Four LSU Women’s Basketball Players Named To USBWA Watch Lists

BATON ROUGE, La. – Four members of the LSU women’s basketball team have been named to two respective watch lists from the U.S. Basketball Writers’ Association including the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (National Player of the Year) and Tamika Catchings Award (Freshman), the organization announced this week.

Senior Flau’jae Johnson and juniors Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley received recognition on the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list, while freshman Grace Knox was named to the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award watch list.

All four players have made an impact on winning the first two games of LSU’s regular season against Houston Christian and Southeastern Louisiana. Through two games, Johnson has averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4 assists a game. Williams, through two contests, has averaged 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6 assists per game. Fulwiley, who collected a career-high seven steals against HCU in the season opener, has averaged 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds. And 2.5 assists per contest.

The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is presented annually to the women's national player of the year by the USBWA. Named for the legendary UCLA guard, the award was first presented in the 1987-88 season and formally named in Meyers Drysdale's honor in the 2011-12 season. Ann Meyers Drysdale played at UCLA from 1974-78, which pre-dates the USBWA All-America selections. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.

The USBWA has named a national freshman player of the year since the 1991-92 season. In the 2020-21 season the award was named for Tamika Catchings, the legendary Tennessee star who was a three-time USBWA All-American and the association's national freshman player of the year in the 1997-98 season.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for each award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winners of the award will be announced at the 2026 Women's Final Four in Phoenix, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.

LSU will return to action on Sunday, Nov. 9, at Georgia Southern for the Tigers first true road game of the season. The trip to Statesboro will serve as a de facto homecoming game for Johnson, who is a native of Savannah. The contest is available to stream on ESPN+, and fans can listen to the action on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams on the call.

(Release via LSU Athletics)