basketball-women-d1 flag

Naismith Hall of Fame | February 5, 2021

10 candidates named to the 2021 Lisa Leslie Award watch list

Indiana vs. Iowa is 1 of the must-watch women's basketball games this week

Springfield, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today the Top 10 candidates for the 2021 Lisa Leslie Award. Named after the three-time All-American and1994 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its fourth year recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must exhibit the consistent play, positive attitude, and commitment to excellence of Class of 2015 Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie.

In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The Selection Committee for the Lisa Leslie Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.

WATCH LIST: 10 candidates named for 2021 Katrina McClain award

The winner of the 2021 Lisa Leslie Center Award will be presented April 9, 2021, along with the four other members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five. College basketball fans can support their favorite players by participating in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies

Previous winners of the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award include Aliyah Boston, South Carolina (2020), Megan Gustafson, Iowa (2019) and A’ja Wilson, South Carolina (2018). For more information on the 2021 Lisa Leslie Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #LeslieAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live today, February 5 at 1 p.m. EST on HoophallAwards.com.

2021 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates*

Name

School

Queen Egbo

Baylor

Olivia Nelson-Ododa

Connecticut

Ayoka Lee

Kansas State

Elissa Cunane

NC State

Janelle Bailey

North Carolina

Shakira Austin

Ole Miss

Nancy Mulkey

Rice

Aliyah Boston

South Carolina

Kamilla Cardoso

Syracuse

Charli Collier

Texas

 

*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-21 season

Southern Cal is NCAA.com women's basketball team of the week after 5-0 start

After continuing its undefeated start with wins over Seton Hall and Penn State in the Bahamas, Southern Cal earns team of the week honors in women's basketball.
READ MORE

8 biggest surprises in women's college basketball so far this season

Women's college basketball has already fit a year's worth of chaos into just the month of November. Here's a look at the most surprising teams and players so far.
READ MORE

NC State enters, Stanford climbs Week 4 women's basketball Power 10

Here are Autumn Johnson's Week 4 women's basketball Power 10 and Player of the Week.
READ MORE

Subscribe To Email Updates

Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners