Video: Grace VanSlooten reflects on winning gold with USA
MSU’s Grace VanSlooten talks about her experience with USA basketball at the FIBA AmeriCup on July 14, 2025.
Michigan State senior forward and captain Grace VanSlooten has been named preseason All-Big Ten by the media and coaches.
VanSlooten was one of 10 players honored on the squad, which is headlined by preseason player of the year Lauren Betts of UCLA.
Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke, Michigan’s Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, UCLA’s Kiki Rice, Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge and Maryland’s Yarden Garzon and Kaylene Smikle joined VanSlooten and Betts in being named preseason All-Big Ten by the coaches and media.
Washington’s Sayvia Sellers was selected to the coaches preseason team, while teammate Elle Ladine made the media preseason team.
The 6-foot-3 VanSlooten, who is in her second season with the Spartans after transferring from Oregon, was a second team All-Big Ten selection as a junior in 2024-25 while helping MSU win 22 games and reach the second round of the NCAA tournament. She averaged 15.5 points and 7.3 rebounds last season and led MSU in scoring and finished 15th in the Big Ten in rebounding.
VanSlooten finished her junior season strong and had double-doubles in both the Spartans’ NCAA tournament games. This offseason she won gold with Team USA at the FIBA AmeriCup.
UCLA tabbed favorite
UCLA was pegged as the preseason favorite by the media and coaches followed by Marland being the runner-up. Â In the media preseason rankings, USC was picked to finish third with Michigan and Ohio State following. The coaches rankings had Michigan being third with USC and Ohio State following.
The Big Ten only released the top-five teams in its preseason poll.
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and Bluesky @briancalloway.