An All-American team is an honorary sports team composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not compete together as a unit, the term is used in U.S. team sports to refer to players who are selected by members of the national media. Walter Camp selected the first All-America team in the early days of American football in 1889. The 2021 NCAA Women's Basketball All-Americans are honorary lists that include All-American selections from the Associated Press (AP), the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) for the 2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. Both AP and USBWA choose three teams, while WBCA lists 10 honorees.
A consensus All-America team in women's basketball has never been organized. This differs from the practice in men's basketball, in which the NCAA uses a combination of selections by AP, USBWA, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), and Sporting News to determine a consensus All-America team. The selection of a consensus All-America men's basketball team is possible because all four organizations select at least a first and second team, with only the USBWA not selecting a third team.
Before the 2017–18 season, it was impossible for a consensus women's All-America team to be determined because the AP had been the only body that divided its women's selections into separate teams. The USBWA first named separate teams in 2017–18. The women's counterpart to the NABC, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), continues the USBWA's former practice of selecting a single 10-member (plus ties) team. Before the 2023–24 season, Sporting News did not select an All-America team in women's basketball.
By selector
Associated Press (AP) Announced on March 17, 2021. First team Second team Third teamPlayer SchoolPlayer SchoolPlayer School Aliyah Boston South Carolina Caitlin Clark Iowa Chelsea Dungee Arkansas Paige Bueckers UConn Charli Collier Texas Natasha Mack Oklahoma State Dana Evans Louisville Elissa Cunane NC State Michaela Onyenwere UCLA Rhyne Howard Kentucky Naz Hillmon Michigan Ashley Owusu Maryland NaLyssa Smith Baylor Aari McDonald Arizona Kiana Williams Stanford
AP Honorable Mention
Kierstan Bell, Florida Gulf Coast Katie Benzan, Maryland Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State Rennia Davis, Tennessee Kysre Gondrezick, West Virginia Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Lauren Gustin, BYU Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana Cece Hooks, Ohio Ashley Joens, Iowa State Haley Jones, Stanford N'dea Jones, Texas A&M
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech Jill Townsend, Gonzaga Christyn Williams, UConn Aaliyah Wilson, Texas A&M Jenn Wirth, Gonzaga
United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Announced on April 2, 2021.
First team Second team Third teamPlayer SchoolPlayer SchoolPlayer School Aliyah Boston South Carolina Charli Collier Texas Chelsea Dungee Arkansas Paige Bueckers UConn Elissa Cunane NC State Ashley Joens Iowa State Caitlin Clark Iowa Aari McDonald Arizona Natasha Mack Oklahoma State Dana Evans Louisville NaLyssa Smith Baylor Michaela Onyenwere UCLA Naz Hillmon Michigan Kiana Williams Stanford Ashley Owusu Maryland Rhyne Howard Kentucky
Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Announced on April 3, 2021. Player School Aliiyah Boston South Carolina Paige Bueckers UConn Caitlin Clark Iowa Chelsea Dungee Arkansas Dana Evans Louisville Naz Hillmon Michigan Rhyne Howard Kentucky Aari McDonald Arizona NaLyssa Smith Baylor Kiana Williams Stanford
By player PlayerSchoolYearAPUSBWAWBCA Notes Aliyah Boston South Carolina 1 1 1 Paige Bueckers UConn 1 1 1 Dana Evans Louisville 1 1 1 Rhyne Howard Kentucky 1 1 1 NaLyssa Smith Baylor 1 2 1
Academic All-Americans The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced its 15-member 2021 Academic All-America team on May 28, 2021, divided into first, second and third teams, with Aliyah Boston of South Carolina chosen as women's college basketball Academic All-American of the Year, also becoming the first sophomore so honored in D-I women's basketball.
+ First Team Player School Class GPA and major Aliyah Boston South Carolina So. 3.81, Mass Communications Kailey Coffey Northern Kentucky Sr. 4.00, Chemistry/Biochemistry Vivian Gray Texas Tech GS 3.58/4.00, Interdisciplinary Studies Lexie Hull Stanford Jr. 3.92, Management Science & Engineering Sam Thomas Arizona GS 3.97/4.00, Psychology (UG) / Organizational Leadership (G) + Second Team Player School Class GPA and major Dana Evans Louisville Sr. 3.49, Sport Administration Ayoka Lee Kansas State Jr. 3.88, Psychology Ali Patberg Indiana GS 3.71/4.00, Finance (UG) / Recreational Administration (G) Myah Selland South Dakota State Jr. 3.97, Exercise Science / Community & Public Health Kiana Williams Stanford Sr. 3.38, Science, Technology & Society + Third Team Player School Class GPA and major Laura Bagwell Katalinich Minnesota GS 3.93/4.00, Communications (UG) / Sport Management (G) Conley Chinn Belmont Sr. 4.00, Psychology Elissa Cunane NC State Jr. 3.34, Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Biology Lainey Gosnell Appalachian State GS 4.00/4.00, Psychology Dariauna Lewis Alabama A&M Jr. 3.77, Biology
Senior All-Americans The 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award, called Senior All-Americans, were announced on February 22, 2021. Rennia Davis of Tennessee was named the recipient on April 2, with the first and second teams also being announced at that time.
First team Player PositionSchool Rennia Davis Guard Tennessee Dana Evans Guard Louisville Blanca Millán Guard Maine Michaela Onyenwere Forward UCLA Jill Townsend Guard Gonzaga
Second team Player PositionSchool Arella Guirantes Guard Rutgers Nancy Mulkey Center Rice IImar’I Thomas Forward Cincinnati Unique Thompson Forward Auburn Mariah White Guard Cleveland State
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