SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 10 candidates for the 2017 Nancy Lieberman Award. Now in its eighteenth year, the award recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. Candidates exhibit the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills of Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame became the host of the Nancy Lieberman Award three years ago after the Rotary Club of Detroit managed it for several years.
“Nancy Lieberman was a true trailblazer of the game, paving the way for countless female athletes who aspired to follow in her footsteps,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “She was the quintessential point guard and the student-athletes named to our list of finalists exhibit many of her fine qualities as a player and person.”
The Selection Committee for the Nancy Lieberman Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. The list will be narrowed down to five finalists in mid-March. The Lieberman Award winner will be announced during the WBCA’s Keynote Session in Dallas, Texas at the Women’s Final Four.
“I am very honored to have my name associated with this award and the best point guards in college basketball,” Lieberman said. “Over the years we have honored many deserving floor generals and I’m anxious to see who comes out on top this season!”
Previous winners of the Nancy Lieberman Award include Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut (2015-16), Odyssey Sims, Baylor (2014), Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame (2012-13), Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga (2011), Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State (2010), Renee Montgomery, Connecticut (2009), Kristi Toliver, Maryland (2008), Lindsey Harding, Duke (2007), Ivory Latta, North Carolina (2006), Temeka Johnson, LSU (2005), Diana Taurasi, Connecticut (2003-04), and Sue Bird, Connecticut (2000-02).
For more information on the 2017 Nancy Lieberman Award, log onto www.pointguard.org.
2017 Nancy Lieberman Award Candidates
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Alexis Jones |
Baylor |
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Lexie Brown |
Duke |
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Ashley Deary |
Northwestern |
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Lindsay Allen |
Notre Dame |
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Kelsey Mitchell |
Ohio State |
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Alexis Peterson |
Syracuse |
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Feyonda Fitzgerald |
Temple |
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Curtyce Knox |
Texas A&M |
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Jordin Canada |
UCLA |
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Kelsey Plum |
Washington |
*Players can play their way on to and off of the list at any point in the 2016-17 season*
About Nancy Lieberman
Nancy "Lady Magic" Lieberman is a true pioneer in women's sports. Her extensive resume includes Assistant Coach of the NBA's Sacramento Kings, head coach of the Texas Legends the D-League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks, WNBA player and coach, general manager, sports broadcaster for ABC, NBC, ESPN, and FOX Sports Southwest, motivational speaker, and author. In addition, Nancy Lieberman is a Basketball Hall of Famer, two-time Olympian, three-time All American, two-time collegiate national champion and a two-time National Player of the Year at Old Dominion University. She is also the founder of Nancy Lieberman Charities and Basketball Camps. For more information, visit www.nancyliebermancharities.org.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information
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