In what should be a heated competition this year, the race for the 2024 Wooden Award in NCAA women’s basketball features a quartet of sensational contenders. Leading the pack of contenders is reigning AP Players of the Year, Caitlin Clark from Iowa. The sharpshooting point guard is having another strong start this season and will look to lead the Hawkeyes to the promised land. Meanwhile, perennial power UConn has its own sensational star in Paige Bueckers aka “Paige Buckets,” the Wooden Award winner in 2021 who is coming off an ACL injury last year. Meanwhile, two other sensational athletes on the Wooden Award winner radar are LSU’s Angel Reese (2023 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player) and USC’s freshman Juju Watkins (the number one recruit in the most recent high school class by ESPN).
In this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these athletes, a predicted winner, and even more notes about NCAA basketball wagering.
| NCAA Basketball 2024 Women's Wooden Award |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caitlin Clark (Iowa) | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Paige Bueckers (UCONN) | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Angel Reese (LSU) | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Juju Watkins (USC) | +700 | +700 | +700 |
A record-breaking shooter for the Hawkeyes, Clark has been sensational during her collegiate career and has racked up a slew of accolades. During his freshman campaign with Iowa, she led all of NCAA Division I in scoring and was named an All-American. After that, she was selected as a unanimous first-team All-American selection in her sophomore year and was the first female player to lead Division I in points and assists in a single season. Finally, she won the Wooden Award last year and also led the Hawkeyes to their first national championship game.
Recognized as the number one recruit in her class by ESPN, the former national high school player of the year has been sensational in her career with the Huskies. In her first season at UConn, she was a unanimous first-team All-American selection and became the first freshman to earn a major national women’s college player of the year award. However, her next two campaigns have been marred with injuries – a left knee injury in her sophomore and an ACL tear in her junior season which knocked her out of the whole campaign. However, she was still able to lead her team to the national championship game in 2023, losing to Dawn Staley and South Carolina.
After transferring from Maryland, Reese has been on an absolute tear for LSU, helping the Tigers reach new heights in 2023. In her junior season, she was named a unanimous first-team All-American selection and helped lead LSU to its first national championship, where she was named Most Outstanding Player. Moreover, this past year Reese set the NCAA single-season record in double-doubles and also the SEC single-season record in rebounds. Known as the “Bayou Barbie,” she is a force for the Tigers who should compete for another national title this year.
The only freshman on this list, Watkins is a phenomenal combo guard for the Trojans and perhaps their most exciting player since Lisa Leslie suited up for the Women of Troy in the 1990s. Another number one overall recruit, Watkins earned national high school player of the year honors last year and also led the United States to a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA Under-17 World Cup. A graduate of Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles, she is certainly a star in the making for her hometown Trojans.
Prediction: An electric race, take Clark to repeat here given her consistent dominance and progression each season.
After you are all dialed in on the latest gaming news coming from the world of NCAA women’s basketball, make sure to also check out the variety of resources for you at SBS. Of course, for even more info on the sport covered here, our NCAA betting sites guide has your back with all the latest betting markets and information related to NCAA women’s basketball. Moreover, if you are looking to maximize your bets, then the best bonus betting sites rundown is a must-read page. Here you can find a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers. Finally, if you are interested in some different payment options, our payment methods breakdown is a great resource to learn more about traditional methods and cryptocurrencies.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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