Four Big 12 women’s basketball student-athletes were named "Fival Five" finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Starting Five Awards.
Baylor’s Te’a Cooper (Nancy Lieberman Award) and Lauren Cox (Katrina McClain Award), along with Iowa State’s Ashley Joens (Cheryl Miller Award) and Texas Tech’s Brittany Brewer (Lisa Leslie Award).
For the third-straight year, Cox was named a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award. The annual award in its third year recognizes the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I basketball.
Cox was tabbed the 2020 Big 12 Player of the Year, an All-Big 12 First-Team selection and a Big 12 All-Defensive Team member. She is also a finalist for the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Cooper earned a spot on the WBCA's Nancy Lieberman Award "Final Five”. The Lieberman Award honors the top point guard in the nation each year.
The Powder Springs, Ga., native ranks second on Baylor's team in scoring at 13.6 points per contest, leads the team in steals with 56 and averages 4.6 assists per contest. Cooper ranks 16th in the Big 12 in scoring average, third in the league in assists and sixth in the conference in steals. She was tabbed the 2020 Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Year.
Brewer, who is a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award, finished her senior season as the only player in the country averaging 15+ points, 10+ rebounds and 4+ blocks, and was second nationally and first among autonomy conference players in blocks per game with a 4.4 average. The All-Big 12 First Team performer tallied 15 double-doubles on the season, and averaged 16.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game—ranking top six in the Big 12 in both.
Joens, a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award, was first in the Big 12 in scoring and 11th in the nation, averaging 20.5 points per game, while her 10.5 rebounds ranks third in the Big 12 and 13th nationally, the most of any guard in the league. The sophomore was the only player in the NCAA averaging over 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds.
Recently she was named one of three unanimous selections to the All-Big 12 First-Team. Joens averaged a double-double with 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds and has claimed a league-high six Big 12 weekly honors.
The Women’s Starting Five will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, April 10, 2020.
Naismith Women’s Starting Five Finalists
Te’a Cooper, Baylor – Nancy Lieberman Award
Lauren Cox, Baylor – Katrina McClain Award
Ashley Joens, Iowa State – Cheryl Miller Award
Brittany Brewer, Texas Tech – Lisa Leslie Award