University of North Carolina Athletics
Deja Kelly has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2023 Nancy Lieberman Award.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Kelly Named To Lieberman Award Watch List
October 17, 2022 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC junior Deja Kelly has been named to the watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which honors the top point guard in NCAA women's basketball. Kelly is one of 20 candidates on the preseason list.
The pool of players will be narrowed to 10 in mid-February and then down to five in March. The award winner will be selected from those five finalists.
"Deja is a great player and has continued to elevate her game through her work ethic and attention to detail," UNC coach Courtney Banghart said. "She puts in the time on the court and in the film room, and she has steady improvement to show for it. As one of the best guards in the country, she impacts our team in so many positive ways. Her resume makes her a strong candidate for the Lieberman Award and I'm excited to see her continue to build throughout the season."
As a sophomore in 2021-22, Kelly led the Tar Heels in scoring with 16.5 points per game, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference and honorable mention All-America honors. A starter in all 32 games, she led the ACC in free throw percentage and earned a spot on the NCAA Greensboro Regional All-Tournament Team after leading UNC with 23 points in the Sweet 16 game against eventual-champion South Carolina.
Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will open on Friday. Follow @UNCWBB on Twitter for the link to vote for Kelly on Friday.
For a look at the rest of the players on the watch list, click here.
"The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is honored to celebrate both men and women at all levels of the game," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "The players being recognized today on the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List have worked extremely hard to master their skills and have become outstanding examples of why the future is so bright for our game. We look forward to evaluating this year's top point guards with Nancy Lieberman, a Hall of Famer who helped pave the way for today's female athletes."
The pool of players will be narrowed to 10 in mid-February and then down to five in March. The award winner will be selected from those five finalists.
"Deja is a great player and has continued to elevate her game through her work ethic and attention to detail," UNC coach Courtney Banghart said. "She puts in the time on the court and in the film room, and she has steady improvement to show for it. As one of the best guards in the country, she impacts our team in so many positive ways. Her resume makes her a strong candidate for the Lieberman Award and I'm excited to see her continue to build throughout the season."
As a sophomore in 2021-22, Kelly led the Tar Heels in scoring with 16.5 points per game, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference and honorable mention All-America honors. A starter in all 32 games, she led the ACC in free throw percentage and earned a spot on the NCAA Greensboro Regional All-Tournament Team after leading UNC with 23 points in the Sweet 16 game against eventual-champion South Carolina.
Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will open on Friday. Follow @UNCWBB on Twitter for the link to vote for Kelly on Friday.
For a look at the rest of the players on the watch list, click here.
"The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is honored to celebrate both men and women at all levels of the game," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "The players being recognized today on the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List have worked extremely hard to master their skills and have become outstanding examples of why the future is so bright for our game. We look forward to evaluating this year's top point guards with Nancy Lieberman, a Hall of Famer who helped pave the way for today's female athletes."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballHubert Davis Post-Georgetown Press Conference
Monday, December 08
Carolina Insider: Rapid Reactions – Men’s Basketball vs. Georgetown – December 7, 2025
Monday, December 08
UNC Men's Basketball: Wilson & Veesaar Lead 81-61 Win Over Hoyas
Monday, December 08
UNC Women's Basketball: Tar Heels Take Down Terriers, 82-40
Sunday, December 07