines native has already collected many awards and honors at Iowa and Dowling Catholic High School, including the Atlantic National Player of the Year, Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Finalist, 2022-23 Big Ten Player of the Year, and the 2020-21 Tamika Catchings co-award winner as the freshman of the year. Tonight, Clark adds the Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Award to her growing list of achievements.

NATIONAL MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

oscar robertson AWARD

In 1998, the USBWA renamed its annual player of the year award the Oscar Robertson Trophy. At the University of Cincinnati, where he became known as “The Big O,” he led the Bearcats to the Final Four in 1959 and ’60. Robertson was a three-time first team All-American, and the first player to lead the NCAA in scoring three straight years. He was the first recipient of the Player of the Year Award in 1959.

During his 14-year NBA career, ten with the Cincinnati Royals and four with the Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson led his teams to 10 playoff appearances, including an NBA championship with the Bucks in 1971. In 1961-62, he became the only player in NBA history ever to average a “triple double” for an entire season. His career record of 9,887 assists stood for 17 years and his 26,710 points and 25.7 points per game average rank him seventh on the list of all-time NBA scorers.

PAST oscar robertson AWARD winners

2022 Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky

2021 Luke Garza, Iowa

2020 Obi Toppin, Dayton

2019 Zion Williamson, Duke

2018 Jalen Brunson, Villanova

2017 Frank Mason III, Kansas

2016 Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

2015 Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

2014 Doug McDermott, Creighton

2013 Trey Burke, Michigan

2012 Anthony Davis, Kentucky

2011 Jimmer Fredette, BYU

2010 Evan Turner, Ohio State

2009 Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

2008 Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

2007 Kevin Durant, Texas

2006 Adam Morrison, Gonzaga; J.J. Redick, Duke

2005 Andrew Bogut, Utah

2004 Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s

2003 David West, Xavier

2002 Jay Williams, Duke

2001 Shane Battier, Duke

2000 Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati

1999 Elton Brand, Duke

1998 Antawn Jamison, North Carolina

1997 Tim Duncan, Wake Forest

1996 Marcus Camby, Massachusetts

1995 Ed O’Bannon, UCLA

1994 Glenn Robinson, Purdue

1993 Calbert Cheaney, Indiana

1992 Christian Laettner, Duke

1991 Larry Johnson, UNLV

1990 Lionel Simmons, La Salle

1989 Danny Ferry, Duke

1988 Hersey Hawkins, Bradley

1987 David Robinson, Navy

1986 Walter Berry, St. John’s

1985 Chris Mullin, St. John’s

1984 Michael Jordan, North Carolina

1983 Ralph Sampson, Virginia

1982 Ralph Sampson, Virginia

1981 Ralph Sampson, Virginia

1980 Mark Aguirre, DePaul

1979 Larry Bird, Indiana State

1978 Phil Ford, North Carolina

1977 Marques Johnson, UCLA

1976 Adrian Dantley, Notre Dame

1975 David Thompson, N.C. State

1974 Bill Walton, UCLA

1973 Bill Walton, UCLA

1972 Bill Walton, UCLA

1971 Sidney Wicks, UCLA

1970 Pete Maravich, LSU

1969 Pete Maravich, LSU

1968 Lew Alcindor, UCLA

1967 Lew Alcindor, UCLA

1966 Cazzie Russell, Michigan

1965 Bill Bradley, Princeton

1964 Walt Hazzard, UCLA

1963 Art Heyman, Duke

1962 Jerry Lucas, Ohio State

1961 Jerry Lucas, Ohio State

1960 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati

1959 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati

zach edey

Player of the Year

Purdue’s Dominant Big-Man Has Historic Season

Purdue junior center Zach Edey becomes the second player in Purdue history to win the Oscar Robertson Trophy, joining Glenn Robinson who won in 1994. Edey had one of the most-dominating seasons in college basketball history. He was named a consensus first-team All-American, after averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game.

He became the first player in NCAA history (since blocks became an official NCAA stat) to record at least 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season, ranking sixth nationally in scoring, second in rebounds, 19th in blocked shots and 21st in field goal percentage (.607), the only player in the NCAA database to rank in the top 25 of all four categories in the same season.

He finished the season ranking sixth on Purdue’s single-season chart for points (757), first in rebounds (438), fifth in field goals made (290), 14th in field goal percentage (.607), first in dunks (76) and second in double-doubles (27). He has scored in double-figures in 51 straight games, the longest streak in the country, and fourth-longest streak in school history.

The 7’4” center grew up in Toronto, Ontario playing hockey and baseball. He didn’t start playing basketball until his sophomore year of high school. In his senior season, he competed at IMG Academy in Florida.

Edey has already won National Player of the Year honors by The Sporting News and Big Ten Player of the Year accolades after helping Purdue to a Big Ten regular-season title and a No. 1 national ranking for seven weeks. He also earned a spot on the Big Ten’s All-Defensive team.

SPECIAL GUEST Bill WALTON

Bill Walton Shoots his Shot and Talks the Talk

3x Oscar Robertson Trophy Winner Returns to STL 50 Years After Historic Game

Basketball legend Bill Walton is one of the game’s most recognizable and beloved figures. His success on the court is well documented; the nation’s top college basketball star at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden, he then played for two NBA Championship teams –the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics. But Bill’s nightmarish challenges off the court are less known. He stuttered so badly he couldn’t say a simple “thank you” until he was 28 years old. And a foot disorder led to 39 surgeries on his feet, legs, and back – keeping him sidelined for over half of his NBA career. Armed with grit and a positive outlook, Bill improbably overcame it all. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and the NBA named him to the “50 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time” (1997) and “75 Greatest Players in NBA History” (2021) lists. After his playing career, Bill pursued broadcasting; he currently covers Pac-12 games for ESPN and the Pac-12 Network. Bill Walton has led a life of humility in service of inspiring others. His autobiography, Back from the Dead, was a New York Times bestseller and he is perhaps the best-known Deadhead, having seen over 1,000 shows.

Bill enrolled at UCLA in 1970. He played center for Wooden’s varsity team for three seasons (1972-1974), after a year with the freshman team in 1971. In 1972, ’73, and ’74 Bill was awarded the Oscar Robertson Trophy as the NCAA player of the year. He is a three-time All-American College Player and the winner of the Sullivan Award for the United States Best Amateur Athlete of 1973. That same season, 50 years ago in St. Louis, Bill delivered what is considered the greatest game in NCAA Tournament finals history when he scored 44 points, making 21 of 22 shot attempts to lead UCLA to the national championship. He was a member of two NCAA championship teams compiling an NCAA record 88 consecutive-game winning streak.

Bill’s professional career began when he was the number one overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers. He was a member of their championship team in 1977. Nine years later he earned another championship title, this time with the Boston Celtics in 1986. Bill is one of only four players in the history of basketball to have won multiple NCAA and multiple NBA Championships. In 1993 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1997, he was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame.

The lessons he learned on the basketball court became life lessons that served him well throughout his broadcasting and business careers. No lesson was more important than the words of the legendary John Wooden, who simply said “Do your best.” Wooden never asked players to go out and win – simply to do their best and not beat themselves. Bill never forgot those words which helped him throughout his extraordinary career and again in 2008 when he endured risky back surgery to repair the damage done early in his basketball career. Through it all, Bill’s determination and positive attitude carried him through.

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