Top Players in Each Position Recognized at the NCAA Women’s Final Four
COLUMBUS, OHIO - In collaboration with ESPN, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) established four inaugural women’s college basketball awards during the 2017-18 season. In addition to the esteemed Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award which has been presented since 2000, the Basketball Hall of Fame and the WBCA are proud to now present the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award, Katrina McClain Power Forward Award and Lisa Leslie Center Award.
"The Basketball Hall of Fame is an institution that represents the entire game of basketball, all over the world and at every level,” said John Doleva, President of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The creation of these awards brings together the very best of the women's game, both Hall of Famers and the top student-athletes. We are excited honor our winners in Columbus this weekend.”
The inaugural winners of the five positional player of the year awards were announced this evening during ESPN2’s telecast of the national semifinal games in the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four. This year’s winners are:
Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon) - Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award
Victoria Vivians (Mississippi State) - Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award
Gabby Williams (Connecticut) - Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award
Ruthy Hebard (Oregon) - Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award
A'ja Wilson (South Carolina) - Lisa Leslie Center of the Year
Each award’s namesake headed her own selection committee and will be on hand tomorrow morning to present her award at the College Women's Basketball Awards Reception hosted by the Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. For more information, visit www.HoophallAwards.com.
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:
Visit us online: www.hoophall.com or www.hoophallawards.com
… on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BHOF
… on Twitter/Instagram: @hoophall
… or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA
About the WBCA: Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport.
For more information:
Visit us online: www.WBCA.org
… on Facebook: www/facebook.com/WBCA1981/
… on Twitter/Instagram: @wbca1981
… or call 770-279-8027