University of North Carolina Athletics
Maria Gakdeng, pictured at Live Action, is on the watch list for the Lisa Leslie Award.
Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH
Gakdeng Named To Lisa Leslie Award Watch List
October 20, 2023 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In her first season at North Carolina, junior Maria Gakdeng has been named to the watch list for the Lisa Leslie Award as the nation's top center. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced the list on Friday as the final positional watch list.
Gakdeng joins seniors Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby on preseason watch lists. Kelly was announced Monday as part of the watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award recognizing the nation's top point guard. Ustby was announced on Wednesday as part of the watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award, which goes to the nation's top small forward.
Gakdeng, a 6-3 center from Lanham, Md., is one of three ACC players on the Lisa Leslie Award list. Although she's new to Carolina blue, Gakdeng is familiar with the league having spent the past two years at Boston College. There she was a two-year starter and set a single-season record for blocks as a freshman. She was a member of the 2022 All-ACC Freshman Team and was named ACC Freshman of the Week five times.
The 20-player watchlist for the Lisa Leslie Award, which was selected by a national committee, will be trimmed to 10 in January and then to five in February. The winner will be announced in March.
Fan voting for the award opens on Friday. For the full list of the honorees, click here.
The Tar Heels will open the season on Nov. 8 at home against Gardner-Webb.
Gakdeng joins seniors Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby on preseason watch lists. Kelly was announced Monday as part of the watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award recognizing the nation's top point guard. Ustby was announced on Wednesday as part of the watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award, which goes to the nation's top small forward.
Gakdeng, a 6-3 center from Lanham, Md., is one of three ACC players on the Lisa Leslie Award list. Although she's new to Carolina blue, Gakdeng is familiar with the league having spent the past two years at Boston College. There she was a two-year starter and set a single-season record for blocks as a freshman. She was a member of the 2022 All-ACC Freshman Team and was named ACC Freshman of the Week five times.
The 20-player watchlist for the Lisa Leslie Award, which was selected by a national committee, will be trimmed to 10 in January and then to five in February. The winner will be announced in March.
Fan voting for the award opens on Friday. For the full list of the honorees, click here.
The Tar Heels will open the season on Nov. 8 at home against Gardner-Webb.
Players Mentioned
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