Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, WBCA announce candidates for inaugural Cheryl Miller Award
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced 20 watch list candidates for the inaugural Cheryl Miller Award. The annual award will recognize the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. The honor is named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year.
“Cheryl Miller was an unstoppable force on the court, legendarily scoring more than one hundred points in a single high school game,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “At USC, Cheryl continued her dominance winning two NCAA Championships. When it comes to small forwards, no one has done it better and the young women recognized on this list should be honored to be associated with one of the game’s all-time greats.”
The selection committee for the award includes media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. The list will be narrowed to 10 in mid-February. In March, five finalists will be presented to Miller 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 Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, March 30.
“I’m so excited to see the Basketball Hall of Fame expanding their portfolio of awards and recognizing the best athletes in the women’s college game today,” said Cheryl Miller, a 1995 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “I’m honored to represent this award for small forwards and can’t wait to see these student-athletes take the court.”
2018 Cheryl Miller Award Candidates
| Hannah Cook | Alabama |
| Gabby Williams | Connecticut |
| Shakayla Thomas | Florida St. |
| Jill Barta | Gonzaga |
| Amanda Cahill | Indiana |
| Bridget Carleton | Iowa St |
| Raigyne Louis | LSU |
| Erika Davenport | Marquette |
| Brianna Fraser | Maryland |
| Branndais Agee | Michigan St |
| Sophie Cunningham | Missouri |
| Liza Fruendt | Missouri St. |
| Stephanie Mavunga | Ohio State |
| Maddie Manning | Oklahoma |
| Maria Jespersen | South Florida |
| Jaime Nared | Tennessee |
| Ariel Atkins | Texas |
| Kennedy Burke | UCLA |
| Teana Muldrow | West Virginia |
| Cayla McMorris | Wisconsin |
