USC’s JuJu Watkins named USA TODAY Network Big Ten player of the year

When the Big Ten Conference announced its West Coast injection, it didn’t take long to see how much that would positively impact the league’s women’s basketball product.

After a regular season dominated by title contenders UCLA and USC, it’s clear the league’s new arrivals have improved the Big Ten across the board.

That’s reflected in Sports Network Big Ten women’s basketball all-conference selections, crafted and voted upon by those inside the network who cover the league. USC star JuJu Watkins is unsurprisingly the Big Ten player of the year, while Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb is the league’s coach of the year. UCLA standout Lauren Betts is the defensive player of the year.

Watkins and Betts are joined by Maryland’s Kaylene Smikle, USC’s Kiki Iriafen and Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon on the All-Big Ten first team.

The Trojans and Bruins are the top two seeds in their first Big Ten Tournament, which runs Wednesday through Sunday in Indianapolis. If these end-of-season awards are any indication, it could be a West Coast party this week inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

USA TODAY Sports Network All-Big Ten women’s basketball selections

First team

• JuJu Watkins, guard, USC
• Kaylene Smikle, guard, Maryland
• Kiki Iriafen, forward, USC
• Cotie McMahon, forward, Ohio State
• Lauren Betts, center, UCLA

Second team

• Jaloni Cambridge, guard, Ohio State
• Lucy Olsen, guard, Iowa
• Kiki Rice, guard, UCLA
• Serah Williams, forward, Wisconsin
• Kendall Bostic, forward, Illinois

Individual awards

• Player of the year: JuJu Watkins, USC
• Coach of the year: Lindsay Gottlieb, USC
• Newcomer of the year: Lucy Olsen, Iowa
• Defensive player of the year: Lauren Betts, UCLA

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.