SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The dog days of conference season are upon us, meaning the preseason watchlists are being trimmed. Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles is holding strong.
On Monday, Miles was announced as one of 10 finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA 2023 Nancy Lieberman Award, which is given to the nation’s top point guard. She was featured on the preseason watch list as well.
To be considered for this top honor, candidates must exhibit the floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of Class of 1996 Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. The award is in its 24th year.
Miles leads Notre Dame in four of the five major statistical categories this year: points (15.0), rebounds (7.2), assists (7.0) and steals (2.2). She has posted double-digit assists in four games this season, and her 14 assists against Merrimack are the most in a single game by any ACC player this year. Also against Merrimack, Miles recorded her third career triple-double, passing Skylar Diggins and Jackie Young for most in Notre Dame basketball — men’s or women’s — history.
The New Jersey native is one of two players in the nation averaging at least 15 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game (Caitlin Clark, Iowa).
While 10 players were recognized Monday, anyone can still play their way onto or off of the list. Five finalists will be announced in late February. Fan voting will open on Feb. 3 on hoophallawards.com, and top player selections from the fan vote will receive an additional vote toward making the final list.
Iowa’s Clark is the reigning winner, and Diggins is the only Notre Dame player to earn the laurels. The South Bend native won in 2012 and 2013.
Complete List of Semifinalists:
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Jenna Clark, Yale
Dyaisha Fair, Syracuse
Rori Harmon, Texas
Maura Hendrixson, Drexel
McKenna Hofschild, Colorado State
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Alexa Morris, LSU
Nika Muhl, UConn
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981 or call 1-770-279-8027.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.