The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced the Top 10 candidates for the 2024 Cheryl Miller Award, and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson has once again made the list.
Jackson, a 6-foot-2 fifth-year player from Detroit, Mich., was selected to the top 10 for the third time in her career. She was a top-five Cheryl Miller Award finalist in 2022-23 as a senior and advanced to the top 10 in 2020-21 as a sophomore.
Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award, in its seventh year, recognizes the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
The top-ten 2024 Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award candidates include Jackson, Madison Booker (Texas), Mara Braun (Minnesota), McKenzie Forbes (USC), Yarden Garzon (Indiana), Kiki Jefferson (Louisville), Jordan King (Marquette), Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Aneesah Morrow (LSU) and Alyssa Ustby (North Carolina). Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2023-24 season.
Jackson is averaging 19.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest this season with three double-doubles and double-figure scoring in all 10 games she’s played. After missing eight games due to injury from Nov. 13 to Dec. 10, during which the Lady Vols went 4-4 against a juggernaut schedule, Jackson returned to action on Dec. 19 vs. Wofford. Since then, Tennessee has gone 7-1, improving its overall record to 12-6 and its SEC mark to 5-1 to stand in a tie for second place.
Over her last eight contests, Jackson has produced 18.3 ppg. and 8.1 rebounds to lead the Big Orange, shooting 45 percent from the field and 78 percent at the free-throw line. She earned USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week recognition on Jan. 9 and picked up SEC and Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week acclaim as well. She did so after averaging 25.5 points and 13.0 rebounds while dishing out 2.0 assists per contest and shooting 54.3 from the field, 40 percent beyond the arc and 73.3 percent from the free-throw line in league victories over Auburn and Kentucky.
Fans can support their favorite players in the remaining rounds by participating in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, starting Friday, January 26, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The Selection Committee for the Cheryl Miller Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2024 Cheryl Miller Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center), in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
For more information on the 2024 Cheryl Miller Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallU and #MillerAward on Twitter and Instagram.
Source: UT Sports
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