Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
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HOPEWELL, N.J.—Her Hoop Stats is proud to announce the 10 semifinalists for the inaugural Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. The Becky Hammon Award presented by Her Hoop Stats recognizes the nation’s best mid-major player, the first such award in women’s college basketball.
“I think it’s awesome to recognize players who maybe don’t have the glitz and glamour or privilege of being on national TV, but are doing great things on their journey through college hoops,” said Coach Hammon.
The Semifinalists
Bella Alarie, Princeton, G/F, Sr.
17.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 2.3 BPG
Because of the Ivy League’s unique schedule and an injury early in the season, Alarie has played only 12 games this season. Her scoring numbers are down slightly from last season but should continue to rise as the season progresses.
Ayzhiana Basallo, San Jose St., G, R-So.
21.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG
The redshirt sophomore has made an immediate impact in her first season after sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules. Among the 17 players in Division I scoring 20-plus points per contest, Basallo is the only one also averaging five or more assists. Her combination of efficient scoring and smart passing makes her extremely dangerous.
Denia Davis-Stewart, Merrimack, F, Sr.
19.2 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 4.7 BPG
Davis-Stewart made a statement in Merrimack’s first-ever Division I game, recording a triple-double with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 blocks. The senior has continued her dominance and is currently leading the nation in rebounds and blocks per game.
Ciara Duffy, South Dakota, G, Sr.
17.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.1 SPG
Duffy has been the steady leadership for the Coyotes this season while playing her way into the conversation for an award named after fellow Rapid City native Becky Hammon. The senior guard has positioned South Dakota for their first Division I NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Ellie Harmeyer, Belmont, F, Sr.
17.8 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 1.6 APG
Harmeyer has an impressive combination of scoring and rebounding and is a threat to score 20 points or grab 20 boards in any given game. The forward also gets to the charity stripe a lot. She is fifth in the nation in total free throw trips at 72, and she shoots a solid 80.8 percent from the line.
Keri Jewett-Giles, FGCU, G, R-Sr.
17.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.5 SPG
Jewett-Giles is a dynamic player who excels in many areas of the game. Her scoring, assists, and steals per game all rank in the top 10 percent of the country, while her 4.3 rebounds per game are solid for a guard.
Stella Johnson, Rider, G, Sr.
25.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.7 SPG
Johnson is the nation’s leading scorer and has recorded five 30-point games so far this season. She contributes in other ways too. She is also in the top 10 percent of Division I in rebounds, assists, and steals per game.
Micaela Kelly, Central Mich., G, Jr.
22.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2 SPG
Kelly, like Stella Johnson, is a high-volume scorer who can do more than just score. Central Michigan’s tough strength of schedule (59.2% average opponent winning percentage is No. 22 in the nation) makes her ability to go out and average nearly 23 points per game even more impressive.
Chelsey Perry, UT Martin, F, Jr.
21.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 3 BPG
Perry has exploded in the last month of the season, rattling off eight straight 20-point games shortly after our mid-season watch list was released. After scoring just 10 points combined in her first two games this season, the junior forward has averaged 23.4 points per game on 50.1 percent shooting ever since.
Sara Rhine, Drake, F, R-Sr.
17.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.2 BPG
Rhine has been one of the most efficient scorers in the country this season but her ability to score efficiently at a high volume is what sets her apart. In addition to ranking in the top 10 in points per scoring attempt, the forward has averaged 0.7 more blocks per game than last season.
Breakdown Of Honorees
The semifinalists are made up of players from nine different conferences, including two representatives from the OVC. Of the 10 players named semifinalists, there are five guards, four forwards, and one guard-forward.
Schedule and Eligibility
On January 6 we named 15 student-athletes to the mid-season watch list. Her Hoop Stats will announce the five finalists for the award on Monday, March 9. Each of the five finalists will be considered for the award, with the winner being announced on Wednesday, April 1.
To be eligible for the award, players must compete in one of the 25 conferences deemed to be “mid-major”. The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: AAC, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. Players are selected based on their on-court production in the 2019-20 NCAA season. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off of 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 this day. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and was traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007. 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 was 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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