PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Olivia Miles continues to keep good company during award season. On Tuesday, Miles was announced as one of four finalists for the Dawn Staley Award.
Established in 2013, the honor is named for the current South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley and recognizes the best guard in women’s college basketball. Whoever brings home the laurels “exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed during her career (ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win,” per the award’s website.
Notre Dame’s statistical leader with 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game, Miles is the centerpiece of the Irish offense. She also averages 14.3 points per contest, less than a point fewer than Sonia Citron’s 14.7. Miles is one of just two Division I players who is averaging at least 14 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
Miles has already received a spot on the All-ACC First Team, and she was the runner up for Player of the Year. She is one of 15 players on the Wooden Award National Ballot, and her name peppers various other late season watch lists.
In addition to Miles, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, South Carolina’s Zia Cooke and Stanford’s Haley Jones made the final cut. The winner will be announced the weekend of the Final Four, and a virtual award ceremony will be held Thursday, April 6.