Nation’s top players and coaches are finalists for all three annual awards

ATLANTA (March 25, 2026) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced the finalists for its three prestigious women’s college basketball awards for 2026, including the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, which annually identifies the nation’s most outstanding player, the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award, and the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE.

“This year’s finalist class represents the best of women’s college basketball,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Each of these student-athletes and coaches has been involved in the national conversation, and the competition for each of these awards has been compelling all season long, and speaks to the standard of excellence these individuals have set throughout the season.” 

2026 Jersey Mike’s Women’s Naismith Trophy Finalists

The list of the four finalists, all proven veterans, includes players who have propelled their teams into the national spotlight and built seasons worthy of Naismith Trophy recognition.

This year’s finalist group features UCLA senior Lauren Betts, Vanderbilt sophomore Mikayla Blakes, and a pair of UConn players in graduate guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore center Sarah Strong. Together, they represent a field defined by versatility, star power, and impact on both ends of the floor.

Betts has once again been a dominant force at both ends of the court, while Blakes leads the nation in scoring with a record-breaking season. The veteran Fudd is nearing the end of her career with a season highlighted by elite scoring efficiency, while Strong has delivered an all-around historic season. 

About the 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Finalists:

Lauren Betts, UCLA

• Repeat AP First Team All-American and the first UCLA player to earn that honor in consecutive seasons.
• Led UCLA in scoring while continuing to anchor the Bruins’ interior defense.
• Averaged 16.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game during the 2025-26 campaign.
• Built on the momentum of her 2025 national defensive player of the year season, with another dominant year in Westwood.

Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

• SEC Player of the Year after authoring one of the nation’s most explosive scoring seasons.
• Led the country in scoring and reached double figures in every game this season.
• Earned a school-record six SEC Player of the Week honors and carried an active 50-game double-digit scoring streak into postseason play.
• Recorded 10 30-point games, the most in the nation.

Azzi Fudd, UConn

• AP and USBWA First Team All-American in her final season at UConn.
• Averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game while shooting 48.9% from the field, 44.6% from three-point range, and 95.1 % at the foul line.
• Set single-season career highs in rebounds, assists, and steals.
• Named the 2026 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection.

Sarah Strong, UConn

• Named the 2025-26 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, All-BIG EAST First Team, and All-Defensive Team.
• Has earned AP and USBWA First Team, All-America honors and was named ESPN and The Athletic’s National Player of the Year this season.
• She leads the team in scoring (18.4 ppg), rebounds (7.5 rpg), steals (3.4 spg), and blocks (16 bpg).
• Has scored in double digits in 48 consecutive games, dating back to February of last year.

2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Finalists

Four of the nation’s most accomplished coaches headline this year’s field, each guiding their programs to dominant regular seasons and top NCAA Tournament seeds. 

UConn’s Geno Auriemma headlines the women’s finalists after guiding the Huskies to another unbeaten regular season, while UCLA’s Cori Close led the Bruins to their second consecutive Big Ten title. Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph engineered one of the sport’s most remarkable turnarounds, propelling the Commodores to historic program heights. Texas’ Vic Schaefer continued his consistent dominance with a third consecutive 30-win campaign and another conference tournament crown.

Three of the finalists are former winners, as Auriemma has won the award a record eight times, but not since 2017.  Close won last year, and Schaefer won in 2018 when he was the head coach at Mississippi State.

About the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year Finalists

Geno Auriemma, UConn

• Guided UConn to a 34-0 record entering the NCAA Tournament and the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket.
• Led the Huskies to both the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament championships, finishing 20-0 in league play.
• Took UConn into the NCAA Tournament undefeated for the 10th time in program history.
• Auriemma is college basketball’s all-time winningest coach and is seeking his ninth Naismith Coach of the Year honor.

Cori Close, UCLA

• Named the 2026 Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the Bruins through another dominant season.
• Guided UCLA to Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles and a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed for the second consecutive season.
• Led the Bruins to an 18-0 conference record, making UCLA just the fourth program in Big Ten history to finish league play unbeaten.
• UCLA carried the nation’s best 14 Quad 1 wins into postseason play and recorded 10 wins over ranked opponents.
• Seeking back-to-back Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year honors after winning the award in 2025.

Shea Ralph, Vanderbilt

• Earned 2026 SEC Coach of the Year honors after directing one of the nation’s most impressive turnarounds.
• Guided Vanderbilt to a 27-3 regular season and a 13-3 mark in SEC play, tying the best conference finish in program history.
• Led the Commodores to the most successful regular season in school history despite returning just one starter from last season.
• Secured a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Vanderbilt’s first top-two seed since 2007.
• Helped bring NCAA Tournament games back to Memorial Gym for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

Vic Schaefer, Texas

• Guided Texas to a third straight 30-win season and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year.
• Led the Longhorns to the 2026 SEC Tournament championship and 14 wins over ranked opponents, the most in the nation.
• Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Texas has gone 99-12 under Schaefer.
• The Longhorns have won either a regular-season or conference tournament championship in each of the last five seasons.

2026 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE Finalists

The finalists highlight the many dimensions of elite defense, including Naismith Trophy finalists Betts, who has continued to impose her will around the rim, and Strong, who has led her team in blocks and steals. 

Completing the list of finalists are West Virginia senior guard Jordan Harrison, who has set the tone with her pressure and anticipation in the backcourt, and Notre Dame junior guard Hannah Hildago, who has once again turned defense into a game-changing weapon.

All three award winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 1, during the Women’s Final Four in Phoenix.

Once again this year, fans will have a say in determining the winner through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote presented by Jersey Mike’s. Starting March 25, fans can visit www.naismithfanvote.com to cast their ballot for one of the finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy and the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year. Voting ends at 12 p.m. EDT on March 30, and fans are limited to one vote per day. The fan vote will account for 5% of the total vote.

The four finalists in each category were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, composed of leading journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners, and conference commissioners, all of whom based their selections on outstanding coaching performances during the 2025-26 college basketball season.

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Media Contact:

Jordan De La Cruz
Atlanta Tipoff Club
jordan.delacruz@naismithtrophy.com
(770) 617-2222

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB

Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Awards family, annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include AXIA Time, Jersey Mike’s, MOLECULE, and Werner Ladder. For more information, visit

www.naismithtrophy.com.

ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS

Jersey Mike’s Subs, with locations open and in development throughout the United States, serves authentic, fresh-sliced and fresh-grilled subs on in-store, freshly baked bread – the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflected in its mission statement, “Giving … making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, visit jerseymikes.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.

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Werner, a ProDriven Global Brand, is the official ladder of NCAA^® March Madness^® and the world leader in ladders with a complete line of climbing products designed for working at heights. The portfolio includes ladders, scaffolding, pump jacks, stages, planks, accessories and fall protection equipment including harnesses, lanyards, anchors and compliance kits. From ladders to fall protection, WERNER provides a full line of climbing equipment that is engineered for maximum safety, durability and productivity at every height. All Werner products meet or exceed applicable international safety standards. For more information, visit www.wernerladder.com.

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FINALISTS

FINALISTS

FINALISTS