South Carolina's Boston headlines Wooden top 20

January 31, 2023 ndowd

5:16 PM ET

Alexa PhilippouESPN
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- Covers women’s college basketball and the WNBA
- Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant
- Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati Enquirer

Reigning winner Aliyah Boston of the South Carolina Gamecocks headlines the John R. Wooden Award late season top 20 list for the most outstanding player in women’s college basketball, as announced Monday.

Boston is joined by the likes of the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ Caitlin Clark, Stanford Cardinal‘s Cameron Brink and LSU Tigers‘ Angel Reese.

Boston — whose No. 1-ranked and defending NCAA champion Gamecocks last lost in the 2022 SEC tournament championship game — and Reese have guided their teams to unbeaten records, although they are set to face off in SEC play Feb. 12.

The list is rounded out by other standouts including the UConn Huskies‘ Aaliyah Edwards, Indiana Hoosiers‘ Mackenzie Holmes and Maryland Terrapins‘ Diamond Miller.

Iowa, Stanford and South Carolina are the only schools with multiple players included. Clark is joined by teammate Monika Czinano, Brink by Haley Jones and Boston by Zia Cooke.

Florida State‘s Ta’Niya Latson is the only freshman featured, while Reese, the DePaul Blue Demons‘ Aneesah Morrow and Notre Dame Fighting Irish‘s Olivia Miles are the only sophomore representatives.

Many top players across the nation — including UConn’s Azzi Fudd, Indiana’s Grace Berger, Ohio State‘s Jacy Sheldon and NC State‘s Diamond Johnson — missed time this season due to injury and are not on the late season top 20.

The Wooden Award All-American team will be announced the week of the Elite Eight, while the winner will be presented in April following the NCAA tournament’s conclusion.

John R. Wooden Award Presented by Wendy’s Late Season Top 20 (Women)

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina, 6-5, Sr., F

Cameron Brink, Stanford, 6-4, Jr., F

Caitlin Clark, Iowa, 6-0, Jr., G

Zia Cooke, South Carolina, 5-9, Sr., G

Monika Czinano, Iowa, 6-3, Sr., F/C

Aaliyah Edwards, UConn, 6-3, Jr., F

Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana, 6-3, Sr., F

Ashley Joens, Iowa State, 6-1, Sr., G/F

Haley Jones, Stanford, 6-1, Sr., G

Deja Kelly, North Carolina, 5-8, Jr., G

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, 6-6, Sr., C