Ustby Named To Watch List for Cheryl Miller Award

For the second year in a row, UNC's Alyssa Ustby has been named to the preseason watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award, which honors the nation's top small forward. Ustby, a 6-1 junior from Rochester, Minn., is one of 20 candidates on the preseason list, which will be narrowed to 10 in mid-February.

Five finalists will be announced in March with the Cheryl Miller Award winner selected from that pool.

"Alyssa is undoubtedly one of the most versatile players in the country." UNC coach Courtney Banghart said. "She is elite in transition, can guard all positions, and can score from so many spots on the floor. Her relentless motor and extreme competitiveness separate her from so many. She will be a key part of our team again this season, and a premier player in the ACC."

As a sophomore in 2021-22, Ustby led the Tar Heels in rebounding with 8.6 boards per game (fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference) and ranked second on the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game. She totaled 13 double-doubles during the season, second most in the ACC and earned second-team All-Conference honors after starting all 32 games for Carolina. She also ranked in the ACC's top 10 in field goal percentage (.445, eighth) and steals (1.69, ninth).

Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will open on Friday. Follow @UNCWBB on Twitter for the link to vote for Ustby on Friday.

For a look at the rest of the players on the watch list, click here.

"We are extremely proud of the work ethic and dedication shown by the student athletes on the Cheryl Miller Award Watch LIST," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "After her dominant career at USC and winning a pair of NCAA Championships, Cheryl is one of the greatest to play our game. We are honored to be working alongside her throughout the 2022-23 season."

Also on Wednesday, Ustby was ranked sixth on ESPN.com's list of players with the potential to have breakout seasons. To read that story, click here.

Players Mentioned

Alyssa Ustby

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