University of Florida senior Haley Lorenzen has been named to the 2018 Katrina McClain Award watch list, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
The 20-player watch list of candidates for the award named after the two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year, is in its inaugural year and recognizes the top power forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
“Our program is grateful and excited to hear that Haley has been nominated for the inaugural Katrina McClain Award,†UF Coach Cameron Newbauer said. “Haley is a very hard worker who has spent countless hours increasing her skill set and become a more versatile player on the court.
“Haley understands that all awards are a reflection of her teammates and how each of them work together to make each other better,†Newbauer continued.
“Katrina McClain was the ultimate power forward, bringing extraordinary effort and a double-double nearly every time she set foot on the court,†said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “From the University of Georgia to Team USA, Katrina made her mark on the game through heart and determination. The power forwards on this watch list display many of the characteristics that made Katrina such an outstanding player.â€
The Selection Committee for the Katrina McClain Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Katrina McClain Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. McClain-Pittman and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist at www.hoophallawards.com.
The winner of the 2018 Katrina McClain Power Forward Award will be announced during ESPN2’s telecast of the national semifinal games in the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, March 30. 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 Lisa Leslie Center Award, as well as the Wade Trophy, the sport’s oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award.
“It is a great honor to be a part of the new women’s positional awards,†said Katrina McClain-Pittman, a 2012 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The Basketball Hall of Fame honors both the men’s and women’s game at all levels and I’m proud to see the introduction of these awards recognizing the hard work of these deserving young women.â€
For more information on the 2018 Katrina McClain Award, visit www.hoophallawards.com.
2018 Katrina McClain Award Candidates
Lauren Cox | Baylor |
Kristine Anigwe | California |
Camille Zimmerman | Columbia |
Napheesa Collier | Connecticut |
Leaonna Odom | Duke |
Haley Lorenzen | Florida |
G’mrice Davis | Fordham |
Caliya Robinson | Georgia |
Ashunae Durant | Hofstra |
Megan Gustafson | Iowa |
Myisha Hines-Allen | Louisville |
Erykah Davenport | Miami |
Alex Johnson | Middle Tennessee |
Jordan Frericks | Missouri |
Ruthy Hebard | Oregon |
Michelle Nwokedi | Penn |
Bella Alarie | Princeton |
Mael Gilles | Rutgers |
Maria Jesperson | South Florida |
Jatarie White | Texas |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*
About Katrina McClain-Pittman: Katrina McClain-Pittman was a prolific rebounder and terrific scorer in a career that spanned three Olympic Games and three continents. Before she earned her stripes for USA Basketball, McClain-Pittman starred at the University of Georgia where she was a two-time Kodak All-American and the WBCA National Player of the Year her senior season.
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 everylevel – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
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