SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today that Missouri State senior Liza Fruendt is one of 20 watch list candidates for the 2018 Cheryl Miller Award.
The Preseason Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Fruendt is the MVC’s top returning scorer, averaging 16.7 points and starting all 31 Missouri State games last season on the way to first-team all-MVC honors. She boosted her averages to 18.2 points, 6.0 boards and 2.7 assists in conference games as the only player to rank in the top 12 in each category.
The Batavia, Ill., native scored in double figures 27 times last season, including a 46-point outburst at 22nd-ranked Drake, the fifth-best total in school history behind only Jackie Stiles. She led MSU in scoring 21 times, and had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Evansville. Her 518 total points tied for 16th in MSU history, her 72 3-pointers ranked eighth, and she surpassed the 1,000-point barrier in February.
Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year, the annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
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. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Cheryl Miller Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist at www.hoophallawards.com.
