Hidalgo, Betts, Booker headline AP All-America preseason women’s college basketball team

Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Lauren Betts of UCLA and Madison Booker of Texas headline The Associated Press All-America women’s college basketball team released Tuesday.

The trio were first-team All-Americans last spring after having stellar seasons. They were joined on the preseason team this year by UConn’s Sarah Strong and South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson. Latson transferred to the Gamecocks this year after spending the first three years of her career at Florida State.

Hidalgo and Betts each earned 29 votes from from the 31-member national media panel that chooses the AP Top 25 each week. Strong garnered 28 votes while Booker had 23 and Latson 14.

Hidalgo is coming off a season that saw the talented guard become just the fourth sophomore to earn All-America honors in her first two years. USC’s JuJu Watkins also accomplished that feat last season, but is out for this year while she’s recovering from a torn ACL she suffered in the NCAA Tournament. Courtney Paris and Maya Moore were also All-Americans their first two seasons.

Hidalgo averaged 23.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Fighting Irish last season. She will take on a bigger role this season with the loss of the other four starters to either the WNBA or the transfer portal.

“I know the weight of that is heavy, the crown is super heavy,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said. “But I feel like she has done a great job of surrounding herself with the right network, the Notre Dame network, but also her family. She is very grounded with her family and her faith.”

Betts, a senior, helped UCLA reach No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time in school history last season. The 6-foot-7 center averaged 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds to get the Bruins to their first Final Four before they lost to Strong and UConn.

Strong had a sensational freshman season for the Huskies, helping them win the school’s 12th national championship. She averaged 16.4 points and 8.9 rebounds, and coach Geno Auriemma has said she is even better this year. UConn is No. 1 in the preseason Top 25.

“Every day, there isn’t a day that goes by that one of the coaches and I don’t look at each other and go, ‘Man, there’s just something about her right now,’” Auriemma said. “I can’t wait. I look forward to going to practice just to see what might happen next, some things she might pull off.”

Latson led the country in scoring at Florida State last season, averaging 25.2 points a game. With one year left of eligibilty, it’s not just about trying to win a national championship but getting prepared for the WNBA. Coach Dawn Staley has had a lot of success producing pros, including four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.

Latson will have to face Booker at least once this season in the SEC. The Longhorns’ junior wing averaged 16.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season. Booker helped Texas reach the Final Four last season before the Longhorns lost to South Carolina.

Betts, Hidalgo and Booker were all first-team All-Americans last spring while Latson and Strong were on the second team. The AP began releasing a preseason All-America team before the 1994-95 season.

AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll