Indiana University Athletics
Mackenzie Holmes Placed On 2022 Lisa Leslie Preseason Watch List
10/29/2021 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior forward Mackenzie Holmes has been named one of 20 to the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award preseason watch list, announced by Friday the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Holmes led the team in scoring and rebounding last season, averaging 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as she became the program's first ever Associated Press All-American honorable mention. Her seven double-doubles were also a team-high as she also led the Big Ten in blocks last season (81, 3.0 bpg.). She finished seventh in the NCAA ranked in total blocks and blocks per game last season. Holmes also shot 60.7 percent from the floor last season, which ranks fourth in a single season at IU.
The Gorham, Maine native adds to her preseason honors in 2021 as she was also named The Athletic Preseason All-American honorable mention and an All-Big Ten preseason honree. She also joins graduate student guard Ali Patberg (Nancy Lieberman) and senior guard Grace Berger (Cheryl Miller) on Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame preseason watch lists.
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2022 Lisa Leslie 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 Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, in addition to the Men's Starting Five.
2022 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates*
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2021-22 season
About Lisa Leslie:
Widely regarded as the best player in the country during her senior year of high school, Leslie decided to play basketball close to home at University of Southern California. While at USC, she set Pac-10 records for scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, earning All-Pac-10 honors each of her four seasons. In 1991, she was named national freshman of the year and went on to earn All-American Honors the following three seasons. In her senior season, she won multiple national player of the year awards, including the Naismith College Player of the Year and the WBCA Player of the Year. In the summer of 1997, the Women's National Basketball Association was launched and with it, Lisa Leslie became a household name. The Los Angeles Sparks landed the hometown star, who would go on to help them win two world championships. As an eight-time All-Star and three-time MVP, Leslie became the face of the WNBA. In 2002, she became the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. Leslie retired as the all-time leading rebounder in WNBA history and was an eight-time First Team All-WNBA performer. Internationally, Leslie won four gold medals in Olympic competition. Since retiring from professional play, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for several networks, while exploring fashion modeling and acting as well.
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Holmes led the team in scoring and rebounding last season, averaging 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as she became the program's first ever Associated Press All-American honorable mention. Her seven double-doubles were also a team-high as she also led the Big Ten in blocks last season (81, 3.0 bpg.). She finished seventh in the NCAA ranked in total blocks and blocks per game last season. Holmes also shot 60.7 percent from the floor last season, which ranks fourth in a single season at IU.
The Gorham, Maine native adds to her preseason honors in 2021 as she was also named The Athletic Preseason All-American honorable mention and an All-Big Ten preseason honree. She also joins graduate student guard Ali Patberg (Nancy Lieberman) and senior guard Grace Berger (Cheryl Miller) on Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame preseason watch lists.
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2022 Lisa Leslie 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 Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, in addition to the Men's Starting Five.
2022 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates*
| Queen Egbo | Baylor |
| Sara Hamson | BYU |
| Jenna Staiti | Georgia |
| Mackenzie Holmes | Indiana |
| Monika Czinano | Iowa |
| Ayoka Lee | Kansas State |
| Hannah Gusters | LSU |
| Shakira Austin | Mississippi |
| Jessika Carter | Mississippi St. |
| Elissa Cunane | NC State |
| Aliyah Boston | South Carolina |
| Kamilla Cardoso | South Carolina |
| Francesca Belibi | Stanford |
| Tamari Key | Tennessee |
| Ila Lane | UC Santa Barbara |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | UConn |
| Eleah Parker | Virginia |
| Elizabeth Kitley | Virginia Tech |
| Nancy Mulkey | Washington |
| Bella Murekatete | Washington St. |
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2021-22 season
About Lisa Leslie:
Widely regarded as the best player in the country during her senior year of high school, Leslie decided to play basketball close to home at University of Southern California. While at USC, she set Pac-10 records for scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, earning All-Pac-10 honors each of her four seasons. In 1991, she was named national freshman of the year and went on to earn All-American Honors the following three seasons. In her senior season, she won multiple national player of the year awards, including the Naismith College Player of the Year and the WBCA Player of the Year. In the summer of 1997, the Women's National Basketball Association was launched and with it, Lisa Leslie became a household name. The Los Angeles Sparks landed the hometown star, who would go on to help them win two world championships. As an eight-time All-Star and three-time MVP, Leslie became the face of the WNBA. In 2002, she became the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. Leslie retired as the all-time leading rebounder in WNBA history and was an eight-time First Team All-WNBA performer. Internationally, Leslie won four gold medals in Olympic competition. Since retiring from professional play, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for several networks, while exploring fashion modeling and acting as well.
Follow Indiana Women's Basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
#GoIU
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