The college careers of the USA women’s basketball team at the 2024 Olympics, including awards and stats

Twelve former college basketball stars descend on Paris this summer with the hopes of winning the United States an eighth consecutive gold medal in women’s basketball in the Olympics. 

Here’s a brief background on all 12 players, including notable stats and achievements from their college basketball careers. All WNBA stats through June 11, 2024.

Team USA roster:

• #11 | Napheesa Collier | UConn
• #7 | Kahleah Copper | Rutgers
• #8 | Chelsea Gray | Duke
• #15 | Brittney Griner | Baylor
• #6 | Sabrina Ionescu | Oregon
• #4 | Jewell Loyd | Notre Dame
• #5 | Kelsey Plum | Washington
• #10 | Breanna Stewart | UConn
• #12 | Diana Taurasi | UConn
• #14 | Alyssa Thomas | Maryland
• #9 | A’Ja Wilson | South Carolina
• #13 Jackie Young | Notre Dame

Napheesa Collier

Collier finished her UConn career as one of five Huskies players in the 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds club, winning the 2016 NCAA title. She was taken No. 6 overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2019 WNBA draft and won the gold medal with Team USA in 2020.

The vitals

School: UConn
Years: 2015-19
Career averages: 16.1 ppg, 2.5 apg, 8.1 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.7 bpg
Current WNBA team: Minnesota Lynx
WNBA career averages: 17.0 ppg, 2.9 apg, 7.8 rpg, 1.7 spg, 1.2 bpg

College career achievements

• Two-time WBCA First Team All-American (2017, ’19)
• Two-time AP First Team All-American (2017, ’19)
• Two-time USBWA First Team All-American (2017, ’19)
• Two-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year (2017, ’19)
• Three-time American Athletic Conference First Team (2017, ’18, ’19)
• 2019 Katrina McClain Award winner
• 2019 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year
• 2019 NCAA Albany Regional Most Outstanding Player
• 2019 American Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player
• 2018 AP Third Team All-American
• 2018 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team
• 2017 NCAA Bridgeport Regional Most Outstanding Performer
• 2016 American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team

Kahleah Copper

Copper finished her college career with the third-most points all time in program history (1,872) at Rutgers. After being drafted No. 7 overall in 2016 by the Washington Mystics, she was then traded to the Chicago Sky. There, she won 2021 WNBA Finals MVP as the team won its first title in franchise history.

The vitals

School: Rutgers
Years: 2012-16
Career averages: 14.1 ppg, 1.3 apg, 5.8 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.3 bpg
Current WNBA team: Phoenix Mercury
WNBA career averages: 11.8 ppg, 1.3 apg, 3.6 rpg, 0.6 spg, 0.2 bpg

College career achievements

•  Second Team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media (2016)
• Big Ten All-Academic honoree (2016)
• Second Team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media (2015)
• Second Team All-Met (2015)
• Big Ten All-Academic honoree (2015)
• WNIT’s Most Valuable Player (2014)
• First Team All-American Athletic Conference (2014)
• First Team All-Met (2014)
• Big East All-Freshman Team (2013)

Chelsea Gray

Gray left Duke as arguably the best player in school history, despite her final two seasons with the Blue Devils marred by injury. Gray’s playmaking ability led to her being selected with the 11th pick in the 2014 WNBA draft. Her long professional career has already yielded a 2020 Olympic gold, three WNBA championships and the 2022 WNBA Finals MVP.

The vitals

School: Duke
Years: 2010-14
Career averages: 11.1 ppg, 5.0 apg, 4.4 rpg, 2.7 spg, 0.2 bpg
Current WNBA team: Las Vegas Aces
WNBA career averages: 12.4 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.2 bpg

College career achievements

• WBCA Coaches All-America (2013)
• Associated Press Second Team All-America (2013)
• Co-ACC Player of the Year by the head coaches (2013)
• John R. Wooden finalist (2013)
• All-ACC First Team selection (2013)
• All-ACC Defensive Team (2013)
• Finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award (2012)
• USBWA finalist for National Player of the Year (2012)
• Posted a school-record 201 assists (2012)
• All-ACC Freshman Team honoree (2011)

Brittney Griner

Griner compiled one of the most dominant college careers in history in four seasons at Baylor. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Griner also won a national title in Baylor and a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury.

School: Baylor
Years: 2009-13
Career averages: 22.2 ppg, 1.6 apg, 8.8 rpg, 0.5 spg, 5.1 bpg
Current WNBA team: Phoenix Mercury
WNBA career averages: 17.7 ppg, 1.9 apg, 7.4 rpg, 0.5 spg, 2.7 bpg

College career achievements

• Finished college career with an NCAA record (men or women) 748 career blocks, second on NCAA Division I women’s all-time scoring list (3,283), second on NCAA Division I women’s all-time most games scoring in double figures chart with 146 performances, Big 12’s all-time leading scorer, NCAA women’s record 18 dunks, including three in one game (Florida State, 3/26/13).
• Big 12 Player of the Year (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Wade Trophy (2012, 2013)
• Naismith Trophy (2012, 2013)
• Wooden Award (2012, 2013)
• AP Player of Year (2012, 2013)
• Ann Meyers Drysdale (USBWA) Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
• AP All-American (unanimous) (2012, 2013)
• Consensus First-Team All-American (2011, 2012, 2013)
• WBCA Defensive Player of the Year (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Big 12 championship MOP (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Big 12 Player of the Year (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
• All-Big 12 First Team (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
• All-Big 12 Defensive Team (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
• Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year (2012)
• MOP NCAA Championship, Final Four (2012)
• MOP NCAA Championship, Des Moines Regional (2012)
• MOP of Big 12 Championship (2011, 2012)
• Wooden Award, Wade Trophy, Naismith Award, Honda Award finalist (2011)
• USBWA Freshman of the Year (2010)
• AP All-American (second team) (2010)
• Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2010)
• All-Big 12 Freshman Team (2010)

Sabrina Ionescu

The NCAA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles will make her Olympic debut for Team USA this summer. Ionescu’s four seasons at Oregon were legendary, and led to her selection with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty.

The vitals

School: Oregon
Years: 2016-20
Career averages: 18.0 ppg, 7.7 apg, 7.3 rpg, 1.5 spg, 0.3 bpg
Current WNBA team: New York Liberty
WNBA career averages: 15.9 ppg, 5.8 apg, 5.9 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.3 bpg

College career achievements

• AAU James E. Sullivan Award Co-Winner as the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete (2020)
• Wooden Award Winner (2019, 2020)
• AP First-Team All-America (2019, 2020)
• Pac-12 Player of the Year (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Nancy Liebermann Award as nation’s top point guard (2018-20)
• National Freshman of the Year (2017)
• First player (female or male) in NCAA history with 2,000 career points (2,562), 1,000 career rebounds (1,040) and 1,000 career assists (1,091).  
• Only the second player in NCAA history (female or male) with 2,000+ points and 1,000+ assists, joining Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga). 
• NCAA all-time leader (women’s and men’s) with 26 career triple-doubles; previous record was 12 by Kyle Collinsworth (BYU, 2012-16). 
• NCAA single-season record eight triple-doubles in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. 
• Finished career at No. 4 on NCAA women’s all-time assists list.
• Only the fifth player in NCAA women’s history to surpass 1,000 career assists, and the 12th to reach 900 career assists. 
• Pac-12 women’s and men’s all-time assists leader (Previous: Gary Payton, 938).
• Oregon all-time leader in points, assists, three-point field goals (329) and double-figure scoring games (134). 
• Tied for fifth in NCAA women’s history with 134 double-figure scoring games.
• No. 2 in Pac-12 history in double-figure scoring games, No. 3 in three-pointers, No. 5 in points and No. 19 in rebounds. 
• No. 2 in Oregon history in career free-throw percentage (85.1) and field goals made (905). 
• No. 3 in Oregon history in career steals (207).
• No. 4 in Oregon history in double-doubles (58), three-point field-goal percentage (42.2) and games played (142).
• Pac-12 Tournament all-time leader in points (250), assists (86) and field goals made (90); two-time Pac-12 Tournament most outstanding player (2018, 2020). 

Jewell Loyd

Add Lloyd to the list of players already with an Olympic gold medal on their resume. Prior to winning gold with Team USA in 2020, Loyd was the first overall pick in the WNBA draft in 2015 out of Notre Dame. Loyd’s four-year career with the Irish saw two first-team All-American selections as one of the most explosive scorers in college basketball.

The vitals

School: Notre Dame
Years: 2012-15
Career averages: 17.0 ppg, 2.4 apg, 5.7 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.4 bpg
Current WNBA team: Seattle Storm
WNBA career averages: 16.7 ppg, 3.2 apg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 spg, 0.2 bpg

College career achievements

• espnW National Player of the Year (2015)
• John R. Wooden Award Runner-Up (2015)
• Unanimous AP All-America First Team (2015)
• ACC Player of the Year (2015)
• ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player (2014, 2015)
• All-ACC Defensive Team (2015)
• NCAA Women’s Final Four All-Tournament Team (2014, 2015)
• AP All-America Second Team (2014)
• USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2013)
• BIG EAST Freshman of the Year (2013)

Kelsey Plum

Plum’s 57-point senior night broke the NCAA scoring record as part of an illustrious four-year career at Washington. Plum’s 3,527 points in her career were the most in NCAA history when she graduated. Plum also set the single season scoring record in 2016-17 with 1,109 points.

The vitals

School: Washington
Years: 2013-17
Career averages: 25.4 ppg, 3.8 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.2 bpg
Current WNBA team: Las Vegas Aces
WNBA career averages: 13.9 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.4 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.1 bpg

College career achievements

• No. 2 all-time NCAA scoring leader with 3,527 points
• Broke single-season NCAA scoring record with 1,109 points in 2016-17
• Broke 33-year-old NCAA career free throw record (912)
• AP Player of the Year (2017)
• espnW Player of the Year (2017)
• Pac-12 Player of the Year (2017)
• WBCA and USWBA All-American (2016, 2017)
• Unanimous first team All-American by AP (2017)
• Unanimous first team All-American by espnW (2017)
• Unanimous All-Pac-12 selection
• Won the Dawn Staley, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Nancy Lieberman awards, Naismith and Wade Trophy (2017)
• Tom Hansen Conference Medal recipient (2017)
• Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention (2015, 2016, 2017)
• Seattle Female Sports Star of the Year (2017)
• Wooden Award All-American (2016)
• AP Third Team All-American and Naismith Award Semifinalist (2016)
• Pac-12 All-Tournament Team (2016)
• Second Team All-America (2016)
• Two-time WBCA All-Region Team (2015, 2016)
• Four-time All-Pac-12 Team (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• Washington all-time three-point leader, second all-time in Pac-12
• Pac-12 all-time single-season scoring leader
• Pac-12 record holder for free throws made (season and career)
• Pac-12 single-game scoring record of 57 points vs. Utah
• 2014 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year

Breanna Stewart

UConn’s Stewart is arguably the most accomplished player in college basketball history. She was a four-time national champion at UConn and won most outstanding player in the NCAA tournament all four seasons of her college career. Stewart is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA.

The vitals

School: Connecticut
Years: 2012-16
Career averages: 17.6 ppg, 2.8 apg, 7.8 rpg, 1.5 spg, 2.7 bpg
Current WNBA team: New York Liberty
WNBA career averages: 20.7 ppg, 3.1 apg, 8.8 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.5 bpg

College career achievements

• Associated Press Player of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Naismith Trophy Winner (2014, 2015, 2016)
• 2016 Wade Trophy Winner (2015, 2016)
• 2016 John R. Wooden Award Winner (2015, 2016)
• 2016 USBWA Player of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Consensus First Team All-American (2014, 2015, 2016)
• American Athletic Conference Player of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Final Four Most Outstanding Performer (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
• American Athletic Conference Championship MOP (2014, 2016)
• Sullivan Award Winner (2016)
• Only player in history to be honored as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player more than twice
• Second place on UConn’s all-time scoring list with 2,676 career points
• The only player in NCAA history to block at least 400 shots and dish-out at least 400 assists
• UConn’s all-time leader in blocked shots at 414

Diana Taurasi

A legend of basketball, Taurasi will compete for her sixth gold medal with Team USA. Taurasi had a legendary career at UConn before taking over pro basketball, with three national championships while playing for Geno Auriemma.

The vitals

School: Connecticut
Years: 2000-04
Career averages: 15.0 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.0 bpg
Current WNBA team: Phoenix Mercury
WNBA career averages: 19.1 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.9 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg

College career achievements

• Naismith national player of the year (2003, 2004)
• NCAA national champion (2002-2004)
• NCAA Tournament most outstanding player (2003, 2004)
• Wade Trophy (2003)
• Honda Sports Award winner (2003, 2004)
• USBWA Women’s National Player of the Year (2003)
• AP College Player of the Year (2003)
• Nancy Lieberman Award Winner (2003, 2004)
• Big East Player of the Year (2003, 2004)

Alyssa Thomas

After leading Maryland to the Final Four in her final year, Alyssa Thomas was drafted No. 4 overall in 2014. After a draft-day trade to the Connecticut Sun, Thomas has played with the team for her entire WNBA career.

The vitals

School: Maryland
Years: 2010-14
Career averages: 17.5 ppg, 3.6 apg, 9.1 rpg, 1.8 spg, 0.4 bpg
Current WNBA team: Connecticut Sun
WNBA career averages: 12.4 ppg, 4.3 apg, 7.5 rpg, 1.5 spg, 0.3 bpg

College career achievements

• WBCA Coaches’ All-American (2012)
• USBWA All-American (2012)
• AP All-America First Team (2012)
• ACC Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
• ACC Tournament MVP (2012)
• All-ACC Tournament Team (2012, 2013)
• All-ACC Team (Second Team, 2011; First Team, 2012, 2013)
• Wooden Ballott (2012, 2013)
• Naismith Preseason list (2012, 2013)
• Wade Watch list (2012, 2013)
• Preseason All-ACC Team (2011)
• ACC All-Freshman Team (2010)
• ACC Rookie of the Week (7X)
• ACC Player of the Week (7X)
• ESPNW National Player of the Week (1/14/13)
• ECAC Rookie of the Year (2011)
• FullCourtPress.com All-American (2012)
• FullCourtPress.com All-Freshman Second Team (2011)
• All-time Maryland Terrapins leader in points (2356), rebounds (1,235), and double-doubles (66)

A’Ja Wilson

A gold medal, two WNBA championships and an NCAA championship are just a small part of A’Ja Wilson’s impressive basketball resume. At South Carolina, Wilson was a three-time consensus first-team All-American and won NCAA tournament MOP in 2017.

The vitals

School: South Carolina
Years: 2014-18
Career averages: 17.3 ppg, 1.4 apg, 8.7 rpg, 1.0 spg, 2.6 bpg
Current WNBA team: Las Vegas Aces
WNBA career averages: 20.3 ppg, 2.2 apg, 8.8 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.9 bpg

College career achievements

• Consensus National Player of the Year (2018)
• Wooden Award Winner (2018)
• Naismith Trophy Winner (2018)
• Wade Trophy Winner (2018)
• Honda Sport Award – Basketball (2018)
• All-America First Team (2017, 2018)
• SEC Player of the Year first three-time selection in league history (2016, 2017, 2018)
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2016, 2018)
• All-SEC First Team (2016, 2017, 2018)
• SEC Tournament MVP (2017, 2018)
• NCAA Final Four MOP (2017)

Jackie Young

Young was the leader of Notre Dame’s 2018 national championship team as a sophomore guard. After her junior season at Notre Dame, she was selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft.

The vitals

School: Notre Dame
Years: 2016-19
Career averages: 12.4 ppg, 3.5 apg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 spg, 0.4 bpg
Current WNBA team: Las Vegas Aces
WNBA career averages: 13.2 ppg, 3.9 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.2 bpg

College career achievements

• NCAA champion (2018)
• ACC tournament MVP (2019)
• Second-team All-ACC (2019)
• All-ACC Freshman team (2017)