Four Huskies Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List
ATLANTA – Four members of the UConn women’s basketball team were named to the 50-player watch list for the 2021 Women’s Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Tuesday.
Juniors Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Evina Westbrook and Christyn Williams and freshman Paige Bueckers were named to the watch list. UConn has the most representatives on the list, and Connecticut has won the most Naismith Trophies (10).
Bueckers earned the 2020 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Trophy.
The midseason 30 team will be announced in early February; players who do not make the watch list are still eligible to be selected for the midseason 30 team. Then, the competition will be narrowed down to 10 national semifinalists on March 2, 2021, and four finalists will be named on March 19, 2021. The winner of the 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 3, 2021.
2021 Women’s Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
Aliyah Boston So. F South Carolina SEC
Sam Brunelle So. F Notre Dame ACC
Paige Bueckers Fr. G UConn BIG EAST
DiJonai Carrington Sr. G Baylor Big 12
Jessika Carter Jr. F/C Mississippi St. SEC
Charli Collier Jr. F/C Texas Big 12
Zia Cooke So. G South Carolina SEC
Elissa Cunane Jr. C NC State ACC
Rennia Davis Sr. G/F Tennessee SEC
Chelsea Dungee Sr. G Arkansas SEC
Dana Evans Sr. G Louisville ACC
Aleah Goodman Sr. G Oregon State Pac-12
Vivian Gray Sr. G Texas Tech Big 12
Arella Guirantes Sr. G Rutgers Big Ten
Lauren Heard Sr. G TCU Big 12
Lexi Held Jr. G DePaul BIG EAST
Naz Hillmon Jr. F Michigan Big Ten
Rhyne Howard Jr G Kentucky SEC
Lexie Hull Jr. G Stanford Pac-12
Rickea Jackson So. F Mississippi St. SEC
Ashley Joens Jr. G/F Iowa State Big 12
Haley Jones So. G Stanford Pac-12
N'Dea Jones Sr. F Texas A&M SEC
Taylor Jones So. F Oregon State Pac-12
Dorka Juhász Jr. F Ohio State Big Ten
Ayoka Lee So. C Kansas State Big 12
Kiara Lewis Sr. G Syracuse ACC
Natasha Mack Sr. F Oklahoma State Big 12
Tiana Mangakahia Sr. G Syracuse ACC
Aari McDonald Sr. G Arizona Pac-12
Nancy Mulkey Sr. C Rice C-USA
Olivia Nelson-Ododa Jr. F UConn BIG EAST
Michaela Onyenwere Sr. F UCLA Pac-12
Ashley Owusu So. G Maryland Big Ten
Ali Patberg Sr. G Indiana Big Ten
Chelsey Perry Sr. F Tennessee-Martin OVC
Lasha Petree Jr. G Bradley MVC
Alissa Pili So. F USC Pac-12
Lindsey Pulliam Sr. G Northwestern Big Ten
Cate Reese Jr. F Arizona Pac-12
DiDi Richards Sr. G Baylor Big 12
Destiny Slocum Sr. G Arkansas SEC
NaLyssa Smith Jr. F Baylor Big 12
Taylor Soule Jr. F Boston College ACC
Jill Townsend Sr. G Gonzaga WCC
Maddi Utti Sr. F Fresno St. MWC
Hailey Van Lith Fr. G Louisville ACC
Evina Westbrook Jr. G UConn BIG EAST
Christyn Williams Jr. G UConn BIG EAST
Kiana Williams Sr. G Stanford Pac-12