Morales Named Finalist for WBCA All-America Team
3/25/2025 5:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
"Esme was the missing piece that we needed and she absolutely stepped-up and shined in any big moment needed," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford.
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today the 50 finalists for this season's 10-member WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America team. Montana State senior standout Esmeralda Morales was among the group selected.
NCAA Division I head coaches who are WBCA members nominated players from their own teams for Coaches' All-America. They then voted for the top players in their respective regions from among those players who are nominated. The WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee, which is composed of head coaches from each region who are elected by their peers, selected up to 12 additional at-large finalists from the remaining pool of nominees.
Morales, a product of Spanaway, Wash., guided the Bobcats to its best season in school history posting a Big Sky Conference record 30-4 overall ledger. For her efforts, Morales was named Big Sky Conference Tournament and Regular Season MVP as well as being a unanimous First Team All-Big Sky selection.
"Esme was the missing piece that we needed and she absolutely stepped-up and shined in any big moment needed," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "She was extremely consistent all year and elevated the play of those around her. She's a flat-out competitor and we're grateful she chose Montana State for her final season."
The committee will meet in Tampa, Florida, in conjunction with the annual WBCA Convention to select the 2025 Wade Trophy winner – best player in college women's basketball - and the 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America team. Both will be announced on April 3.
The 50 finalists include:
NCAA Division I head coaches who are WBCA members nominated players from their own teams for Coaches' All-America. They then voted for the top players in their respective regions from among those players who are nominated. The WBCA NCAA Division I Awards Committee, which is composed of head coaches from each region who are elected by their peers, selected up to 12 additional at-large finalists from the remaining pool of nominees.
Morales, a product of Spanaway, Wash., guided the Bobcats to its best season in school history posting a Big Sky Conference record 30-4 overall ledger. For her efforts, Morales was named Big Sky Conference Tournament and Regular Season MVP as well as being a unanimous First Team All-Big Sky selection.
"Esme was the missing piece that we needed and she absolutely stepped-up and shined in any big moment needed," said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. "She was extremely consistent all year and elevated the play of those around her. She's a flat-out competitor and we're grateful she chose Montana State for her final season."
The committee will meet in Tampa, Florida, in conjunction with the annual WBCA Convention to select the 2025 Wade Trophy winner – best player in college women's basketball - and the 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America team. Both will be announced on April 3.
The 50 finalists include:
| Georgia Amoore | University of Kentucky |
| Sarah Ashlee Barker | University of Alabama |
| Raegan Beers | University of Oklahoma |
| Lauren Betts | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt University |
| Madison Booker | University of Texas |
| Zoe Brooks | North Carolina State University |
| Paige Bueckers | University of Connecticut |
| Jaloni Cambridge | Ohio State University |
| Sonia Citron | University of Notre Dame |
| Audi Crooks | Iowa State University |
| Katie Dinnebier | Drake University |
| Yvonne Ejim | Gonzaga University |
| Rori Harmon | University of Texas |
| Stailee Heard | Oklahoma State University |
| Hannah Hidalgo | University of Notre Dame |
| Maud Huijbens | Gonzaga University |
| Kiki Iriafen | University of Southern California |
| Aziaha James | North Carolina State University |
| Lauren Jensen | Creighton University |
| Flau'Jae Johnson | Louisiana State University |
| Kymora Johnson | University of Virginia |
| Ta'Niya Latson | Florida State University |
| Ayoka Lee | Kansas State University |
| Darianna Littlepage-Buggs | Baylor University |
| Cotie McMahon | Ohio State University |
| Brooklyn Meyer | South Dakota State University |
| Olivia Miles | University of Notre Dame |
| Emeralda Morales | Montana State University |
| Aneesah Morrow | Louisiana State University |
| S'Mya Nichols | University of Kansas |
| Aaliyah Nye | University of Alabama |
| Lucy Olsen | University of Iowa |
| Te-Hina Paopao | University of South Carolina |
| Khamil Pierre | Vanderbilt University |
| Sedona Prince | Texas Christian University |
| JJ Quinerly | West Virginia University |
| Kiki Rice | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Saniya Rivers | North Carolina State University |
| Emma Ronsiek | Colorado State University |
| Madison Scott | University of Mississippi |
| Shyanne Sellers | University of Maryland |
| Sarah Strong | University of Connecticut |
| Serena Sundell | Kansas State University |
| Makayla Timpson | Florida State University |
| Allie Turner | Gonzaga University |
| Harmoni Turner | Harvard University |
| Hailey Van Lith | Texas Christian University |
| JuJu Watkins | University of Southern California |
| Mikaylah Williams | Louisiana State University |
Players Mentioned
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