Ionescu a 3-time AP All-American; Arizona’s McDonald on 2nd team

Sabrina Ionescu has joined an elite group, becoming a three-time Associated Press All-American, while Arizona Wildcats guard Aari McDonald made the second team, the AP announced Thursday.

McDonald, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and a Wooden Award finalist, led the conference in scoring (20.6) and steals (2.3) per game this season.

Ionescu, an Oregon senior, shattered the NCAA career triple-double mark and became the first player in college history to have 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. She earned a spot on The Associated Press women’s basketball All-America team Thursday as a unanimous choice from the national media panel that votes on the Top 25 each week.

She was joined on the first team by Oregon teammate Ruthy Hebard, Baylor’s Lauren Cox, Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard and UConn’s Megan Walker.

Ionescu is the eighth player in women’s basketball history to earn AP All-America honors three times. The last was South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson in 2018.

Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Tennessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw, Duke’s Alana Beard, Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris and UConn’s Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore are the only other players to earn first-team honors at least three times. Paris and Moore were All-Americans all four years.

Ionescu averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds this season as well as having eight of her 26 career triple-doubles.

2020 WOMEN’S AP ALL-AMERICA TEAM LIST

First Team

Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon, 5-11, senior, Walnut Creek, Calif., 17.5 ppg, 9.1 apg, 8.6 rpg (30 of 30 first-place votes, 150 points)

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky, 6-2, sophomore, Cleveland, Tenn., 23.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 38.2 3-point % (23, 134)

Ruthy Hebard , Oregon, 6-4, senior, Fairbanks, Alaska, 17.3 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 68.5 fg%, (21, 126)

Lauren Cox, Baylor, 6-4, senior, Flower Mound, Texas, 12.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.7 blocks (20, 116)

Megan Walker,, UConn, 6-1, junior, Chesterfield, Va., 19.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 47.7 fg% (14, 97)

Second Team

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina, 6-5, freshman, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., 12.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 60.9 fg% (6, 74)

Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M, 5-7, junior, Mansfield, Texas, 21.3 ppg, 3.5 apg, 4.3 rpg (7, 72)

Satou Sabally, Oregon, 6-4, junior, Berlin, Germany, 16.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 79.2 ft% (6, 71)

Aari McDonald, Arizona, 5-6, junior, Fresno, Calif. 20.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 79.1 ft% (6, 69)

Dana Evans, Louisville, 5-6, junior, Gary, Ind., 18.1 ppg, 4.2 apg, 89.0 ft% (3, 69)

Third Team

Tyasha Harris, South Carolina, 5-10, senior, Noblesville, Ind., 12.1 ppg, 5.7 apg, 86.7 ft% (7, 57)

Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA, 6-0, junior, Aurora, Colo., 19.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 46.9 fg% (0, 39)

Kathleen Doyle, Iowa, 5-9, senior, LaGrange Park, Ill., 18.1 ppg, 6.3 apg, 4.6 rpg (1, 36)

Elissa Cunane, North Carolina State, 6-5, sophomore, Summerfield, N.C., 16.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 54.7 fg% (0, 32)

Kaila Charles, Maryland, 6-1 senior, Glenn Dale, Md., 14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 50 fg% (0, 31)

Honorable Mention (alphabetical order)

Jaylyn Agnew, Creighton; Bella Alarie, Princeton; Te’a Cooper, Baylor; Crystal Dangerfield, UConn; Rennia Davis, Tennessee; Ciara Duffy, South Dakota; Haley Gorecki, Duke; Vivian Gray, Oklahoma State; Arella Guirantes, Rutgers; Ashley Joens, Iowa State; Stella Johnson, Rider; Ila Lane, UC Santa Barbara; Beatrice Mompremier, Miami; Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn; Mikayla Pivec, Oregon State; Lindsey Pulliam, Northwestern; NaLyssa Smith, Baylor; Chante Stonewall, DePaul; Unique Thompson, Auburn; Kiana Williams, Stanford.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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