Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats newsletter. We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Hudl. Hudl’s industry-leading tools - Sportscode, Instat, and Fastmodel - elevate the preparation, performance, and player development of WNBA and NCAA teams. We appreciate their support and look forward to working with them to help bring more insight about the women’s game to you.

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Welcome to the final installment of our series spotlighting each of the five finalists for the 2026 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. Each day this week, we will publish a spotlight on one finalist for this year’s award, introducing you to each of these spectacular players.

Monday - Adrianna Smith, Maine

Yesterday - Avery Koenen, North Dakota State

Today - Maggie Doogan, Richmond

Tomorrow - Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State

Friday - Mia Nicastro, Western Illinois

Her first two years of college basketball at Saint Louis University weren’t all Mia Nicastro expected. That’s when JD Gravina, the Western Illinois Leathernecks, and the small town of Macomb, Ill., came into her life.

“I think I realized just how much I wanted somewhere that valued me and just cared about me as a person as well as a basketball player,” Nicastro said. So I just knew that I wanted somewhere right, where I felt wanted, where I felt loved, where I knew that I would have coaches and teammates that would believe in me and allow me to just play my best basketball and allow me to be happy. And that’s exactly what Western gave me when I came on my visit.”

The town of Macomb also played a part. The rural town sits about 75 miles from Peoria and is the home of just over 15,000 people. Those people love their small university.

“The community here at Western and Macomb is really, really special,” Nicastro said. “The community is so involved in our program and just Western as a whole, because Western is kind of the heart of Macomb. But women’s basketball, especially, we gather so much support from the community and just love from everyone, which is a really special thing. You don’t have that everywhere.”

Nicastro wasn’t completely new to Gravina. He had watched her in high school when she played travel ball with current teammate Addi Brownfield. After a couple of unsatisfying years at Saint Louis University, Nicastro was back on the market, and he had another chance to get her.

“It’s actually funny,” Gravina said. “I went back, and I had gotten an email from a guy I think it was Mia’s sophomore, junior year, just about how good she was going to be, etc. And we kind of started the process, as far as talking to the AAU coach and stuff, and quickly realized she was a little out of our level to recruit. But from watching Addi and getting to watch Mia play for the Missouri Phenom EYBL team, we knew how good of a player she was, and so that definitely gave me the understanding of how she would fit in our level.”

Nicastro averaged 15.7 minutes per game and appeared in 36 games as a freshman, but those numbers took a dive during her second year at SLU. After making 24 starts as a rookie, she had none in 26 appearances as a sophomore and played just 5.4 minutes per game.

“I remember coming in here, into his office for our one-on-one visit on my official, and he was telling me that he thinks I could be first team all-conference,” Nicastro said of Gravina. “You know, telling me all these things that he thinks I’m capable of. And I was kind of just like, I mean, I loved it, but I was like, This is crazy, because he had really nothing to go on. I mean, I played a decent amount my freshman year, but then my sophomore year, I didn’t play at all. So he’s going off of, really, just his own gut feeling, and that’s a pretty special thing.”

Gravina could see why she might be struggling at SLU. He thought he could fix it just by tweaking a few things.

“We did watch some film, especially from her freshman year at SLU,” Gravina said. “I feel like they were trying to turn her into a different type of player than what she really was. And so when we kind of put those two things together the way that she did, kind of battle and trying to be a little bit more of a low post player at SLU even though that’s not her style. And then we added that to the main game of Mia, which is kind of an open up in some space, type of more of a stretch 4 type of kid. We kind of put those two together and thought, man, at this level – and I remember telling her this – you can have the best of both worlds.”

Merging the best of the two styles brought out the best in Nicastro. Her minutes shot up to 32.7 per game in her junior year, and she scored 15.3 points per game for the Leathernecks. After shooting no better than 13 percent from 3 in her two years at SLU, she shot 30.4 percent in her first year at WIU.

Things got exponentially better this season. Nicastro was fourth in the country with 24.1 ppg. She averaged nearly a double-double with 9.8 rebounds per contest. Her outside shooting got even better, shooting 37.7 percent from beyond the arc. She finished as the OVC Player of the Year.

It made a huge difference for the team, too. The Leathernecks went to the postseason both years Nicastro was in town. This year, they made their second NCAA Tournament in Gravina’s 15 years at the helm.

The first year together, Nicastro and her teammates went to the WNIT. While she showed her potential and the postseason was a good accomplishment, it wasn’t good enough. Everyone wanted more.

“She was really driven, especially after that first year,” Gravina said. “She had that taste of success. I mean, she was a first-team all-conference player. I think our team success wasn’t quite what any of us wanted that first year. And she just had this crazy, driven look in her eye…I mean, I’ve never seen a kid practice so well, so consistently from July until our first game. It was unbelievable.”

It paid off. The team went 26-6 overall and 16-4 in the OVC. They earned the top seed in the OVC tournament and defeated second-seeded Lindenwood 71-65 to snag the automatic bid to the tournament.

It was the goal from the start of the season. More importantly, it wasn’t an outlandish goal.

“It’s just such a surreal feeling,” Nicastro said. “When we came here in the summer, every team’s goal is win the conference tournament, go to NCAA tournament, but there’s very few teams I think that actually can come in in the summer and be really confident that that’s something that you’re capable of… And I think we came in the summer with really big goals and big dreams, and we knew that we were capable of doing that this year.”

It was also a relief. As a member of the OVC, Gravina and his team knew they had to get that automatic bid to play in the Big Dance. After the great year they had, anything short of playing in the tournament would be painful.

“The weird that mid-major teams deal with that Power 4 teams have no idea, and that is the pressure of the conference tournament,” Gravina said “It’s actually the scariest feeling in the world to know that we could have done everything we did, and then if we had lost that game against SEMO or Lindenwood, you feel like we were a little bit of a disappointment. And that’s terrible. That’s not the way it should be, but that’s the way it is.”

It almost didn’t happen. The eighth-seeded SEMO Redhawks took an 8-point lead at the end of the first quarter. They led by as many as 16 with 7:25 to go in the third. Then, Western found its footing.

“We just start playing like crazy basketball to get it back, and then we win,” Gravina said. “It’s like everything was just aligning. It just felt like it was really our time.”

The dreams ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when Western fell to North Carolina, but that didn’t diminish the season. It did bring Nicastro to the point where she must prepare for the next phase of her life.

The accounting major likes logic, numbers, and reliable things. She’s a realist. Kind of like knowing that getting to the tournament rather than winning a national championship was the dream for her team, Nicastro also knows that the WNBA probably isn’t in the cards for her.

“With everyone who doesn’t know it as well, it’s like, ‘oh, you’re going to the WNBA,’” she said. “I’m like, you know, it’s really hard to get drafted as a mid-major…Wherever I go is where I’m supposed to be. And you know, if I end up making a training camp roster, great. That’s just such a tough thing within itself, and then getting through training camp and make an actual roster. So most likely kind of planning on going overseas and playing somewhere.”

Even that isn’t a long-term goal for Nicastro. She doesn’t plan on playing more than three or four years. After that, she wants to pursue more education and work in her field.

She is studying for her CPA right now. When she’s done playing overseas, she wants to come back to the U.S. and become a graduate assistant somewhere. That will give her the opportunity to pursue her MBA.

“It’s kind of the best of both worlds, because you get to go travel while you’re young and play basketball,” she said. “I’m playing my best basketball right now. I get to play basketball as a job. I get to travel, kind of see the world when I’m young. But then, for me, at least, you don’t want to stay too long, because then you don’t want to pass up all the other stuff that life has to offer when you’re getting into your later 20s.”

When that time comes, she will take lessons and enduring relationships from her years on the court. She thinks when the time for marriage comes, most of her bridesmaids will be women from her years on the court.

“It’s given me something to really just put my passion into,” Nicastro said. “That’s allowed me to showcase my work ethic and my drive, and kind of build all those skills that I believe are really valuable to a young girl – to really, anyone, really, any adult…Work ethic, drive, passion, consistency, kind of all those traits that I think you kind of develop through loving a sport so much…I genuinely love playing basketball. I don’t know how many people in their lives can say that they genuinely love doing something.”

Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats newsletter. We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Hudl. Hudl’s industry-leading tools - Sportscode, Instat, and Fastmodel - elevate the preparation, performance, and player development of WNBA and NCAA teams. We appreciate their support and look forward to working with them to help bring more insight about the women’s game to you.

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Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats newsletter. We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Hudl. Hudl’s industry-leading tools - Sportscode, Instat, and Fastmodel - elevate the preparation, performance, and player development of WNBA and NCAA teams. We appreciate their support and look forward to working with them to help bring more insight about the women’s game to you.

You can find HHS on Bluesky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Welcome to the third installment of our series spotlighting each of the five finalists for the 2026 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. Each day this week, we will publish a spotlight on one finalist for this year’s award, introducing you to each of these spectacular players.

Monday - Adrianna Smith, Maine

Yesterday - Avery Koenen, North Dakota State

Today - Maggie Doogan, Richmond

Tomorrow - Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State

Friday - Mia Nicastro, Western Illinois

Maggie Doogan had a few must-haves when she was looking for a college program. What did it offer academically? Where was it? How big were the classes? She found those things at Richmond.

“I wanted a school within a six-hour radius of my home,” Doogan said. “I’m from outside of Philadelphia, so Richmond is a four, four-and-a-half-hour drive at times, which isn’t bad. I wanted a high academic school. Obviously, Richmond is one of the best in the country, so that was definitely on the pros list. And I always grew up going to a private school, Catholic school, so I always had smaller class sizes. So that was something that I looked for.”

That’s not to say there weren’t things on the court that attracted her, as well. Head coach Aaron Roussell caught her eye with both his demeanor and his history.

“I was watching what Coach Roussell had done at Bucknell,” Doogan said. “I was watching what he was doing at Richmond, and the players that he was bringing in, and I just really saw a vision for what the program is becoming and what it could be when I get there. He did a really good job of telling me that he wanted me there, but also kind of gave me some space to make my decision, and he didn’t pressure me into any kind of answer. And he just respected the time that I was taking in my decision.”

The patience paid off for both sides. Doogan and the Spiders had their season end at the hands of Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament, but it wasn’t before they fought to do something a lot of mid-majors don’t get to experience. Three tourney appearances with two coming as at-large bids is a pretty big deal. A WNIT bid as a freshman meant that Doogan and her teammates went to the postseason all four years of her college career.

On a personal level, Doogan is not only one of the finalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, but she also earned recognition as one of the finalists for the Katrina McClain Award. That award honors the best power forward in all of Division I. Doogan was named to the final five along with UConn’s Sarah Strong, South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, Duke’s Toby Fournier, and NC State’s Khamil Pierre.

It’s not just about one player. The Spiders got the No. 3 seed in the A-10 Tournament but fell to No. 2 George Mason in the semifinals. That might have been the end of their season, but Roussell had done what he could to see his team earn an at-large bid if they didn’t win the league’s automatic berth.

Roussell said that they had difficulty getting teams ranked in the No. 10-40 NET range to play, so the plan was to play as many conference champions and as many high-major teams as they could.

“As hard as it is for a mid-major to get in at large, we wanted to give ourselves a chance, because you just never know in a conference tournament,” Roussell said. “You never know if you’re going to play well, shots are going to go in. And, quite honestly, I have a lot of respect for the other teams in our league, and know it’s difficult to win three games over three days. So we’ve really tried, as best we can, the last two years to put together a schedule that would allow us to have a chance.”

Even days before Selection Sunday with a No. 37 NET, Roussell and Doogan weren’t comfortable with where the team sat.

“I hope that you are right, that we have a pretty good shot,” Roussell said. “You know, when you’re in this position, you just never know.”

It happened for Doogan and her teammates, but it was uncomfortably close. They were slotted into the First Four as a No. 11 seed. They had to battle Nebraska for the right to play Baylor in the round of 64.

The game didn’t go Richmond’s way, but Doogan walked away from college basketball with another huge all-around effort for her program. She finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. It was her 21st double-double of the season.

Doogan finished her senior campaign as one of two players this season to average 20+ points per game on at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three, and 85 percent from the free-throw line. Before this season, the only other players to put up those numbers since 2009-10 are Paige Buckers and Kelsey Plum.

Shining a light on the Spiders has been one of her goals. Even the personal accolades help do that.

“It’s kind of surreal to be on a list with such great players,” Doogan said. “I never thought that this would ever happen. So just super grateful. But I just love the national attention that my team in Richmond is getting because of all of this. I feel like people see my name and they don’t really recognize the University of Richmond, at least that’s what it was before I got here. So just me being able to succeed and bring national attention to the university and my team is just something that I’m super proud of.”

Roussell said he never wanted Doogan’s awards to be about others, though. He had specific goals for her this year.

“Knowing Maggie, she would probably tell you that it’s important that she put some shine on our program,” Roussell said. “I’ve never really thought of it like that. I think I’ve probably thought of it the other way. I want our player, I want our kid to get as much attention as she deserves and as she can get. So I don’t think I’ve ever tried to push Maggie or tried to get her to win awards. I knew when Maggie came back, one of my uber important goals was to get her back to the NCAA Tournament. The other one was to put her in the best position that we could and that I could, to get her drafted and ready for the WNBA. Those were really my goals.”

Doogan introduced some wrinkles to her game that may help her in that next step. One was taking more 3-point shots, although Roussell said it’s something she has always done in practice.

She attempted 3.8 per game and hit 40.6 percent of them as a junior. She had never attempted more than the 4.6 she took as a sophomore until she reached her final year. As a senior, Doogan took 6.6 shots per game from beyond the arc and hit 40.4 percent of them, narrowly missing her career high in efficiency.

“Honestly, I don’t know why I’m relying so much on my three this year,” Doogan said. “It’s definitely something that I have worked on a lot in the offseason after last year. I shot pretty well in the March Madness tournament last year, and something I wanted to focus on in the summer was just getting a quicker release and really working on my footwork to get into my shot. So I’m not surprised that I’m shooting a little bit more than last year. I think also my ability to get to the basket kind of gives defenders a reason to play off of me a little bit. So I think especially earlier in the season, I was able to get my shot off a lot quicker just because of my ability to also put the ball on the floor.”

Despite operating outside a little more often, Doogan still had her best year on the boards. She matched her career high with 1.1 offensive rebounds per game and had a career high of 7.9 rebounds per game.

With her college career in the books, Doogan is playing the waiting game again. The WNBA wrapped up its contract negotiations, so the draft is her next goal. If the past four years are any indication, she has a big future ahead of her at the next level, whether it’s at home or overseas.

“I’m a big competitor, so obviously just going out and playing the best competition in the country every single night is something that gets me super excited,” Doogan said. “But I’ve been watching the WBA since I was super young. I watched Elena Delle Donne growing up, and watched Breanna Stewart in college and also in the pros. So I’ve just watched these big names just continue to grow the game, and I kind of hope to do the same, but it’s just been a dream of mine since I was really young. I know that’s kind of cliche, but it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a really long time, and I just kind of hope to fulfill that dream.”

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It was the “family atmosphere” of the Saint Joseph's women’s basketball program that ultimately made her decide to play there, given she would be so far from everything she’d ever known.

“They did a really good job of including me,” says Ziegler, who is at the tail end of her junior year at Saint Joseph's – her best season yet. “To think back at the player and person I was three years ago, the development has been crazy.”

After playing youth basketball in Denmark, Ziegler came to the United States with a lot of skill, but was not used to the positional aspect of college basketball. She describes a system back home where every player is taught to play every position, and there is no distinction between frontcourt and backcourt players.

That meant she arrived at Saint Joseph's with a ton of versatility, and it was up to head coach Cindy Griffin to refine Ziegler’s skills in a way that made her a dominant post player.

“It taught us to see the game from so many different angles,” Ziegler describes. “When I got here, I had never played back-to-the-basket. Coach said, ‘Well, you’re 6’1, you gotta be in the paint.’” She jokes that she “can never stop talking about European basketball.”

It was that mix of not only mature skill but also a mature personality that stood out to Griffin when she first met Ziegler as a teenager.

“International students have to be a bit more mature, since they are that much further from home,” Griffin says of a younger Ziegler. “How much impact [a player will have] is always up in the air, but we knew with her skill set she could complement our team well.”

Ziegler has definitely developed, going from averaging 11.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a freshman to 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as a junior. She also averaged 4.1 assists per game this season and shot 32% from distance on 4.9 3-point attempts per game — a testament to that well rounded skill set she came with.

“Being more stable in my performances,” is what Ziegler is most proud of when she thinks about her junior season. “Coach told me early in the season that my job was to go out there and get double-doubles.”

Even on a phone call, Ziegler’s positive energy and love of the game shines through. She’s been a captain of her team for two seasons now, and she knows that her time on a college team is “precious.” She’s soaking up every second of her time at St. Joe’s – on and off the court.

When it comes to off-court hobbies, Ziegler loves to journal and read. Her latest love is modern poetry; along with teammate Paula Maurina, the pair gets together to compare and discuss the poetry they’ve been reading.

“It sounds so simple, but I just love spending time with my friends,” Ziegler says, knowing the importance of balance already at a young age. “It sets us up for success later in life,” she says of the balancing act between sports, academics, and maintaining a social life. “Yet it’s okay to seek help – whether in sport or academics or mental health. Let other people help you with what they are good at.”

That mentality is something that makes Ziegler such a good leader and communicator, something that has helped Griffin develop as a coach herself. “She sees how players can be successful, she’s helped me in getting a pulse for the team more,” says Griffin.

Ziegler knows her time as a college athlete is limited, but when it comes to the future, all she knows is that she wants the game to be a part of it.

“I want to go pro and see where I could play,” she says. “After that, whether it’s coaching, being a trainer, sports psychiatrist… there’s so many things I would love to do.” For now, it’s about staying in the present. “Our team spends a lot of time watching sports; we have so many friends on different St. Joe’s teams. There’s also March Madness – we just enjoy each other’s company.”

The mentality of hard work paying off is what motivates Ziegler to be better for herself, and for her team. “It pays off, it really does,” she says.

As for advice for younger players, Ziegler says that they need to dream big. “I would have never even dreamt to be where I am now,” she says, “The standards I hold myself to now, I never would have dreamt for that to be the standard. You have to dream big and then work hard.”

She may not have imagined being where she is today, but Laura Ziegler now knows to dream beyond what you think it’s possible. It’s that spirit that will continue to boost her as she continues her ascension into a basketball star.

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She’s been one of the top players not just in mid-major women’s basketball but across Division I over her career, but that doesn’t mean Yvonne Ejim didn’t have things to learn. The Gonzaga forward added to her game in her fifth season as a Bulldog, helping the team remain one of the heavyweights in the WCC again this year.

Last year’s winner of the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award was surrounded by experienced players last season. This season, she had to adapt to the absence of Brynna Maxwell, Kayleigh Truong, Kaylyne Truong and Eliza Hollingsworth. All were fifth-year starters for the team last year.

That required buy-in from everyone.

“I think definitely just following the process and just diving into each other,” Ejim told Her Hoop Stats. “Coaching each other, helping each other back up, and just being a support, I think that's something that's really gotten us to where we are now, and it's really helped everyone develop just beyond what they've been able to do this season.

“Trusting the process, going at it every day, and just competing and wanting it. There's only so much you can control … but that attitude and that effort of wanting it for yourself and the people around you, I think that's really what this team is about, and what we continue to play by.”

With so much of the starting lineup leaving, Ejim could have chosen to go professional last year. She didn’t. Gonzaga was where she wanted to be, even if the team didn’t look quite the same.

In addition to staying somewhere she loved with a coach she respected, it gave Ejim a chance to develop and use different parts of her game. The biggest change was her willingness to take the three, which she felt helped this version of Gonzaga.

“It's always a constant development for me, just being able to kind of craft that toolbox I have of who I am as a player,” Ejim said. “So being able to extend myself even more, I think it's not only advantageous to myself, but also to my team, and how I can then make my other teammates open and give them an advantage.”

Entering this season, Ejim had never averaged more than 0.5 3-point attempts per game, her average two seasons ago as a junior. This year, she more than doubled that to 1.3 per game. While she only hit 25.6 percent of those shots, it gave her the opportunity to work on things that may help her as she moves into her professional career after this season. As a 6-foot-1 forward, being a threat from outside could help her get more looks – and being a pro is definitely what the star wants.

“I want to become a professional, either in the WNBA or overseas,” Ejim said. “That's my plan, just being able to play in different styles of basketball, either in America or in Europe or Asia or Australia. Getting a lot of experience and hopefully… hopefully bringing that not only to my game but to Canada basketball and a lot of the other teams that I hope to join in the later years.”

Her role with Canada basketball is extremely important to Ejim. She played for her country in the 2024 Olympics and has taken a lot of that back to Gonzaga. It wasn’t just about what happened on the court, though.

“The best lesson that I learned from the Olympics is just knowing your worth and knowing why you're there,” Ejim said. “I think a lot of what people see and what they talk about is everyone that got there, and they're competing, but I think we miss out on the part of all the hard work that was put in to get there in the first place.

“And I think knowing that all the athletes that were able to do that, all the coaches and things like that, they put in so much effort leading up to that. I think that's where the value really lies, just relying on that, having confidence in that, knowing that you worked your hardest to get where you are now and that you deserve to be there.”

The team didn’t have as much on-court success this season as last year. They still won the WCC regular season crown, but Gonzaga lost to Oregon State in the conference tournament. With a NET outside the top 100 this season, an at-large NCAA Tournament bid was not on the table.

Ejim will continue showing her prowess in the postseason, though. Gonzaga is in a stacked WBIT field that includes Stanford, Colorado, Arizona, Virginia Tech and Middle Tennessee. All were in the NCAA field last year.

She will also spend a little more time being coached by Lisa Fortier. The Gonzaga head coach was diagnosed with cancer shortly before last year’s NCAA Tournament. Watching her coach go through the battle while still coaching her team has been one more lesson for Ejim.

“As a coach, she does so much for us, and I think to be on the supporting end, and being able to be players that she can lean on, that she can trust and that she knows not only have her back off the court but on the court as well,” Ejim said. “And just knowing that we can all collectively, be a presence for each other. I think just doing that for Lisa showed how much that matters for how we do that to all the people around us. And just seeing her go through it, I mean, just truly inspiring and amazing to see the hurdles she's jumped through for this team, for herself, for her family, and for Gonzaga as well. She wanted to keep going. She didn't stop. And I think just pouring a lot of that drive and that effort into us, I mean, we see it right in front of us, so we can take from her and learn a little bit and kind of put that into how we show up every single day.”

Her time at Gonzaga is growing short, but Ejim will be remembered as one of the best to have come through the program when it’s over. Right now, there’s still work to be done and a title to be chased, but that’s not the most important thing to her in her last few games.

“Joy for the game, joy for playing with my team, for the school in this environment, I think that's what I really want,” Ejim said. “Basketball is basketball. There's only so much you can control, and it's great. And with that, you get another day to play. You get another day to keep working, or another workout or another gym session. The basketball is always going to be there, but that experience in the moment that I get with my teammates, with my coaches, with the people in the school and kind of like the staff and [SID Grace Whiteley] right beside me, those are the moments that I really hope that I get to cherish a little bit longer, just knowing that this is coming up as the end of my college career.”

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This year’s midseason list includes representatives from 14 teams and 10 conferences. Five conferences – the MEAC, Mountain West, Missouri Valley, Sun Belt, and WCC – placed two players on the watch list. Norfolk State becomes the third team (Ohio - 2021, Gonzaga - 2023) to place multiple players on a single midseason watch list.

Murray State’s Katelyn Young becomes just the second player to be named to the midseason watch list three times, joining Dyaisha Fair who did so three times for Buffalo. All stats only include games against Division I opponents unless otherwise noted.

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Izzy Higginbottom, Arkansas St., Jr., G
2023-24 Stats: 22.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

To put it plainly, Higginbottom has posted one of the most unique combinations of stats in college basketball this season. Among the 13 players averaging at least 22 points per game, Higginbottom shoots the second-fewest shots per game (13.9), which is behind only Utah’s Alissa Pili (13.7). While Pili shoots a dominant 70% from inside the arc, Higginbottom pours it in from behind the arc and the free-throw stripe, where she shoots 51.0% and 90.3%, respectively. If she can increase her 2-point efficiency slightly, she could become the first double-digit scoring 50/50/90 Division I player (min. 10 games played) in the HHS Era (since 2009-10).

McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St., Gr., G
2023-24 Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason, 2023 Preseason, Midseason & Semifinalist

Caitlin Clark is always good company to be in on a leaderboard, and Hofschild’s name can be found in the vicinity of Clark’s in just about every statistic combining scoring and assisting excellence. Since the 2017-18 season, Hofschild and Clark are the only two players to average at least 20 points and seven assists per game (min. 10 games), and only Hofschild has done so while also turning the ball over fewer than three times per game.

Abbey Hsu, Columbia, Sr., G
2023-24 Stats: 21.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 1.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason, 2023 Preseason, Midseason & Semifinalist

Hsu has already made her mark in Columbia and Ivy League record books, but the senior guard has found another level this season. Hsu is currently averaging career highs in points (21.4), rebounds (7.1), and steals (1.7) per game, while also tying her career high in assists (2.4) and blocks (0.8).

Katie Dinnebier, Drake, Jr., G
2023-24 Stats: 19.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 6.3 APG, 2.9 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason

Dinnebier has stepped up big-time as a scoring threat this season, helping fill the void left behind by the graduation of Maggie Bair and Megan Meyer. More impressively, Dinnebier has done so without sacrificing scoring efficiency or her willingness as a passer. The junior guard is on pace to become the first player in the HHS Era to average at least 1.40 points per scoring attempt on 10-plus shots per game while also assisting on at least 40% of their teammates’ made field goals while on the court.

Meghan Andersen, Fairfield, Fr., Road Runner
2023-24 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Andersen has gone under the radar as one of the most impressive freshmen in the nation this season. A big part of Fairfield’s rise in the ranks of mid-major programs, Andersen’s balanced offensive attack spreads the floor for the Stags and makes it difficult for opponents to guard her with a typical big or a typical perimeter player. The freshman is on pace to be the first freshman in the HHS Era to shoot 60% from inside the arc and 40% from deep (min. five 2PA and five 3PA).

Terren Ward, Ga. Southern, Sr., G/F
2023-24 Stats: 23.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.9 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Ward does it all for Georgia Southern, ranking seventh nationally in scoring and 25th in rebounds per game. Ward is the only player in the nation averaging at least 23 points and 10 boards and is on pace to join Kierstan Bell as the only two players to do so while also tallying 1.5 steals and two 3-pointers per game (2020-21). Oh, and she did this.

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga, Sr., F
2023-24 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason, 2023 Midseason, Semifinalist, & Finalist

Ejim has cemented herself as the best player on a team that will be vying for the very rare first and second-round hosting bid for a mid-major in the NCAA Tournament. That is thanks in large part to Ejim showing up big time against resume-building opponents. She posted 27-point outings against Stanford and Arizona, she dropped 23 points on Louisville, Alabama, and a sneaky good Eastern Washington team, and she scored 22 points in just 25 minutes of action against Toledo on just 10 shots.

Katelyn Young, Murray St., Sr., F
2023-24 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason, 2023 Preseason & Midseason, 2022 Midseason & Semifinalist

Young, who makes her record-tying third appearance on the midseason watch list, entered this season as one of the nation’s most consistent scorers when it came to a combination of volume and efficiency. This season, she has stayed consistent in her production in the midst of the Murray State offensive system changing in a major way. After years of anchoring a slow, half-court offense that ranked in the low 200s nationally in pace, Young has adjusted wonderfully to playing a part in the third-fastest pace in the country that utilizes hockey-style line shifts to spread minutes out.

Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk St., Jr., F
2023-24 Stats: 18.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.3 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Wheeler established herself as a great player, stepping up from her merely solid first season for the Spartans to become one of the nation’s top offensive rebounders – her 4.5 offensive boards per game rank sixth in the nation –  as well as a greatly improved free-throw shooter to avoid teams attempting a Hack-a-Wheeler strategy.

Diamond Johnson, Norfolk St., Sr., G
2023-24 Stats: 19.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 5.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason

No team is more thankful for the decision that paved the way for multi-time transfers to be granted immediate eligibility than Norfolk State. Johnson has been every bit as good as people imagined while she spent the first month of the season waiting for a ruling from the NCAA. After missing 10 games in limbo, Johnson has put up gaudy numbers through six games, including a whopping five steals per game. That ranks second in the nation among players to play at least five games, trailing only Notre Dame’s freshman phenom Hannah Hidalgo.

Tess Heal, Santa Clara, So., G
2023-24 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

For the second season in a row, Heal has been the glue holding together Santa Clara’s offense, leading the team in points per game, points per scoring attempt, assists, and assist rate. Her impact can be seen most obviously in the Broncos’s HHS Offensive Rating, where the past two seasons have graded out as the two most efficient offenses for Santa Clara in the HHS Era.

Khari Clark, Stony Brook, Gr., F/C
2023-24 Stats: 15.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Clark has been a revelation for an immensely improved Stony Brook squad in their second year since moving to the CAA from the AEC. Clark, who spent her previous four seasons with Loyola Marymount, is on track for career highs in scoring, offensive boards, defensive boards, assists, blocks, and steals.

Mia Moore, UAB, R-So., G
2023-24 Stats: 16.7 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Moore, the redshirt sophomore newcomer to UAB, is currently leading the AAC in Win Shares (2.7) as the Blazers sit at 4-1 atop the AAC conference standings. Moore can stretch the floor a bit more than the average 20-and-10 player, shooting exactly 50% from behind the arc so far this season.

Desi-Rae Young, UNLV, Sr., C
2023-24 Stats: 19.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2024 Preseason, 2023 Semifinalist

UNLV’s star center is once again putting up the type of numbers people have come to expect from her, and she has actually taken on more of a scoring role despite playing a couple of minutes fewer per game. That decrease in minutes per game is at least in part due to how quickly some games have turned into blowouts. In the marquee win so far this season that wasn’t a blowout – until a dominant fourth quarter – Young dropped 32 points on the Oklahoma Sooners.

Rachael Rose, Wofford, Jr., G
2023-24 Stats: 24.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Rose absolutely stuffs the stat sheet, and has been flirting with triple-doubles all season without breaking through. Rose has recorded four games of at least 20 points, 10 boards and five assists. That ties Caitlin Clark for the most such games in Division I this season, and Clark has played in 19 games to Rose’s 12.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, the 25-player preseason watch list was announced. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, followed by the five finalists announced in early March. The winner will be announced around the Final Four. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career. Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was named to the W25 in 2021.

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 and 2023 WNBA Championships.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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Below are the 25 watch list members, listed in alphabetical order by school. This year’s watch list includes representatives from 23 teams and 16 conferences. Gonzaga is the only team with multiple players on the watch list and becomes the first team to ever place three players on a single list. Three conferences – the Mountain West, Missouri Valley, and WCC – placed three players on the watch list.

Drake, Gonzaga, Princeton, and South Dakota have each now placed four different players on at least one watch list since the award’s inception, becoming the only teams to do so. Starr Jacobs becomes the first player to appear on a watch list for multiple teams (Arkansas Pine Bluff this season and UT Arlington last season). All stats only include games against Division I opponents unless otherwise noted.

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Starr Jacobs, Ark.-Pine Bluff, Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 18.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, 3.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason

After making last season’s preseason watch list at UT Arlington, Jacobs is gearing up for her first year with Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Jacobs can light up the box score on any given night, with some incredible single-game performances last season. In a double-overtime game against Sam Houston, Jacobs put up 35 points, 20 rebounds, four steals, three rebounds, and two blocks, the only such game in Division I last season and the first since 2012-13.

Caitlin Weimar, Boston U., Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 15.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 0.8 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Weimar saw an increased role last season despite playing only two additional minutes per game and in turn, she posted about 50% more points per game (15.5 vs. 10.3 PPG) while jumping more than 10 percentage points in effective field goal percentage. She also improved slightly as a rebounder and a shot blocker without becoming more prone to committing fouls.

Destiny Leo, Cleveland St., Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Leo was the anchor for a Cleveland State squad that went 30-5 last season, continuing to be an efficient volume scorer at every level. Leo was the only player in Division I to shoot at least 45% from two, 35% from three, and 90% from the line on at least five attempts from each per game last season, and the first since 2014-15.

McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St., Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 20.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason, Midseason & Semifinalist

Hofschild put up a nearly unprecedented combination of scoring and assists last season, joining Caitlin Clark as the only two players since 2009-10 to average at least 20 points and seven assists on at least 45% shooting from the floor. Only Hofschild has done it while also averaging fewer than 2.5 turnovers per game.

Abbey Hsu, Columbia, Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason, Midseason & Semifinalist

Hsu has been one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the country over the past two seasons, accounting for two of the four seasons since 2021-22 with at least nine attempts from deep per game while converting on at least 35% of those attempts. Hsu’s 3.06 threes per game is second among active players in 3-pointers per game (min. 150 3PM), trailing only Caitlin Clark’s 3.47 per game.

Katie Dinnebier, Drake, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 11.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

A steady hand at point guard for Drake’s constant motion offense, Dinnebier put up an impressive combination of scoring and passing efficiency in her sophomore season. Dinnebier is one of just six players since 2009-10 to average at least 1.25 points per scoring attempt (PPSA) and an assist-to-turnover ratio of at least 2.00 (min. 10 points and five assists per game). The last three players to accomplish this feat were Paige Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu, and Gabby Williams.

Megan McConnell, Duquesne, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 11.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Possibly the only player in Division I who could put up a quadruple-double, McConnell stuffs the stat sheet in all facets of the game and was the only player last season aside from Caitlin Clark to record multiple triple-doubles. McConnell became the fourth player since 2009-10 to average at least 10 points, 9.5 boards, and five assists per game last season.

Antwainette Walker, Eastern Ky., Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 21.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Walker had a breakout season in 2022-23, jumping from fewer than five points per game as a senior at Marquette up to 21 points per game at Eastern Kentucky. Walker was one of just six players last season to average at least 20 points and nine rebounds. The only other player to post those averages in the ASUN since 2009-10 was Kierstan Bell in 2020-21, the first of her two seasons winning this award.

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga, Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 1.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason, Semifinalist, & Finalist

Ejim is one of two returning finalists for last season’s award, leading a loaded Gonzaga roster in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots per game last season. Her sizable step forward last season came thanks to her ability to stay out of foul trouble, dropping her foul rate by nearly 20% compared to the previous season (5.8% vs 7.0%). With the extra time on the floor, Ejim averaged an additional 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Brynna Maxwell, Gonzaga, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 13.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason & Midseason

Maxwell was instrumental in opening up Gonzaga’s offense last season, making a major impact as a 3-point sharpshooter with incredible efficiency that pulled attention away from Ejim in the post. Maxwell was the only Division I player to shoot at least 94% from the free-throw line on at least two attempts per game (min. 20 games) as well as being the only player to shoot 48% from 3-point range on at least five attempts (min. 20 games). No player has done both of those things in the same season since at least 2009-10.

Kaylynne Truong, Gonzaga, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 15.8 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Truong was the Zags’ second-leading scorer last season while taking on the role of lead facilitator. Her 32.2% assisted shot rate ranked 46th in Division I and was a step up from prior seasons when she was primarily coming off the bench.

Savannah Wheeler, Middle Tenn., Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 15.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason

Wheeler led Middle Tennessee in scoring and assists per game, and showed up in the biggest games. Wheeler put up 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in the December win over Louisville after putting up 24 in a dominant win over Missouri State the week before.

Katelyn Young, Murray St., Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 21.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.7 BPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason & Midseason, 2022 Midseason & Semifinalist

Young continued to put up her typical efficient numbers in the Racers’ first season in the MVC, including an impressive 22.1 points per game against conference opponents, the highest average in the conference. Young is the only player in Division I to average at least 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game on at least 50% shooting in each of the past two seasons. Only six other players have at least one such season, all of whom have been AP All-American honorees in their collegiate careers.

Diamond Johnson, Norfolk St., Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 12.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Johnson is a rare impact player to transfer from a high-major conference to a mid-major conference, and she joins a Norfolk State program that was already on the rise over the past few seasons. Last season, for NC State, Johnson put up a balanced output between scoring, defense, and facilitating with an above-average usage rate of 23.3%. Her usage rate is likely to see a jump with Norfolk State.

Kacie Borowicz, North Dakota, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 21.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Borowicz’s growth over the past few seasons has been directly in line with the Fighting Hawks’ rise through the ranks in the Summit League, and she is now one of the better players in a conference that historically has plenty of top-level talent. Borowicz is the only Summit League player since 2009-10 to post multiple seasons of at least 19.5 points and four assists per game, and one of three to do so across all of Division I in each of the past two seasons.

Kaitlyn Chen, Princeton, Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 16.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.8 APG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Chen guided Princeton’s offense to a successful season with such a defensive-minded roster and system surrounding her. As a rare primary ball-handler who also was the primary scorer, Chen accounted for 41.7% of all of Princeton’s made field goals between her shots and assists.

Ny'Ceara Pryor, Sacred Heart, So., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 3.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Pryor, a 5-foot-3 guard, put up one of the most impressive freshman seasons in recent memory, becoming the first freshman since Kelsey Mitchell in 2014-15 to post double-digit scoring in every game of the season (min. 5 games). She also posted 14 games of at least 10 points, four steals, and three assists. No other freshman since 2011-12 has posted more than seven such games. Her 3.7 steals per game led the nation.

Grace Larkins, South Dakota, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

In her first year as a starter, Larkins broke out as the team’s most important player, shouldering a lot of responsibility for one of the top teams in the Summit League. Larkins led the team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. She showed triple-double capability despite not completing any, with six games of at least 10 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds, tied for the second-most in Division I.

Quinesha Lockett, Toledo, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason & Midseason

After a bit of a down, but still very effective, season in 2021-22, Lockett bounced back by adjusting her tendencies last season. With her 3-point shot not as elite as it was in her sophomore year, she cut down on threes in favor of shooting more 2-pointers, where she was much more efficient. She also took on a bit more of a facilitator role averaging nearly one more assist per game while cutting her turnovers enough to set a career-high in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.58.

Maya McDermott, UNI, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 14.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.5 APG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

After two years of coming off the bench, McDermott emerged as a leader on last season’s UNI team, especially as the primary ball-handler for a team that doesn’t rely a lot on off-ball movement and instead thrives in quick transition opportunities and finding the optimal post-up and spot-up shooters, putting a lot of importance on McDermott to make quick reads.

Desi-Rae Young, UNLV, Sr., C
2022-23 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Semifinalist

Young played a major role in UNLV’s impressive 2022-23 season, leading the 30-3 Rebels in scoring and rebounding. Young shot an incredible 59.6% from inside the arc on 11.9 attempts per game while also averaging 3.1 offensive rebounds per game. She was one of just two players in Division I to post that combination of inside scoring efficiency and volume with that volume of offensive rebounds.

Sammie Puisis, USF, Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 15.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.4 APG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Puisis was a valuable sharpshooter for USF, a team that otherwise played almost entirely inside the 3-point arc. Her ability to pour in threes opened up the paint for the Bulls’ frontcourt, and she should have even more opportunity as a scorer this season after their other top two leading scorers went to the pros.

Breaunna Gillen, Utah Tech, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Gillen did everything for Utah Tech, who saw a big step forward in just their second true season in Division I (played just two Division I teams in 2020-21). Gillen was one of just two players in Division I to average at least 17 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game.

Jordyn Jenkins, UTSA, Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 20.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 1.3 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason

In her first season at UTSA after transferring from USC, Jenkins was one of just four players in the country to average at least 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, one steal and one block per game. The other three players were all AP All-Americans.

Allyson Fertig, Wyoming, Jr., C
2022-23 Stats: 13.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.0 BPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Fertig was the leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker for Wyoming, leading them to a surprising second-place finish in the Mountain West last year. Fertig was one of two players in the nation to average at least 13.5 points, two blocks, and a rebounding rate of at least 22%, joining Iowa State’s Stephanie Soares.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major”. The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In January the 15-player midseason watch list will be announced, followed by 10 semifinalists announced in February. The five finalists will be announced in early March, with the winner announced around the Final Four. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career. Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was named to the W25 in 2021.

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 and 2023 WNBA Championships.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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Breen continued to be one of the nation’s most consistent players, now in her fourth season with Massachusetts following one-plus seasons at Penn State. Breen posted her fourth consecutive season averaging 15 points, nine rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. No other player since 2009-10 has posted more than three such seasons (min. 15 games played).

What made this season special for Breen is that she was able to put together all the best parts of her game in a single year. Breen’s 2-point field-goal percentage has risen nearly as high as it was in the shortened 2020-21 season.

Her 3-point and free-throw percentage have surpassed the career bests she posted in 2019-20. She has averaged nearly one assist more per game than last season, and her 2.7% foul rate is the best of her career.

Breen and the Minutewomen earned the No. 1 seed in the A-10 conference tournament and set a program high for regular-season conference wins in a season at 14. They advanced to the second round of the WNIT before falling in a nail-biter to Harvard.

In her career, Breen has earned two A-10 Player of the Year awards, three All-Conference First Team nods, and two A-10 All-Academic teams. Breen finishes her career as the all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,930 points.

She also ranks second in program history in career scoring average at 17.4 points per game and career rebounds with 1,101. Her 589 points this season are the program’s all-time single-season record, and her 571 points in 2021-22 rank fourth all-time.

Award Eligibility

To be eligible for the award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Below are the five finalists, listed in alphabetical order by school. This year’s finalists include representatives from five schools and four conferences. South Dakota State’s Myah Selland becomes the second player in the award’s history to be named a finalist two times, while the WCC becomes the second conference to feature two finalists in the same season.

The WCC has now had three different players make a finalist list, which is tied with the Summit League all-time. Massachusetts’ Sam Breen is the first A-10 player to be named a finalist, and Drexel’s Keishana Washington becomes the second finalist from the CAA. All stats only include games against Division I opponents unless otherwise noted and are through games on Feb. 27.

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Keishana Washington, Drexel, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 27.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.4 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Semifinalist, 2023 Midseason

Washington has flourished in her fifth season with Drexel, ranking third in Division I in scoring average at 27.1. This is a big leap from last season when she averaged 19.2 points per contest. Unlike many players experiencing such a jump in scoring volume, her scoring efficiency has actually increased as well with her 0.96 points per play a career-best.

Washington has also grown as a facilitator, averaging 4.0 assists per game following her average of 2.6 last season. Much like her scoring increase also came with an increase in efficiency, Washington’s growth as a distributor has been accompanied by a drop in turnover rate.

She is currently the only player in the country to post an assist rate of over 30% and a turnover rate below 10% (min. 500 minutes). If she can keep that up, she would be just the third player to do so since 2009-10, and the first one to do it while also scoring 25-plus points per game.

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga, Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.4 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 1.4 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Semifinalist, 2023 Midseason

Ejim has seen a big increase in usage for Gonzaga this year, making the most of her extra minutes to become a leader on a Bulldogs team that has been nationally ranked for much of this season. Ejim has largely stayed on the court for longer this season thanks to a sizable drop in her foul rate. Last season’s 7.0% foul rate was unsustainable for a player the Zags rely on heavily.

With those extra minutes, Ejim has also increased her scoring volume (16.4 points per game vs. 10.1), scoring efficiency (1.00 points per play vs. 0.88), and rebounding on both ends of the court (ranks in the top 5% for offensive and defensive rebounds per game).

Another area of her game that people may overlook is her growth in limiting turnovers. After posting a turnover rate in the bottom half of qualified players last season, Ejim is now solidly better than average ranking in the top 16% nationally.

Sam Breen, Massachusetts, Gr., F
2022-23 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.6 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2022 & 2023 Semifinalist, 2022 & 2023 Midseason, 2023 Preseason

Breen continues to be one of the nation’s most consistent players, now in her fourth season with Massachusetts following one-plus seasons at Penn State. Breen and the Minutewomen recently clinched the No. 1 seed in the A-10 conference tournament and also set a program high for conference wins in a season at 14.

Breen is on pace to post her fourth consecutive season averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. No other player since 2009-10 has posted more than three such seasons (min. 15 games played). What has made this season special for Breen is that she has been able to put together all the best parts of her game in a single year.

Breen’s 2-point field-goal percentage has risen nearly as high as it was in the shortened 2020-21 season. Her 3-point and free-throw percentage have surpassed the career bests she posted in 2019-20. She has averaged a full assist more per game than last season, and her 2.7% foul rate is the best of her career.

Alex Fowler, Portland, Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Semifinalist, 2023 Midseason, 2021 & 2023 Preseason

Fowler has been an efficient volume scorer since her first collegiate game, but this year her efficiency has reached a new level. Fowler is one of four players in Division I to average at least 1.28 points per scoring attempt while scoring at least 17 points per game (min. 20 games played). The other players on that list are a who’s who of the nation’s elite scoring bigs: Mackenzie Holmes, Alissa Pili, and Monika Czinano.

Fowler’s increase in scoring efficiency comes largely from a jump in her shooting percentage inside the arc, rising from 58.3% up to 62.5%, but her free-throw shooting has also improved this season. Fowler, whose 5.3 attempts from the stripe per game is in the top 2% nationally, has raised her free-throw percentage from 73.5% up to 79.2%.

To complement her scoring, Fowler has also seen an uptick in assists, up to 3.3 per game vs. 3.1 in 2021-22, along with a decrease in turnovers. This has resulted in the highest assist-to-turnover ratio of her career, 1.42, which ranks in the top 12% nationally.

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., R-Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.6 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2021 Finalist, 2021 & 2023 Semifinalist, 2023 Midseason, 2022 & 2023 Preseason

Selland and the Jackrabbits are cruising this season and are looking to break through after three straight disappointing exits in the Summit League tournament. In fact, all the blowout victories in conference play mean Selland’s counting stats don’t tell the full story of how dominant she has been.

Selland has been shooting a ridiculous 55.2% from behind the arc against conference opponents on 3.7 attempts per game. This is a big reason for her conference-leading 1.41 PPSA in conference play this season, which is easily the highest in her career.

For the full season, Selland’s 1.32 PPSA is also a career-high and ranks fifth in the nation among players averaging at least 16 points per game. Of that list of five players, Selland leads the group in 3-point percentage, assists, and steals per game.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, the 25-player preseason watch list was announced. The 15 midseason watch list members were announced in February, and the 10 semifinalists were announced in February. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Below are the 10 semifinalists, listed in alphabetical order by school. This year’s group of semifinalists includes representatives from 10 schools and eight conferences. The Mountain West and WCC both have two semifinalists. All stats only include games against Division I opponents unless otherwise noted and are through games on Feb. 5.

Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. And don’t forget to join the Spread the Floor team on Playback this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern for our next watch party! Watch Iowa take on Indiana with the Spread the Floor team while they discuss the game and all things related to betting on women’s basketball.

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McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St., Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 22.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason, 2023 Preseason

Hofschild is on pace to post an unprecedented combination of scoring volume, assist totals, and ball security. Hofschild would be the first player in the Her Hoop Stats Era (since 2009-10) to average at least 20 points, five assists, and fewer than two turnovers per game, and she is doing it with plenty of room to spare. She is also on pace to become just the second player in the HHS Era to post a 50% field goal percentage, 50% three-point percentage, and 80% free-throw percentage (min. 50 3PA, 50 FTA, 100 FGA).

Abbey Hsu, Columbia, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason, 2023 Preseason

Hsu has been the leader of a Columbia team that has risen to the top of the Ivy League, contributing in many ways. Hsu is one of just six players in Division I to shoot at least 42% from 2-point and 3-point range on at least five attempts each per game this season (min. 10 games). Among those players, Hsu is one of two players to also average more than four rebounds per contest. 

Keishana Washington, Drexel, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 27.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason

Washington, who was already an efficient volume scorer last season, has jumped to the upper ranks of the scoring leaderboard this season while somehow managing to be even more efficient. Even more impressive is that she is involved in 42.7% of Drexel’s shots, free throw trips, or turnovers while on the court. Despite that nation-leading usage rate, she has posted a turnover rate that ranks in the best 3% of Division I.

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga, Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.4 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason

After starting just a single game last year, Ejim has stepped into the spotlight for one of the nation’s perennial top mid-major programs. Ejim’s offensive and defensive rebounding rates both rank in the top 6% of the country, and she is one of just six players to average at least 16.5 points, eight rebounds, and half a block per game while shooting at least 50% from the floor.

Kiki Jefferson, James Madison, Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 18.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.2 APG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason, 2022 Preseason

Jefferson has improved in just about every area of her game this season to become one of the nation’s best players at filling up all areas of the box score. She has increased her scoring efficiency and set career bests in assists, rebounds, turnovers, and fouls on a volume and rate basis.

Sam Breen, Massachusetts, Gr., F
2022-23 Stats: 17.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.6 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2022 Semifinalist, 2022 & 2023 Midseason, 2023 Preseason

Breen has hit another level in conference play this season, increasing her rebounds, assists, and steals per game once A-10 action began, while raising her scoring efficiency. She is the only player in Division I to average 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and 1.5 steals per game in conference play.

Alex Fowler, Portland, Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 18.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason, 2021 & 2023 Preseason

Fowler’s scoring efficiency has exploded this season, jumping from an impressive 1.18 points per scoring attempt last season (ranked 159th) up to 1.35 PPSA, which ranks 25th in the nation. Fowler has also upped her assists (3.3 vs. 3.1) while cutting down on turnovers (2.3 down from 2.7).

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., R-Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2021 Semifinalist & Finalist, 2023 Midseason, 2022 & 2023 Preseason

Selland has led the Jackrabbits back to the top of the Summit League. They are tied for the nation’s third-longest winning streak (13, tied with UNLV) and their last defeat came at the hands of South Carolina. Throughout the winning streak, Selland is averaging 17.2 points per game on an impressive 61.2% effective field goal percentage.

Desi-Rae Young, UNLV, Jr., C
2022-23 Stats: 17.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Young’s impressive season, in which she has set career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals, has guided UNLV to a 22-2 start and into the conversation for an at-large bid – out of an underrated Mountain West – should they not win the conference tournament. Head coach Lindy La Rocque’s trust in Young to play with foul trouble has kept her on the court for more than five extra minutes per game compared to last season, a big reason for Young’s increase in output this season.

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, USF, R-Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.7 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2023 Midseason

On a balanced team with many key players, Fankam Mendjiadeu’s emergence as one of the country’s most dominant players has been a revelation for USF. She is one of just two players in the country (Angel Reese, LSU) in Division I to average at least 16 points and 12 rebounds, and has done so against a tougher schedule according to opponent average winning percentage.

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Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, the 25-player preseason watch list was announced. The 15 midseason watch list members were announced in February, and the five finalists will be announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Below are the 15 watch list members, listed in alphabetical order by school. This year’s midseason watch list includes representatives from 14 schools and 12 conferences. The WCC leads all conferences with three watch list members. All stats only include games against Division I opponents unless otherwise noted and are through games on Jan. 17.

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Destinee Wells, Belmont, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.2 APG

Previous Appearances: 2022 & 2023 Preseason Lists

Wells and Belmont have had one the most difficult schedules in the country, let alone among mid-major conference schools, and are hoping those challenges have prepared them for a successful debut season in the MVC. Even with a schedule with plenty of challenging opponents, Wells has been one of just 13 players in the country to average at least 16 points and 4.2 assists per game.

McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St., Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 22.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 7.3 APG

Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason List

Hofschild is on pace to do something that is nearly unprecedented, averaging at least 22 points and 7.2 assists per game. Since 2009-10, only one other player has done that over a full season: Caitlin Clark in 2021-22. Hofschild is also shooting an unreal 57.8% from behind the arc on 3.0 attempts per game. Since 2009-10, only Amber Rechis of FGCU in 2011-12 has shot at that high of a percentage on at least 45 attempts over a full season.

Abbey Hsu, Columbia, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 17.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG

Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason List

Hsu, after beginning her career with two great seasons as a freshman and sophomore, has hit a new level. She is on pace for career-bests in points per game, efficiency from inside and outside the arc, assists per game, and fouls per game.

Keishana Washington, Drexel, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 26.9 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.2 SPG

Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Washington has been shouldering a lot for a 13-4 Drexel team that has yet to lose at home this season. Her 26.9 points per game rank second in Division I, and she also ranks in the nation’s top 3% in assists per game at 4.1. Her usage rate of 42.5% is the highest in the country, while both her assist and turnover rates rank in the top 100 nationally.

Brynna Maxwell, Gonzaga, Gr., G
2022-23 Stats: 14.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG

Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason List

A change of scenery and an expanded role has Maxwell looking like the type of player she was as a freshman and sophomore at Utah, scoring with elite efficiency typically reserved for only the country’s best post players, not 3-point shooting wings. Maxwell’s 1.31 points per play rank second in the nation, largely a result of her 11th-best 3-point percentage (54.4%) and third-best free-throw percentage (98.1%). That would comfortably clear the all-time Division I record of 97.3% from the stripe set just last season.

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga, Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.4 SPG

Previous Appearances: First Appearance

After starting just one game across her first two seasons at Gonzaga, Ejim has flourished in a starting role this season. Ejim has increased her scoring output by 6.0 points per game (16.1 up from 10.1) while also adding 2.6 rebounds per game (8.2 up from 5.6). She has continued to rack up more than one block and one steal per game while cutting her turnover rate nearly in half and lowering her foul rate to keep her in games for longer.

Kiki Jefferson, James Madison, Sr., G
2022-23 Stats: 18.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 3.5 APG

Previous Appearances: 2022 Preseason List

Jefferson jumps back onto the list after making last season’s preseason list. She has shown improvement in scoring efficiency inside and outside the 3-point line, averaging 0.17 more points per play (PPP) this season. That improvement moved her into the top 7% nationally in PPP after ranking in just the top 24% last year. She has also set career bests in rebounds, assists, and turnovers per game to round out her game.

Sam Breen, Massachusetts, Gr., F
2022-23 Stats: 17.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.8 SPG

Previous Appearances: 2022 Mid-Season & Semifinalist, 2023 Preseason List

Breen continues to produce at the level everyone has come to expect from the UMass super senior, on pace for her fourth consecutive season averaging at least 16 points, nine rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 assists per game. That would make Breen the only player since 2009-10 with four such seasons.

Savannah Wheeler, MTSU, Jr., G
2022-23 Stats: 15.5 PPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 SPG

Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Wheeler is the second-leading scorer and leads in assists per game on a Middle Tennessee team that has gotten out to a 14-2 start including a perfect 7-0 so far in C-USA play. Wheeler has shown up in the biggest games, scoring 23 in a win over Louisville and 22 points in a win against in-state foe Belmont early in the season.

Katelyn Young, Murray St., Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 20.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.5 APG

Previous Appearances: 2022 Mid-Season & Semifinalist, 2023 Preseason List

Young entered this season as one of the nation’s premier 2-point scorers and an incredible free-throw shooter at one of the highest volumes in the nation. This season, she has kept up that reputation while also growing into a formidable 3-point threat by shooting nearly twice as many threes (3.1, up from 1.6) while raising her 3-point percentage from 37.5% to 40.9%.

Alex Fowler, Portland, Jr., F
2022-23 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG

Previous Appearances: 2021 & 2023 Preseason

Fowler’s scoring efficiency has exploded this season, jumping from an impressive 1.18 points per scoring attempt last season (ranked 159th) up to 1.39 PPSA, which ranks 29th in the nation. Fowler has also upped her assists (3.6 vs. 3.1) while cutting down on turnovers (2.2 down from 2.7).

Isnelle Natabou, Sacramento St., Jr., C
2022-23 Stats: 16.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG

Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason List

Natabou has posted very similar numbers to her breakout sophomore year, which was her first season in Division I. She has upped her scoring average from 14.8 to 16.5, doing so on more attempts and converting at a higher clip. She also ranks in the top 2% nationally in offensive rebounding rate, and in the top 9% on the defensive glass.

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., R-Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.5 SPG

Previous Appearances: 2021 Semifinalist & Finalist, 2022 & 2023 Preseason

After a shaky game in a loss at Montana State, Selland has gotten the Jackrabbits back on track, including a dominant 30-point performance in just 26 minutes against North Dakota. She followed that game up with an efficient 19 points, four boards, three assists, and three steals in a blowout win over in-state rival South Dakota.

Quinesha Lockett, Toledo, Sr., G/F
2022-23 Stats: 16.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG

Previous Appearances: 2023 Preseason List

Lockett posted great numbers last year despite a dip in scoring efficiency compared to 2020-21 but has significantly improved her 2-point scoring efficiency this season to counteract that. Lockett has also grown as a facilitator, jumping from a respectable 656th in assisted shot rate last year to the top 100 this season.

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, USF, R-Sr., F
2022-23 Stats: 16.0 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.1 SPG

Previous Appearances: First Appearance

On a balanced team with many key players, Fankam Mendjiadeu’s emergence as one of the country’s most dominant players has been a revelation for USF. She is one of just two players in the country (Angel Reese, LSU) in Division I to average at least 15.5 points, 12 rebounds, and a block per game this season.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, the 25-player preseason watch list was announced. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Below are the 25 watch list members, listed in alphabetical order by school. This year’s preseason watch list includes representatives from 25 schools and 13 conferences. The Atlantic 10 and MAC lead all conferences with four watch list members, tying the previous record for most representatives on the preseason watch list (MVC 2021-22, MAC 2020-21). Sacramento State’s Isnelle Natabou marks the first-ever appearance by a Big Sky student-athlete. All stats only include games against Division I opponents unless otherwise noted.

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Destinee Wells, Belmont, Jr., G
2021-22 Stats: 16.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2021-22 Preseason List

Wells followed up her stellar freshman campaign with an equally impressive season in 2021-22, leading the Bruins in scoring and assists on the way to a 23-8 record and the 36th-ranked Her Hoop Stats rating in the country. Now in the MVC and the increased spotlight that comes with it, Wells has a chance to elevate her profile even more.

Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green, Jr., G
2020-21 Stats: 15.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.5 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2020-21 Mid-Season, 2021-22 Preseason

Fleming missed the entire 2021-22 season with a knee injury but delivered an elite freshman season in 2020-21. Fleming scored at all levels, including an above-average 49.4% from inside the arc as a 5-foot-5 guard.

McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St., Sr., G
2021-22 Stats: 17.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.3 APG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Playing at Becky Hammon’s alma mater, Hofschild put together a remarkable junior season. Hofschild ranked eighth nationally in assists per game while turning the ball over on just 11.7% of possessions. That resulted in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.87 which ranked 11th nationally. Hofschild was one of just two players in the NCAA last season to average over 6.0 assists per game on fewer than 2.5 turnovers while also scoring double-digit points.

Abbey Hsu, Columbia, Jr., G
2021-22 Stats: 16.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.8 BPG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Hsu showed she can be a deadly high-volume three-point shooter last season, averaging 3.4 makes per game which ranked third in the country among players with at least 20 games played. Hsu also improved her free-throw percentage by 12 points, raising it from a troubling 61.5% up to a solid 73.5% over the Ivy League’s year off due to COVID-19.

Tishara Morehouse, FGCU, Gr., G
2021-22 Stats: 15.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.3 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2021-22 Preseason

At 5-foot-3, Morehouse is among the most impressive scorers inside the arc of the past decade in Division I. Her 54.1% two-point percentage last season ranked in the top 9% among qualified players and 54th among players that attempted at least 225 shots inside the arc. The players ahead of her are almost entirely made up of the nation’s most elite forwards and taller backcourt players like Caitlin Clark.

Brynna Maxwell, Gonzaga, Gr., G
2021-22 Stats: 10.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 38.0% 3P%
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

The Utah transfer joins a reloading Gonzaga team that could surprise some people this season. Maxwell saw a diminished role last season in Utah, but her freshman and sophomore seasons show her potential when she plays significant minutes. As a freshman, Maxwell shot a blistering 47.2% from behind the arc on 5.7 attempts per game.

Kayla Spruill, La Salle, Gr., G/F
2021-22 Stats: 15.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 1.4 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Spruill is capable of posting a 50/40/90 (2P/3P/FT) season, something that has only been done four times since 2009-10 on at least 100 attempts from each. Last season, Spruill was one of just two players to record a 45/55/85 season on at least 50 attempts each.

Sam Breen, Massachusetts, Gr., F
2021-22 Stats: 17.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2021-22 Mid-Season & Semifinalist

Breen ranked in the top 2% of all Division I players in both points and rebounds per game last season and was one of just four players to average 17 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists per game last season. The other three players were drafted or made a WNBA training camp roster in 2022.

Peyton Scott, Miami (OH), Sr., G
2021-22 Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.8 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

As good as her stats were last season, Scott had a slightly down season compared to 2020-21. Even with slightly fewer points, rebounds, and assists, Scott still posted one of just five lines in the country averaging 19 points, six rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game last season.

Megan Walstad, Milwaukee, R-Jr., F
2021-22 Stats: 14.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 BPG, 0.9 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2021-22 Preseason

Walstad improved last season as a scorer and a rebounder, and also nearly doubled her assist totals while cutting turnovers down to just two per game. Walstad also has played a role in Milwaukee’s historic free-throw shooting success, shooting in the vicinity of 90% each of the past two seasons while Milwaukee shot an incredible 83.8% as a team in 2020-21.

Katelyn Young, Murray St., Jr., F
2021-22 Stats: 20.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 0.8 BPG
Previous Appearances: 2021-22 Mid-Season & Semifinalist

Young is arguably the second-most efficient volume scorer in the country, trailing only Iowa’s Monika Czinano as the only two players to average 20.0 points per game on at least 1.30 points per scoring attempt (PPSA). Young also adds strong rebounding and better-than-average shot-blocking and foul rates to her profile, ranking in the top 25% nationally in both.

Shaiquel McGruder, New Mexico, Sr., F
2021-22 Stats: 14.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 1.8 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

McGruder produces on many fronts, but her two-point scoring efficiency is among the best in the nation. Her 65.9% from inside the arc ranked ninth in the country last season, and her 1.30 PPSA ranked 21st.

Skyler Gill, North Alabama, So., G/F
2021-22 Stats: 9.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 3.2 BPG, 1.6 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Gill is a shot-blocking anomaly, as our Calvin Wetzel has documented in great detail. At 5-foot-11, as a freshman, Gill was one of the nation’s leading shot-blockers last season but does so practically by controlling those blocks to start fast-break possessions. Aside from her shot blocking, Gill is an elite defensive rebounder and secures 25.4% of opponents’ missed shots when on the floor. That ranked in the top 1% of the nation last season.

A'Jah Davis, Northern Illinois, Sr., F
2021-22 Stats: 16.6 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Davis ranked in the top 75 of both offensive and defensive rebounding rates last season, and her 20.2% total rebounding rate ranked 26th in the nation.

Kayla Padilla, Penn, Sr., G
2021-22 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 4.2 APG, 0.7 BPG, 1.6 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2020-21 Preseason

After the Ivy League’s year off due to COVID-19, Padilla came back better than ever, setting career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. She is also one of the most durable players in the country, ranking 14th in the country with 37.6 minutes played per game.

Alex Fowler, Portland, Jr., F
2021-22 Stats: 17.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2020-21 Preseason

Fowler is a remarkably consistent player, posting very similar stats in each of her first three seasons. Her scoring output has declined slightly since her freshman season, but her scoring efficiency and passing prowess have both been creeping up each season and Fowler now ranks in the top 5% of PPSA and the top 7% in assist rate.

Mackenzie DeWees, Quinnipiac, Gr., G
2021-22 Stats: 13.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 3.3 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

DeWees is a strong all-around player, but she separates herself in her ability to generate steals. Her 3.3 steals per game ranked fifth in the country last season. DeWees is also a great offensive rebounder for a player of her height (5-foot-9), ranking in the top 3% for offensive rebounds per game with 2.9.

Addie Budnik, Richmond, Jr., F
2021-22 Stats: 13.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 2.6 BPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Budnik ranked 12th in the country in blocks per game last season after ranking eighth nationally as just a freshman. Budnik is one of just seven players in Division I to average at least 2.5 blocks per game in each of the past two seasons.

Isnelle Natabou, Sacramento St., Jr., C
2021-22 Stats: 14.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 1.0 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

In her first year after transferring from Iowa Western Community College, Natabou was one of 11 players in the country to average at least 14 points and 11 rebounds in at least 20 games. Out of those 11 players, she was by far the most efficient scorer, averaging 1.34 PPSA. The closest player was at 1.23 PPSA.

Brooke Flowers, Saint Louis, Sr., F/C
2021-22 Stats: 11.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.5 BPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

The reigning A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, Flowers put on an incredible defensive season in her hometown of St. Louis. Flowers’ 3.5 blocks per game ranked second in the country. Since 2009-10, only two other players have recorded a season of double-digit points and rebounds with 3.5 or more blocks and fewer than two turnovers: Natasha Mack (twice) and Ruth Hamblin.

Ioanna Krimili, San Francisco, R-Jr., G
2021-22 Stats: 19.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Krimili more or less matched her scoring output and efficiency from 2020-21, but she added to her assist average while cutting down on turnovers to bring her assist-to-turnover ratio above 1.00.

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., R-Sr., F
2021-22 Stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG
Previous Appearances: 2020-21 Semifinalist & Finalist, 2021-22 Preseason

Selland missed the first five games of last season with an injury and played limited minutes in her first several games back before taking another couple of games off. Once Selland was back for good, the Jackrabbits closed out the season on a 25-3 run, including burning through the WNIT on their way to a title. Even in limited minutes, Selland emerged as a three-point threat and raised her three-point shooting percentage from 32.8% to 46.5%.

Quinesha Lockett, Toledo, Sr., G/F
2021-22 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.8 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Lockett saw a dip in her scoring efficiency last season but was still one of the most productive players in the MAC on her way to being named to the All-MAC First Team. Lockett was one of six players in the country to average at least 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and fewer than three turnovers.

Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington, R-Sr., F
2021-22 Stats: 21.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 2.3 SPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

After two seasons at Temple College, a junior college, Jacobs broke onto the scene ranking 14th in the nation in points per game and in the top 2% in steals per game.

Jordyn Jenkins, UTSA, Jr., F
2021-22 Stats: 14.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.0 BPG
Previous Appearances: First Appearance

Jenkins joins UTSA after two seasons at USC. Jenkins is a very efficient scorer inside the arc and at the free-throw stripe and has shown flashes of success from behind the arc in very limited volume. There will be plenty of opportunities for her to increase production this season.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In January, 15 players will be named to the midseason watch list. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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HOPEWELL, N.J. (April 7, 2021) —  Her Hoop Stats is proud to announce that FGCU junior guard Kierstan Bell has been named the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year presented by Her Hoop Stats. The award, which is in its third season, recognizes the best mid-major player in the country.

Bell, who also won the award in 2021, averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game (all stats against Division I only). Since the 2009-10 season, that combination has not been accomplished by any other player. 

On a per-minute basis, Bell was among the most efficient players in the country. Her Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 38.7 ranks ninth in Division I while her 0.40 Win Shares per 40 minutes ranks 30th. The junior guard’s 31.1 points per 40 minutes played ranks first in the nation.

Bell’s usage rate of 38.0% led the nation, while her 1.02 points per play ranks 111th in the country. Since 2009-10, Bell is one of just three players to post a usage rate of at least 38.0% while averaging at least 1.0 points per play with 500 or more minutes played.

This season, Bell led the FGCU Eagles to a 30-3 record including a Round of 32 appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the Eagles lost just two games that Bell played in. Bell announced earlier this season that she will be entering the 2022 WNBA Draft, and many are projecting her to be an early first-round pick.

Bell transferred to FGCU after her freshman year playing for Ohio State after being recruited as the No. 8 player in ESPN’s 2019 class rankings. Prior to her collegiate career, Bell became the first three-time recipient of Ms. Basketball in Ohio, joining LeBron James as the only other player to be named Ms. or Mr. Basketball three times in the state.

Award Eligibility

To be eligible for the award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. Players are selected based on their on-court production in the 2021-22 NCAA season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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Hopewell, N.J. (March 9, 2022)–We are proud to announce the five finalists for the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. FGCU’s Kierstan Bell won the award in 2021. This year’s finalists include representatives from five schools and five conferences.

Below are the five finalists, listed in alphabetical order by school. Stats are through March 6 and only include games against other Division I opponents.

Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, G, Jr.

2021-22 Stats: 23.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 SPG

Dyaisha Fair is continuing to do Dyaisha Fair things, ranking fifth in the country in scoring, dishing out more assists than 96% of the country, and even limiting turnovers compared to a year ago. Fair’s turnover rate has dropped from 9.9% down to 8.3%, vaulting her into the top-50 nationally. Fair’s 7.0 offensive Win Shares ranks 10th in the country and is her career-high.

Shaylee Gonzales, BYU, G, So.

2021-22 Stats: 18.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.4 SPG

Gonzales is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while also averaging a career-low in turnovers. This jump has elevated Gonzales from a solidly above-average player to one of the most valuable players in the country this year on a per-minute basis. Gonzales’ Win Shares per 40 minutes of 0.45 ranks 17th nationally.

Jasmine Dickey, Delaware, G/F, Sr.

2021-22 Stats: 25.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.9 SPG

Dickey’s 25.0 points per game ranks third in the nation, which is thanks in large part to her volume of free-throw trips. Only two players average more attempts from the line than Dickey, and only one player makes more free throws per game. Dickey also ranks in the top 50 in rebounds per game and in the top 150 in steals per game, all contributing to her 9.0 Win Shares which ranks 20th in the country.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, Jr.

2021-22 Stats: 24.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.9 BPG

Bell, the reigning winner of this award, returned from injury on the day the semifinalist list was announced and has quickly returned to form. In each of her three games since returning, Bell has put up at least 22 points, three blocks, and two steals. If you remove the game where she sustained the injury and played just 16 minutes, Bell is averaging 25.5 points per game, which would slot in at third in the country.

Abby Meyers, Princeton, G, Sr.

2021-22 Stats: 17.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.5 SPG

On a per-minute basis, only five players have accumulated more Win Shares than Meyers. Meyers is an efficient scorer from inside and outside the arc. She is the only player this season shooting at least 45% from 2-point range on 200+ attempts, and 40% from 3-point range on 125+ attempts. The only players to accomplish that last year were Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, 25 players were named to the preseason watch list. The 15-player midseason watch list was announced in January, and the 10 semifinalists were announced in February. The winner will be announced around the Final Four. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Subscribe now

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Hopewell, N.J. (Feb. 23, 2022)–We are proud to announce the 10 semifinalists for the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. FGCU’s Kierstan Bell won the award in 2021. This year’s semifinalists include representatives from 10 schools and 10 conferences.

Below are the 10 semifinalists, listed in alphabetical order by school. Stats are through Feb. 21 and only include games against other Division I opponents.

Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, G, Jr.
2021-22 Stats: 23.8 PPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 SPG

Fair set an incredible bar in her freshman year, finishing the season ranked fourth in the country in points, while also ranking 22nd in steals and 206th in assists. Fair has kept up that level of performance through her junior season and is the only player to make all three semifinalist lists in the history of this award.

Shaylee Gonzales, BYU, G, So.
2021-22 Stats: 18.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2.3 SPG

Gonzales has been the driving force behind BYU’s rise into national awareness thanks to her improvements as a scorer and distributor. Through Feb. 21, she ranks in the top 100 for points, assists, and steals per game. BYU is currently a 5-seed according to ESPN’s Charlie Creme and may be poised for a deep run with just two losses so far this season.

Jasmine Dickey, Delaware, G/F, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 25.4 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 BPG

In terms of pure volume of production, very few players in the country rival Dickey’s stat line for Delaware. Dickey currently ranks third in the country in scoring, including third on two-point makes and tops in the nation in free throw makes per game. Plus, throw in 3.5 offensive boards (44th in Division I), 6.0 defensive rebounds (98th nationally), and her top-100 ranking in steals and blocks per game.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, Jr.
2021-22 Stats: 24.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.4 BPG

Bell, the reigning Hammon Award winner, hasn’t played in a little over a month, but the latest reports indicate she will likely be back for postseason play. In her 14 appearances this season, Bell ranks fourth in the country in scoring, 12th in rebounding average, and 104th in blocks per game. The Eagles have held their own in her absence, but if she can get back to full strength FGCU will be a dangerous team come March.

Macee Williams, IUPUI, F/C, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 18.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.1 APG

Williams is one of the most efficient volume scorers in the nation, one of just five players to average 18.0 or more points with a 1.25 PPSA or better. Of those five, Williams is the only one with at least 10.0 rebounds per game. Michigan can attest to how dangerous of a team IUPUI can be, and Williams is the largest piece to their success.

Sam Breen, Massachusetts, F, Gr.
2021-22 Stats: 16.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 APG

ESPN’s bracketology has Breen and UMass on the outside looking in right now, meaning winning the very strong A-10 conference tournament is likely the only route to the NCAA Tournament. But when you have a player who can control a game as well as Breen–who ranks in the top 10 in A-10 play in points, rebounds, assists, and steals–anything can happen.

Katelyn Young, Murray St., F, So.
2021-22 Stats: 20.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.8 APG

Young ranks 13th nationally in PPSA at 1.35 and 24th in scoring, making her one of only two players in the country with that combination of stats. If you add her 0.8 blocks per contest, Young becomes the only player on the list.

Abby Meyers, Princeton, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 18.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.7 APG

Meyers has been the go-to scorer for a Princeton team with just four losses–three to likely NCAA Tournament teams–that is projected as a 10-seed according to Charlie Creme. On a per-minute basis, Meyers ranks 19th in scoring nationally with 25.7 points per 40 minutes.

Stephanie Visscher, Stephen F. Austin, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 14.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.8 SPG

Visscher is the defensive anchor for Stephen F. Austin, the 16th-best defense in the nation according to the HHS Defensive Rating. Visscher is one of just three players nationally to average 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.

Meral Abdelgawad, Western Kentucky, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 19.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.2 SPG

Abdelgawad has taken a much larger role in the offense this season, bumping her scoring average from 10.6 in 2020-21 up to 19.8. What makes this jump even more impressive is that her efficiency has jumped significantly even with this increase in volume. Abdelgawad’s PPSA is up to 1.23 (99th nationally) after finishing last season at 1.02 (985th nationally).

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, 25 players were named to the preseason watch list. The 15-player midseason watch list was announced in January, and the five finalists will be announced in early March. The winner will be announced around the Final Four. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Haven’t subscribed to the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter yet?

Subscribe now

Hopewell, N.J. (Jan. 19, 2022)--We are proud to announce the 15 members of the midseason watch list for the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. FGCU’s Kierstan Bell won the award in 2021. This year’s preseason watch list includes representatives from 15 schools and 13 conferences.

Below are the 15 members of the preseason watch list, listed in alphabetical order by school. Stats are through Jan. 17 and only include games against other Division I opponents.

Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, G, Jr.
2021-22 Stats: 23.8 PPG, 4.2 APG, 2.3 SPG

Fair has kept up her scoring prowess halfway through her junior season, surpassing 1,500 career points in a recent game against Miami (OH). Her 23.8 points per game rank fourth in the nation. This would be her third-straight season finishing in the top-five of scoring nationally. One impressive development is Fair’s scoring efficiency this season, which she has elevated from a relatively average 0.97 points per scoring attempt up to 1.11.

Shaylee Gonzales, BYU, G, So.
2021-22 Stats: 18.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.1 SPG

Gonzales has led BYU to national prominence after the Cougars rattled off nine-straight wins to open the season to rise into the AP Top 25. Currently, the 14-1 Cougars are the No. 17 ranked team thanks in large part to Gonzales’ ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball.

Jasmine Dickey, Delaware, G/F, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 24.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 BPG

Dickey has boosted her scoring by more than two points compared to last season, currently sitting at 24.6 points per contest. In addition to her scoring jump, she is also averaging one more assist and half a block per game more than 2020-21. Dickey does an excellent job of limiting turnovers, especially given her massive role in the Delaware offense that results in her sporting the seventh-highest usage rate in the country.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, Jr.
2021-22 Stats: 26.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.3 APG

The reigning Becky Hammon Award winner is currently the nation’s leading scorer at 26.2 points per game. Her 42.2 PER ranks third in the country, and she is currently averaging 0.48 Win Shares per 40 Minutes which ranks eighth. Much like Dickey, Bell’s ability to handle the ball so frequently with such a low turnover rate is impressive. Bell also keeps opponents’ second chances to a minimum on the glass, her 28.4% defensive rebounding rate is 17th nationally.

Macee Williams, IUPUI, F/C, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.8 APG

The fifth-year senior is putting up the numbers that we’ve come to expect. Williams is currently on pace for her fourth-consecutive season averaging at least 16 points, nine boards, one assist, and one steal per game. Since 2009-10, only one other player has recorded four such seasons.

Sam Breen, Massachusetts, F, Gr.
2021-22 Stats: 17.1 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.4 APG

Breen has been the driving force behind Massachusetts’ under-the-radar great season so far. Currently, Breen is one of just two players averaging at least 17.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. The fifth-year senior has been elevating her game each season, and currently ranks 24th in Win Shares nationally.

Jasmine Franklin, Missouri St., F, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 15.2 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 2.2 BPG

Franklin suffered a season-ending ACL injury back in December, but her production up to that point certainly warranted inclusion on this watch list. Missouri State will miss her combination of scoring production and paint dominance on the defensive end. 

Katelyn Young, Murray St., F, So.
2021-22 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.5 APG

Young is one of the most efficient scorers from inside the arc, making 65.2% of her two-point attempts so far this season. She has shown the ability to make shots from behind the arc as well but has never shot more than four in a single game. She’s just a sophomore, and if she can increase her volume from deep on top of her incredible 1.40 PPSA, she could challenge for scoring titles.

Jennifer Coleman, Navy, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 23.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, 3.0 SPG

The Navy senior is stuffing the stat sheet at an unprecedented level this season. At her current rate, Coleman would become the first player in the Her Hoop Stats Era (since 2009-10) to average 20 points, 10 boards, four assists, and three steals per game. 

Abby Meyers, Princeton, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 18.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.5 APG

After not starting a single game in 2019-20, and with the Ivy League taking all of last season off due to COVID, Meyers has kicked it into another gear this season. Meyers has added a more consistent three-point shot and has bumped her free-throw percentage more than 30 percentage points up to 86.4%.

Emmanuelle Tahane, Rhode Island, F, R-Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 14.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.6 APG

Tahane is the second A-10 player on this watch list who has led their team to an under-the-radar strong start. Although most people might not realize it, Tahane currently ranks 11th in the country in Win Shares, already surpassing her solid 4.8 total she put up last season with 5.4 through 16 games. She’s matched her 2020-21 average of 4.3 offensive boards per game, which ranks 14th in the country.

Chloe Lamb, South Dakota, G, R-Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 15.6 PPG, 3.7 APG, 2.9 APG

The super-senior leader for the Coyotes, Lamb has held steady with her scoring numbers compared to last year while becoming more effective as a distributor. Lamb is averaging 0.6 more assists per game, and her assisted shot rate has risen from 14.5% up to 20.4% without seeing her turnover rate rise in response.

Stephanie Visscher, Stephen F. Austin, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 13.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.7 SPG

Through 15 games, Visscher is averaging more points, rebounds, assists, and steals than her stellar 2020-21 campaign. Her scoring efficiency has dropped slightly as she’s been tasked with a larger share of the offensive duties, but her PPSA is still well above average. Thanks to her propensity for steals, her 1.9 defensive Win Shares rank 22nd in the nation.

Danni Nichols, Western Illinois, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 19.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG

Nichols has been one of the most efficient players in the country so far this season, posting a PPSA of 1.23 and averaging 19.4 points per game to rank just outside the top-30.

Meral Abdelgawad, Western Kentucky, G, Sr.
2021-22 Stats: 20.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.5 SPG

Abdelgawad’s defensive skills have been on display for several years at Western Kentucky, but this year her offensive production has exploded. After averaging just 10.6 points per contest last year, the senior guard is now averaging 20.4 points through 15 games.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In October, 25 players were named to the preseason watch list. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.  Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. 

Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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Hopewell, N.J. (Oct. 20, 2021)—We are proud to announce the 25 members of the preseason watch list for the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. FGCU’s Kierstan Bell won the award in 2021. This year’s preseason watch list includes representatives from 22 schools and 13 conferences.

Below are the 25 members of the preseason watch list, listed in alphabetical order by school. All stats only include games against Division I opponents.

Dariauna Lewis, Alabama A&M, F, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 2.1 BPG

Named the Black College Sports Network Player of the Year for 2020-21, Lewis put up gaudy numbers for the second season in a row. Lewis was one of just two players in Division I to average 17.5 points and 13.0 rebounds for the season and is one of 23 players to do so since 2009-10. If all goes right, Lewis could be in 20-and-10 territory.

Destinee Wells, Belmont, G, So.
2020-21 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.4 SPG

In a season loaded with freshman talent, Belmont’s freshman guard Destinee Wells flew under the radar despite an excellent season. Wells racked up 7.5 Win Shares, which was tied with notable freshman Cameron Brink, and ahead of nationally hyped players like Aaliyah Edwards, Hailey Van Lith, and Diamond Johnson.

Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green, G, So.
2020-21 Stats: 15.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.5 SPG

Speaking of standout freshmen who deserve more hype, Lexi Fleming also ranked among national names like Brink, Edwards, Van Lith, and Johnson, racking up 7.0 Win Shares. Named the MAC Freshman of the Year, Fleming contributed to all facets of the game. Fleming’s turnover rate and steal rate were both in the top 4% nationally, contributing to Bowling Green being one of seven teams with a turnover rate below 16.5% and an opponent turnover rate over 22.5%.

Gabi Haack, Bradley, G, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.8 SPG

Haack had an elite offensive season leading Bradley to an NCAA Tournament berth last season. The Bradley guard’s 1.25 points per scoring attempt ranked 62nd in the nation thanks to her proficiency from behind the arc, 39.6%, and a relatively high shooting two-point percentage for a guard (56.8%). That was paired with a strong tendency to get to the line, ranking in the top 7% of the nation in free throws made per game.

Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, G, Jr.
2020-21 Stats: 24.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.9 SPG

After scoring at an almost unprecedented rate for a freshman in 2019-20, Fair actually improved her scoring in her sophomore year. This was partially thanks to a slight increase in attempts per game, but the bigger growth was in her scoring efficiency. Fair’s 0.80 Points per Scoring Attempt (PPSA) in 2019-20 improved to 0.87 last season after she got to the line more and converted free throws at a higher rate. Fair also averaged 1.6 more assists and 1.3 fewer turnovers per game.

Shaylee Gonzales, BYU, G, So.
2020-21 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.4 SPG

As only a sophomore, Gonzales led BYU to an at-large NCAA Tournament bid in 2020-21, including an upset win over 6-seed Rutgers and a near upset of the national runner-up, Arizona, in the second round. Gonzales led the team in points, assists, and steals per game, and would be the driving force if the Cougars are able to surpass Gonzaga in the WCC. 

Caitlyn Harper, California Baptist, F, R-So.
2020-21 Stats: 14.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG

Harper has always been an efficient shooter from inside the three-point line in parts of three seasons with Cal Baptist, including ranking 76th among qualified players in two-point shooting percentage at 58.5% last season. A new element of her game in 2020-21 was a strong three-point shot that brought her performance to another level.

Jasmine Dickey, Delaware, G/F, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 22.3 PPG, 9.2 RPB, 2.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Dickey was one of the best volume scorers and rebounders in Division I last season. The junior guard ranked 15th in scoring average and 64th in rebounding average. Her 34.9% usage ranked 10th in the nation, and she posted that rate with a turnover rate that was in the top 3% nationally.

Grace Berg, Drake, F, R-Jr.
2020-21 Stats: 15.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG

The 2020-21 MVC Newcomer of the Year, Berg made an immediate impact for Drake after sitting out the 2019-20 season due to transfer rules. Berg will likely have even more minutes in the rotation this season, and despite being a freshman in 2018-19 for Missouri, she still has two seasons of eligibility beyond 2021-22. Putting up the numbers she did as a sophomore, in such a strong conference, Berg could be what the Bulldogs need to keep pace with other elite programs in the Valley.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, Jr.
2020-21 Stats: 24.0 PPG, 10.6 RPB, 2.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.3 BPG

The reigning Becky Hammon Award winner, Bell led FGCU to one of its most successful seasons in program history. FGCU will not be sneaking up on anyone this season, and that is largely thanks to Bell’s excellent performance in her first year since transferring into the program. Bell was sixth in the nation in scoring average, with an unmatched combination of shooting from inside and outside the three-point line. Since 2009-10, only three other players have shot better than 67.5% from two and 34.5% from three on 100 or more attempts apiece.

TK Morehouse, FGCU, G, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.5 SPG

Bell wasn’t the only player to make a big splash in their debut season with FGCU. Morehouse, a JUCO transfer from Western Nebraska Community College, converted on 57.9% of her two-point attempts. That’s a level that is practically unmatched for most guards, let alone a 5-foot-3 guard. Since 2009-10, nobody in Division I who is 5-foot-6 or shorter has ever shot better on two-pointers on 200 or more attempts. The third and fifth place seasons both belong to WNBA player Shey Peddy.

Haley Cavinder, Fresno St., G, Jr.
2020-21 Stats: 19.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.7 SPG

Cavinder ranked third or higher on the Bulldogs in scoring, rebounding, steals, and blocks as just a sophomore. Cavinder played without many mistakes, scoring and assisting at efficient rates while posting a turnover rate (11.9%) and personal foul rate (1.6%) that were both in the top 10 nationally. On the scoring front, Cavinder added a more reliable free-throw percentage to her game last year. This season, if she can elevate her shooting percentage from behind the arc to great instead of just good, the Mountain West will have an even harder time containing her.

Jenson Edwards, High Point, G, R-Jr.
2020-21 Stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.9 APG, 0.4 BPG

Edwards led the Big South in Win Shares at 7.6, but got overlooked even within the conference, ending the season with conference second-team honors. Now, in her redshirt junior season, Edwards will have another chance to prove she’s the real deal, and with it should come more respect for High Point as a whole. The Panthers drew UConn in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, despite holding an RPI (108th) and a Her Hoop Stats Rating (81st) of a team deserving a much better seed.

Macee Williams, IUPUI, F/C, Gr.
2020-21 Stats: 18.9 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG

Williams returns to IUPUI for a fifth season, coming off of a year where she nearly averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds. Williams scored at a slightly higher clip compared to the previous season (18.9 points per game vs. 17.5 in 2019-20) despite shooting slightly less efficiently. Williams also increased her rebounding rate for the second-straight season, finishing with the 13th-highest rate in the country.

Ameshya Williams, Jackson St., C, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 15.6 PPG, 12.2 RPB, 3.2 BPG

The former Mississippi State player is going into her third season with Jackson State where she has made a huge impact. Williams was named the 2021 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, which is no surprise if you look at some of her box scores. One game, in particular, stands out: January 4 on the road against Alabama State. Williams dropped 25 points on just 13 shots, pulled down 23 boards, and rejected seven shots. No other player has put up that line in the past 12 seasons.

Kiki Jefferson, James Madison, G, Jr.
2020-21 Stats: 16.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Jefferson led the Dukes in points and rebounds and was top-3 on the team in assists, steals, and blocks last season. Jefferson scored 29.4% of her points from the free-throw stripe last season, up from 20.5% in her freshman season. If Jefferson can keep up that improvement, and continue to find ways to pour it in from both inside and outside the arc, she could become one of the most dangerous scorers in the nation.

Akila Smith, Longwood, F, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 15.7 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 3.5 BPG

Ranking second in the Big South in Win Shares, Smith recorded just the fourth 15.0 point, 10.0 rebound, 3.0 block, 2.0 steal season nationally since 2009-10. The only other player to record such a line since 2015-16 was Oklahoma State’s Natasha Mack, also last season. On January 15 against Winthrop, Smith recorded a points-rebounds-blocks triple-double, throwing in four steals for good measure.

Megan Walstad, Milwaukee, F, R-So.
2020-21 Stats: 12.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.8 BPG

In her sophomore season with Milwaukee, Walsted put up steady numbers on the offensive and defensive end. Walstad was also a key contributor in Milwaukee setting the new Division I record for team free-throw shooting percentage. Walstad’s personal free-throw percentage of 89.6% was 43rd in the nation among qualified players. On the defensive end of the court, her 25.0% defensive rebounding rate ranked 53rd nationally and her 7.0% block rate was 111st in Division I.

Brice Calip, Missouri St., G, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 13.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.1 SPG

Calip, one of the rare players who will be playing in their sixth year of eligibility, is a huge reason for Missouri State’s success on the biggest stages. Her calm and unselfish play fits perfectly into Missouri State’s system, allowing her to score at a good volume to complement her elite facilitation. Calip’s 2.68 assist-to-turnover ratio was 26th in the nation, and she wins extra possessions with her 3.4% steal rate which ranks 133rd in Division I.

Jasmine Franklin, Missouri St., F, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 12.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Franklin is an elite rebounder, ranking ninth in the country with a defensive rebounding rate of 30.3%. At the same time, Franklin’s 4.5% steal rate was the 25th-highest in the nation. Her block rate has been declining since her freshman year, but this is actually a positive. Her early dominance has scared opponents from challenging her in the paint.

Cece Hooks, Ohio, G, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 25.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.0 APG, 3.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Hooks returns for a fifth season with Ohio after withdrawing from the 2021 WNBA Draft. Hooks put together one of the best seasons in program history, ranking third in the nation in scoring and in steals per game. Only one other player has averaged 25.0 points and 3.8 steals in more than 10 games played since 2009-10. No other players have done so while adding 6.5 or more rebounds per game, not to mention 4.0 or more assists per game.

Stephanie Visscher, Stephen F. Austin, G, Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 12.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.2 BPG

Visscher’s stats may not pop off the page like some of the 20-point scorers on this list, but she has remarkable consistency and efficiency in her game. Visscher’s PPSA of 1.31 was 26th in the nation. Her steal and block rates are both in the top 10%, and she rarely ever fouls with just a 2.8% foul rate despite spending significant time at the top of a press. Her 8.1 Win Shares ranked 21st nationally last season.

Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota, C, R-Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 17.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG

No longer coming off the bench behind 2020 Hammon Award-winner Ciara Duffy, Sjerven made sure her name was known nationally in her redshirt junior season. The defensive anchor, and efficient scorer, of a very strong South Dakota team, Sjerven once again put together one of the most effective seasons in the nation. Her 0.50 WS/40 ranked fourth in the season, and her PER of 40.2 ranked only behind fellow watch list member Kierstan Bell en route to Hammon Award finalist honors.

Chloe Lamb, South Dakota, G, R-Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.8 SPG

Lamb joins her teammate Sjerven on this list after being the second-leading scorer for the Coyotes. Lamb can light it up from behind the arc, shooting 43.6% on 5.8 attempts per game. Lamb also converted efficiently from the line, shooting 85.0% on free throws.

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., F, R-Sr.
2020-21 Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG

The third returning player from last season’s five finalists, Selland is looking to bounce back from the late-season injury that sidelined her for the final five games of the Jackrabbits’ season. Selland is an incredibly efficient scorer, posting a 1.22 PPSA last year, as well as a high-volume facilitator with a 30.8% assist rate.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In January, 15 players will be named to the midseason watch list. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.

Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25. Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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Bell excelled in her first year playing in FGCU’s pace and space system, known within the program as Raining Threes. Bell is an efficient and creative scorer around the rim and behind the arc, ranking in the top 35 nationally in field goals per game from 2-point and 3-point range. She averaged 1.23 points per scoring attempt, which is 91st in the country, and her scoring efficiency is even more impressive given her volume of shots.

Bell finished the season with 10.4 Win Shares, which ranks second in Division I. She is also one of two players in the top 10 of both offensive and defensive Win Shares. On the defensive end of the court, Bell averaged 2.0 steals per game (132nd in Division I) and a whopping 2.3 blocks per game (27th in Division I). She is one of just five players to average 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals a game this season.

Bell led FGCU to one of its most successful seasons since making the move to Division I in 2007, finishing the year with a 26-3 record, including a perfect 16-0 record in ASUN competition and 25 of the last 26. FGCU’s three losses came against the 12th, 18th, and 20th ranked teams in the Her Hoop Stats Rating. FGCU was ranked No. 24 in the final AP Top 25, and the Eagles were ranked as high as No. 21 in the Coaches Poll.

This season, Bell was named the unanimous Player and Newcomer of the Year in the ASUN, and has also been named to the Wade Trophy Midseason Watch List. Bell received honorable mention AP All-American honors this season, the first such honor by an FGCU player since 2016. Bell is also a regional finalist for the WBCA All-American team.

Bell transferred to FGCU after her freshman year playing for Ohio State after being recruited as the No. 8 player in ESPN’s 2019 class rankings. Prior to her collegiate career, Bell became the first three-time recipient of Ms. Basketball in Ohio, joining LeBron James as the only other player to be named Ms. or Mr. Basketball 3 times in the state.

Award Eligibility

To be eligible for the award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. Players are selected based on their on-court production in the 2020-21 NCAA season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.

Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history. Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Subscribe now

Haven’t subscribed to the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter yet?

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Hopewell, N.J. (March 10, 2021)--We are proud to announce the five student-athletes that have been named finalists for the 2021 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. This year’s list of finalists includes representation from five teams and four conferences.

Below are the five finalists, listed in alphabetical order by school. Stats are through March 8 and only include games played against Division I opponents.

IImar'I Thomas, Cincinnati, F, Sr.
24.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 BPG

Thomas has looked great all season, but she has managed to hit another level as of late. The senior has put the team on her back, leading the Bearcats on a four-game winning streak before a loss to the AAC No. 2 seed in the conference tournament quarterfinals. Thomas has been the catalyst in some near misses in the upset department, most notably taking South Florida into overtime thanks to her 23 points and seven assists.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, So.
24.5 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.1 BPG

Bell has been a revelation for FGCU, leading the Eagles into the AP Top 25 despite several key departures from last season’s team. Bell’s scoring efficiency is something very few players have replicated in the past few seasons. Between 2015-16 and 2019-20, only three other players recorded a season with more than 1.25 points per scoring attempt and over 24.0 points per game with at least 20 games played: Megan Gustafson in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and Kelsey Plum in 2016-17. It’s always a good sign when a player shows up on lists exclusively filled with all-time NCAA greats.

Blanca Millan, Maine, G, R-Sr.
21.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 3.0 SPG

Millan has looked like her old self all season after going down early last season with an injury. The redshirt senior has the Black Bears sporting a 17-2 record, including a win over UMass Lowell where her 27 points, eight rebounds, and game-sealing block lifted Maine to a two-point win. Millan and the Black Bears have a shot at the AEC auto-bid when Maine will face off against Stony Brook on Friday. A win would put Maine back in the NCAA tournament for the third time in the last three iterations of the tournament.

Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota, C, Sr.
17.1 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.3 BPG

Sjerven has the Coyotes clicking when it matters most, winning each of their last nine games since we announced the 10 semifinalists in February. Her 0.53 win shares per 40 minutes is the third-highest in the nation, and her effectiveness on both ends of the court places her in the top 25 in offensive and defensive win shares. With a very solid supporting cast around her, don’t sleep on South Dakota in March.

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., F, R-Jr.
19.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.8 APG

Selland scored efficiently all season and was a key contributor in wins over mid-major stalwarts Gonzaga, Missouri State, and a two-game sweep over South Dakota. Despite her season-ending injury cutting short a stellar season, Selland still proved to be an immensely valuable player in South Dakota State’s resurgence in not only the SDSU/USD rivalry but also to national relevance.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In November, the 25 members of the preseason watch list were announced and the 15 members of the midseason watch list were announced in January. The 10 semifinalists were announced in early March, and the winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.

Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history. Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Hopewell, N.J. (Feb. 10, 2021)--We are proud to announce the 10 student-athletes that have been named semifinalists for the 2021 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. This year’s list of semifinalists includes representation from 10 schools and eight conferences.

Below are the 10 semifinalists, listed in alphabetical order by school. Stats are through the morning of February 8 and only include games played against Division I opponents.

Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, G, So.
24.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.7 SPG

With all the focus on this season’s crop of freshmen, one of the most productive freshmen from the 2019-20 season has been putting up even better numbers in her sophomore campaign. Fair’s scoring, scoring efficiency, assists, rebounds have all improved over last year despite playing fewer minutes per game. The most important increase is in her scoring efficiency, where she improved from 0.94 to 1.02 points per scoring attempt (PPSA).

IImar'I Thomas, Cincinnati, F, Sr.
22.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 BPG

Thomas does a little bit of everything for Cincinnati, leading the team in points, rebounds, and assists. No other player in the country is averaging 22 points, eight boards, and three assists per game, and only three other players have done so since 2015-16. Thomas has either scored or assisted on 51.0% of Cincinnati’s field goals this season, one of only four players to account for more than 50%.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, So.
22.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.2 BPG

Bell has continued to look great for FGCU, filling up the box score and leading the Eagles to a 13 game win streak after starting the season with two losses to ranked teams. Bell pours in points at an efficient clip, 1.31 PPSA, while also rebounding over 33% of opponents’ missed shots (No. 2 in the nation) and ranking No. 35 in the nation in blocks per game.

Blanca Millan, Maine, G, R-Sr.
22.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Millan has erased all doubts that she wouldn’t be the same player following her season-ending injury after only six games last season. Millan is scoring nearly five more points than her career average coming into this season in addition to career-highs in rebounding and assists.

Anastasia Hayes, Middle Tenn. St., G, R-Jr.
28.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.8 SPG

Hayes leads the nation in scoring by a comfortable margin, nearly 1.5 points ahead of the second-ranked player. The redshirt junior is one of two players in the country averaging over 25 points and five assists per game, the other player being Iowa’sCaitlin Clark. A huge reason for Hayes’ jump in scoring is her Division I-leading 11.4 free throw attempts per game.

Nancy Mulkey, Rice, C, Sr.
16.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.1 BPG

Mulkey had a challenging second half of the season in 2019-20 but has bounced back nicely this year. Rice hasn’t played a game since Jan. 16 due to a COVID-19 pause, but the senior center has averaged 4.5 more points and 1.8 rebounds per game than last year and is on pace to finish in the top-10 in the nation in blocks for the third-consecutive season.

Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota, C, Sr.
16.7 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 BPG

Sjerven is one of the most valuable players in the country on a per-minute basis (0.53 win shares per 40 minutes), and she has done it with very consistent production. In her two worst offensive games of the season--9 points vs. Kansas City and 10 points against South Dakota St.--Sjerven still contributed in other ways with 29 rebounds, five blocks, four assists, and four steals between those two games.

Myah Selland, South Dakota St., F, R-Jr.
19.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.5 BPG

Selland has been the biggest reason for South Dakota’s return to the top of the Summit League, including a sweep over the Coyotes last weekend to snap South Dakota’s 24-game league winning streak. The redshirt junior has been a highly efficient scorer her whole career, but this season she has been handed the keys to the offense to become the primary scorer. 

Kionna Jeter, Towson, G, R-Sr.
26.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.5 SPG

Jeter, who has an incredible story as we mentioned in the midseason list, has continued to put up great scoring numbers through 11 games. The redshirt senior guard hasn’t scored fewer than 16 points in a game this season and has scored 24 or more points over her past five games.

Chelsey Perry, UT Martin, F, Sr.
25.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.9 BPG

Perry, the only one of the five 2020 finalists for this award who was not a senior, has increased her scoring volume and scoring efficiency over last season but has missed UT Martin’s past three games due to an injury that is reportedly day-to-day. Perry’s WNBA Draft stock has risen this season, but it will be interesting to see when she is able to return and continue leading the OVC-leading Skyhawks.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In November, the 25 members of the preseason watch list were announced and the 15 members of the midseason watch list were announced in January. Five finalists will be announced in early March, and the winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.

Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history. Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

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Hopewell, N.J. (Jan. 6, 2021)--We are proud to announce the 15 members of the midseason watch list for the 2021 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020, with South Dakota’s Ciara Duffy being named the inaugural winner. This year’s midseason watch list includes representation from 14 schools and 10 conferences.

Below are the 15 members of the midseason watch list, listed in alphabetical order by school. Stats are through January 4, and only include games played against Division I opponents.

Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green, G, Fr.

19.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 3.0 SPG

Fleming, the lone freshman on the 15-player watch list, has led Bowling Green to a strong start with a well-rounded game. Fleming is the only freshman averaging 19.5 points and 3.0 steals this season. If she keeps that up, she would become the only freshman to do so since 2015-16 when our database begins.

Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, G, So.

22.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.8 SPG

Dyaisha Fair is following up her own excellent freshman campaign with an even better encore season. Fair is averaging more points, rebounds, assists, and steals than last year. Additionally, she’s scoring at a more efficient clip (1.01 points per scoring attempt vs 0.94 last year). The MAC will be flush with guard talent for years to come.

Micaela Kelly, Central Mich., G, Sr.

23.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.7 SPG

Kelly, a semi-finalist for last season’s award, has dished out fewer assists than last year but has added a couple of points per game. Kelly has a lot of competition in the MAC, but her four years of experience may give her the edge to out-perform Fleming, Fair, and Ohio’s duo that will come later in this list.

IImar'I Thomas, Cincinnati, F, Sr.

27.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.1 BPG

IImar’I Thomas has started off the 2020-21 season on fire, scoring 23 or more points and five or more rebounds in each of her first seven games of the season, including three 30-plus point games. Thanks to her volume and efficient scoring, Thomas’ 3.2 offensive win shares is the second-highest in the NCAA this season.

Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, So.

21.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 3.6 BPG

Bell has been instrumental for FGCU in her first season after transferring from Ohio State, helping to replace some of the 44.4 points per game that the Eagles lost to graduation this offseason. Bell is still just a sophomore, and it should frighten ASUN opponents that 21.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game might not even be her peak potential.

Jill Townsend, Gonzaga, G, Sr.

13.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.8 APG

Townsend has been a leader for the Zags, arguably the top mid-major program in the nation, with her low turnover rate (9.9%) and solid assist rate (22.1%) combined with her 13.5 points per game. With a noticeably easier schedule coming up with South Carolina and the South Dakota schools behind them, Townsend will have even more chances to bolster her stats going forward.

Macee Williams, IUPUI, F/C, Sr.

19.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG

Williams, who leads the nation in win shares per 40 among players with 200 or more minutes played, is just shy of averaging 20 & 10 and is a major reason for IUPUI’s 8-1 start. Overall, her stats are very similar to what she recorded last season, but her defensive rebounding percentage has increased by just under 6%.

Blanca Millan, Maine, G, R-Sr.

23.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG

Millan has come back from an injury early in the 2019-20 season looking better than ever. The guard has scored 30-plus points in three of her seven games this season, which is good for the second most 30-point games in the nation. Millan is in the top 1% of win shares in Division I, and her win shares per 40 minutes of 0.46 is in the top 2%.

Anastasia Hayes, Middle Tenn. St., G, R-Jr.

28.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.0 SPG

Hayes leads the nation in scoring, but she is more than just a scoring machine. The redshirt junior is averaging career-highs in rebounds, assists, and steals. She has an assist on 35% of her teammates’ baskets when she’s on the floor which ranks No. 37 in the nation. Her scoring prowess is even more impressive given her relatively low free-throw percentage and 3-point percentage.

Cece Hooks, Ohio, G, Sr.

25.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG

Hooks, the first of two Ohio Bobcats to make the list, has put up career numbers early in her senior season. She leads the team in scoring, rebounding, and steals, and is second on the team in rebounds and blocks. Her defensive win shares could use a boost in conference play, but her offensive win shares more than make up for it.

Erica Johnson, Ohio, G, R-Jr.

23.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.2 APG

Johnson puts up very similar numbers to Hooks, with lots of scoring and solid rebounding for a guard. Johnson is more of a distributor, her 4.2 assists per game is in the top 5% nationally and her 11.3% turnover rate is firmly better than average. Much like Hooks, Johnson’s defensive win shares are below average, but her offense outweighs her defense.

Nancy Mulkey, Rice, C, Sr.

15.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.4 BPG

Mulkey makes a return to the watch list after making last season’s 25-player early-season watch list. Mulkey’s combination of volume scoring, efficient rebounding, and rim protection are elite, but this season her scoring efficiency has skyrocketed. Mulkey is scoring 1.31 points per scoring attempt this season, which is in the top 5% of Division I, compared to 1.14 each of the previous two seasons.

Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota, C, Sr.

19.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 2.4 BPG

Sjerven was Dawn Plitzuweit’s best-kept secret last season, hiding behind 2020’s eventual Becky Hammon Award winner, Ciara Duffy. Some wondered if her No. 1 rank in overall efficiency last year as measured by win shares per 40 minutes would remain elite with more playing time.  Instead, it has actually increased despite playing about six more minutes per game compared to last year.

Kionna Jeter, Towson, G, R-Sr.

25.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.3 SPG

Jeter was on our preseason watch list based on her 18.3 points per game last season, but adding more than seven points per game without sacrificing scoring efficiency is not something we could have foreseen. The 5-foot-8 guard with a remarkable biography may be playing her way onto WNBA Draft radars.

Chelsey Perry, UT Martin, F, Sr.

27.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG

Perry, the only finalist for the 2020 Becky Hammon Award who returned for the 2020-21 season, is putting up another stellar season. The UT Martin forward is third in the nation in scoring, with 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest to round out her game. Arguably the most impressive thing about Perry’s 27.0 scoring average is the fact that she has also increased her PPSA, from 1.17 to 1.21.

Award Eligibility & Schedule

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In November, the 25 members of the preseason watch list were announced. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.

About Becky Hammon

Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program’s only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career.

Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history. Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff.

About Her Hoop Stats

Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.