ATLANTA - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team saw two named Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention, as the organization announced its Division III awards Thursday, March 19. Seniors Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson) and Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) made up the All-American duo, marking IWU's first season with multiple honorees since Rebekah Ehresman and Molly McGraw in 2018.

Bardic and White, Illinois Wesleyan's co-captains, reeled in the first awards of their career, as two of four College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin student-athletes recognized. 

"We applaud the members of the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches' All-America team," said Donehew. "Each of these young women has achieved an elite level of play in NCAA Division III and by doing so has increased public awareness of the women's game."

Bardic pulls in national honors on the heels of one of the best offensive seasons by a Titan in program history. Averaging 19.3 points per game, Bardic torched opponents for 561 points over the course of the season. Her total is third-most in a single season in program history, while it sits 12th across Division III this year. She ranks 23rd in points per game, 72nd in three-pointers made (58), and 76th in steals (70). Bardic landed First Team All-Region 8 honors from D3hoops.com and was also a unanimous First Team All-CCIW pick. A nominee for CCIW Player of the Year, Bardic earned the league's weekly award once. She will play in the WBCA All-Star game in Salem, Va. this weekend.

One of the most tenacious defensive players in Mia Smith's tenure, White turned in a career year in her final season donning the Green and White. The Downers Grove, Ill. native scored a career-high 390 points, averaging 13.4 points per game. She hauled in a team-best 111 steals as she broke the IWU career steals record and moved into second on the all-time CCIW list. A unanimous First Team All-CCIW pick, White was voted D3hoops.com Second Team All-Region 8. She also hauled in CCIW Player of the Week and D3hoops Team of the Week honors this season. White's stat line included team-leading marks of 128 assists and 21 blocks. She shot 41.3 percent from the floor, 33.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 79.7 percent at the free throw line. Nationally, White sits sixth in steals and 17th in assists. 

Illinois Wesleyan put together a 23-6 season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Titans, who were ranked in the top-25 in both the D3hoops.com and WBCA polls regularly throughout the season, shared the CCIW regular season before claiming the tournament championship on the road. 

Here are the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches' All-Americans:

Jaycie Christopher, University of Southern Maine
Elsa Daulerio, Bates College
Brianna Fitzgerald, SUNY New Paltz
Natalie Gricius, Carroll University
Kaci Kranson, University of Scranton
Macy Miller, Ohio Wesleyan University
Caroline Peper, New York University
Mary Schleusner, Washington & Lee University
Paige Seckar, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Ada Taute, Denison University

Here are the student-athletes who received 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches' All-America honorable mention:

Addisyn Banks, Shenandoah University
Ava Bardic, Illinois Wesleyan University
Carolae Barton, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Brooke Batchelor, New York University
Elaina Beckett, McDaniel College
Jacqueline Berry, Hardin-Simmons University
Sammi Beyer, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Riley Brady, Hendrix College
Zoey Buchan, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Kristin Bukata, Elmhurst University
Helana Chadwick, McMurry University
Alexa Charles, Hunter College
Abby Cooch, Denison University
Alyssa Craigwell, Montclair State University
Bri Frongillo, Emerson College
Grace Galgano, SUNY Geneseo
Lexy Harris, Washington University (St. Louis)
Grace Jaffray, Johnson & Wales University
Stephanie Jean-Baptiste, SUNY Brockport
Virginia Johnson, Smith College
Grace Kinum, Bowdoin College
Caydee Kirkham, Coe College
McKenzie Matheny, Randolph-Macon College
Maya Metcalf, Concordia College-Moorhead
Liv Monturo, Messiah University
Makenna Mummert, Elizabethtown College
Samaree Perkins, Capital University
Jelena Perovic, Union College
Abbie Quinn, Bowdoin College
Keimarya Rivera, Oglethorpe University
Kaeli Romanowski, University of Scranton
Ava Ryncarz, John Carroll University
Lauren Sansano, Texas Lutheran University
Emma Shinney, Endicott College
Kathleen Smith, Williams College
Micah Walton, Williams College
Elyse Warren, Millsaps College
Renee Wells, William Paterson University
Sawyer White, Illinois Wesleyan University
Ashtyn Wick, University of Redlands