STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford senior Alanna Smith is one of 20 players on the watch list for the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday. The annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top center in women's college basketball.
The selection committee is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie 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 Lisa Leslie Award will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Basketball Coaches Association and ESPN at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio.
The versatile 6-foot-4 junior, who can play any of three positions, was one of Stanford's most productive players down the stretch of her sophomore season, averaging 14.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in the Cardinal's final 15 games. During Stanford's Final Four run, she averaged 15.4 points on 52.5 percent shooting, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in five NCAA Tournament games.
This summer, Smith made her debut for Australia's senior national team at the FIBA Asia Cup in Bangalore, India. The first international recruit in program history showed well at the program's selection camp in Phoenix in late June and didn't disappoint in her first action at the senior level, finishing second on the team in scoring and field goal percentage and third in rebounding.
One of two Opals to score in double figures for the tournament, Smith averaged 10.8 points on 58.3 percent shooting and 5.3 rebounds. Australia took home silver and qualified for the 2018 FIBA World Cup by virtue of its top-four finish.
Smith and the No. 10 Cardinal begin the season in Columbus, Ohio this evening for a game against No. 5 Ohio State that will be carried on the Big Ten Network at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. On Sunday, Stanford will face No. 1 UConn for the first time since 2014 at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus on ESPN at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT.